Valkyrie’s face soured. “And now I’m being rude, just like I knew I would.”

“You’re not rude, no.”

“It’s just I’m not looking for a friend right now.”

Militsa blinked. “Ohh. OK.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to offend you, but I’m trying to stay away from people until I get my head straight.”

“Gotcha,” Militsa said. “No explanation needed. You’ve been through a lot and the last thing you need is someone to talk to.”

“When you say it like that,” Valkyrie said, “it sounds stupid.”

“Not at all. This is totally my fault – I just feel like I know you already. I’ve asked Fletcher so many questions.”

Valkyrie raised an eyebrow. “You know Fletcher Renn?”

Militsa looked surprised. “Well, of course. He’s a teacher here.”

Valkyrie couldn’t help it – she grinned. “Fletcher? Seriously? What does he teach? What does he know well enough to teach?”

Militsa grinned with her. “Teleportation. He’s only got three students, and only one of them can actually teleport, but he’s pretty good. I think you’d be impressed.”

“That’s hilarious,” said Valkyrie. “Is he all strict and stuff?”

“Very. He has a teacher voice.”

“Oh, wow.”

Valkyrie’s phone buzzed with a message from Skulduggery, saying he’d be delayed another ten minutes. As she slipped it back into her jeans, she noticed Militsa glancing at her watch.

“You probably have work to do,” Valkyrie said.

Militsa nodded. “I’m supposed to be teaching a class right now. If this was a mortal school, the kids’d be tearing up the place, but Corrival students tend to be so boringly well behaved that they’re probably cleaning the windows. The coffee offer will remain open, by the way, for as long as you need it to be. Or, you know, dinner. Whatever.”

“Thank you. Really. I appreciate the gesture.”

“No problem,” Militsa said, and beamed another smile. “It was so nice to meet you, Valkyrie. I hope we can get to know each other better.”

Valkyrie smiled back, and Militsa turned with a swirl of her cloak and walked off. She wore a cloak. Valkyrie hadn’t known very many people who wore cloaks. Not even Skulduggery wore a cloak. What an odd girl. Valkyrie liked her.

She left the school, with its magnificent arches and grand staircases, and walked the wide streets. Plenty of time to double back and meet Skulduggery. There was a guy on the corner, barefoot and dressed in sackcloth, holding a sign that warned her that the end was nigh. To reinforce the point he was making, he shouted it at anyone who was passing.

“The end is nigh!” he screeched to Valkyrie, shaking the cardboard sign. “The end is nigh!”

“Isn’t it always?” she asked, and left him shaking the sign resentfully.