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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

“So they’re … they’re going to resurrect someone? Like actually resurrect them? Who? This Princess of the Darklands woman?”

“Possibly.”

She frowned. “Do you know who she is?”

“No,” he said. “I know who she might be, but I don’t want to say just yet. Trust me on this. For the moment, we need to focus on Richard Melior. He’s the key. If we can stop the anti-Sanctuary at this early stage, then their plans for war will never be set in motion.”

“And if we find Melior, but Lethe and the others are still with him?”

“We’ll run away.”

She thought for a moment. “That’s honestly the best plan you’ve ever come up with.”

“I thought you’d like it. So you’ll stay with me? For just a little while longer? Give me tomorrow.”

“You know, you’re probably better off on your own.”

He tilted his head. “I disagree most vehemently.”

She sighed. “Tomorrow, then. One more day.”

“Excellent.” He swept his arm wide, inviting her to carry on walking. “How is China, by the way?”

“Um …”

“Valkyrie?”

“I’m just trying to find the right word for it. She was … regal.”

“Regal?”

“Worryingly regal.”

“You think the power may have gone to her head?”

“This is what she’s wanted all along, right? She was never satisfied with the other Grand Mages when they were in charge. She was always complaining about how they were blocking her attempts to do this or to do that … Now she’s in control. Finally.”

“And she doesn’t even have a Council of Elders to balance her out.”

“She doesn’t have a Council? Really?”

“Well,” Skulduggery said, “she has what she calls her Council of Advisors – two Grand Mages that she put in power herself, from England and Germany, and the American Grand Mage, who succeeded the old one after he tried to overthrow her.”

“So they just agree with whatever she says?”

“Essentially.”

“Is there anyone in a position to argue with her?”

“Not really.”

“Isn’t that hugely, amazingly dangerous? What do we do if she starts abusing her power?”

“We hope her better nature triumphs.”

Valkyrie frowned. “Does China have a better nature?”

“I suppose we’ll find out, won’t we?”

25

China Sorrows entered the chamber and immediately the three men rose. Two of them almost knocked their chairs over in their eagerness to offer due respect. The third was decidedly calmer. China took her seat at the north corner of the triangular table and waved at them to sit. The chamber was dark and bare, at odds with the extravagance that defined much of the rest of the High Sanctuary. She had no throne here. No mirrors. This was where the decisions were taken. This was where business was handled.

“The bank,” she said, directing the words to Grand Mage Aloysius Vespers of the English Sanctuary. “We’re behind schedule.”