“Cleavers in every tower,” Cadaverous told them. “Electrified fences. Cameras covering the yard. Just as we were warned.”

“And we’re not yet fighting for our lives,” said Lethe, “which means we are indeed in the one blind spot the island offers.”

“Our information was correct,” Smoke said.

Lethe looked at him. “You doubted it?”

“I don’t like spies,” he said, pulling at the braids in his goatee. “Theirs or ours.”

“Well,” Lethe said, “I for one am grateful for our spy. It bodes well for what is to come. You all know what to do. You all know where to go. We want the Cleavers and all Sanctuary personnel dead or gone. This is to be a clean sweep. Ignore the convicts. They’ll beg you to open their cells, but we’re not here for them. We’re here for her. We’re here to find the box.”

“And while we’re all risking our lives,” Nero said, “what are you going to be doing?”

Lethe nodded towards the Brute’s slanted windows. “I’m going to be in the control room,” he said. “Someone’s got to steer this thing, after all.”

9

Skulduggery and Valkyrie watched as Omen Darkly, his schoolbag slung over his shoulder, failed utterly to take his leave with anything resembling dignity. He tried two locked doors before finding the one that led off the balcony and into the tower. He waved, blushing madly, and disappeared.

“Interesting boy,” Skulduggery said. “Not what I would call especially impressive, but an interesting boy, nonetheless.”

“I don’t know about this,” Valkyrie said. She was getting cold. “He’s a kid, Skulduggery. We shouldn’t be involving him in this stuff.”

“Perhaps,” Skulduggery said, “but he did make a valid point. I involved you in ‘this stuff’ when you were even younger.”

“That’s different.”

“How so?”

“That was me,” she said. “I could handle it.”

“I think Omen will surprise you.”

“He forgot which door he literally just came through.”

“So it’ll be an even bigger surprise.”

She peered over the railing, down on to an empty courtyard. “He’s not going to get the chance, though, is he? He keeps an eye out for this recruiter person and that’s it, he goes home.”

“This is a boarding school.”

“You know what I mean.”

“That’s all we’ll need him to do, yes. But there’s a stubbornness in his eyes that I’ve really only seen once before.”

“I was never stubborn,” Valkyrie said, climbing over the railing. “I just happened to be right.”

She let go and plummeted. The South Tower was six storeys high and she was halfway to the hard ground before the air began to slow her descent. Skulduggery drifted down beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist.

“I do wish you’d tell me before you jump,” he said, “especially if you aren’t even going to attempt to use your powers.”