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Back Resurrection Save as PDF
Chapters (81)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. Contents
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. Glossary
  78. Dramatis Personae
  79. Keep Reading …
  80. The Skulduggery Pleasant series
  81. About the Publisher

“Did we?” Flanery sneered. “Did we agree? Who agreed? You and me? I’m the leader of the Free World – who are you? Who are you to agree anything with me? When you say we agreed, what you mean is President Flanery decided. That’s what you mean. And yeah, I decided a while back not to use the witch when it comes to journalists. I decided it was risky. But that was before those loser reporters started poking around my Foundation. That was before they started questioning my college results. Now I’m changing my mind. I can do that, can’t I? I can change my mind? Don’t bother answering that, that was a … I don’t need an answer for that. I have a problem, and I have someone who can solve that problem. Are we understanding each other, Wilkes?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then do it. Get it done.”

“Yes, sir.” Wilkes stood. “Uh, one more thing, sir.”

Flanery flapped his arms, adopting a mocking tone. “Uhh, one more thing, sir. For God’s sake, spit it out.”

Was that anger that flickered across Wilkes’s face? If it was, it vanished immediately. “It’s Parthenios Lilt, sir. He’s free. He escaped confinement this morning.”

“Finally,” said Flanery. “Finally, you deliver some good news to me. Today is indeed a momentous day. Now get out. I gotta prepare to be interviewed by a pipsqueak idiot and a fat pig in a dress – unless you’ve actually done your job? Unless you’ve actually arranged for me to be on camera with an attractive woman?”

“Uh … sorry, Mr President, they said she’s the co-anchor and they can’t … they can’t really swap her out, especially at this late stage.”

Flanery glowered. “Next time, make sure there’s a beautiful woman in front of me, you hear? Next time I want the most beautiful woman in the world.”

53

“Oh, I’m sorry,” China said upon entering, “were you waiting for me?”

Tipstaff tried to stand, but the Cleaver pushed him back down. “Supreme Mage, please, I can explain—”

She interrupted like he wasn’t even speaking. “I’m so sorry I’m late,” she said, sitting at the table opposite him while he sweated in his chair. “I’ve just had a lot to do. It’s all a bit of a mess without you, if I’m to be honest. You kept this place running like clockwork, you really did. Isn’t it true that you never really miss a person until they’re gone? I am really missing you, my friend. I really am.”

The room was stark. Two chairs and a table to which Tipstaff was shackled. One Cleaver standing over him, another by the door. A mirrored window set into one wall. A single fluorescent light that hummed in the quiet moments.