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Back The Dying of the Light Save as PDF
Chapters (115)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. Table of 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. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. 75
  81. 76
  82. 77
  83. 78
  84. 79
  85. 80
  86. 81
  87. 82
  88. 83
  89. 84
  90. 85
  91. 86
  92. 87
  93. 88
  94. 89
  95. 90
  96. 91
  97. 92
  98. 93
  99. 94
  100. 95
  101. 96
  102. 97
  103. 98
  104. 99
  105. 100
  106. 101
  107. 102
  108. 103
  109. 104
  110. 105
  111. 106
  112. 107
  113. 108
  114. Also by Derek Landy
  115. About the Publisher

She went cold inside. “Really?”

He reached out, and flicked a finger against her forehead. “Don’t be such an idiot.”

“Ow.”

“Go home, claim the Sceptre. I’ll call you in the morning.”

“That hurt.”

“Good.”

He turned.

“I just hope I can find it,” she muttered.

He turned back, and looked at her for a long moment. “I’m sorry?”

“Stephanie hid it. We were arguing and … anyway, she hid it. It’s not down a well, or anything. I mean, she didn’t bury it. It’s still in the house, somewhere. She was so set on giving it all up and having a normal … a normal …”

“Life,” said Skulduggery.

“Yes.” Valkyrie’s throat felt very tight all of a sudden.

“Well,” said Skulduggery, “you’d better look for it, hadn’t you?”

Valkyrie nodded, but hesitated before walking away. “If you hear anything about where Darquesse has gone …”

He nodded to her. “I’ll call you immediately. Now for God’s sake, go home.”

When she was done with everywhere else, she searched Alice’s room. She ransacked every millimetre of the wardrobe, she checked under the changing table, she rooted through the big box of toys in the corner. She was about to leave when she glanced at the cot.

Stephanie wouldn’t have put it anywhere near the cot. The risk of Alice accidentally touching the black crystal would be far too great. Never in a million years would Stephanie have put her – their – little sister in danger like that. But …

But Alice wouldn’t have been in danger. Alice was an Edgley, the same as Valkyrie. She would be able to survive direct contact with the crystal. And the cot … who would think to search a baby’s cot for the most powerful weapon in existence?

Valkyrie lifted the cot, checked underneath, then stood and lifted the blankets. The mattress bulged slightly. She took it up. The backpack containing the Sceptre was jammed down between the gaps. It was half open.

She yanked the bag free, pulled the Sceptre out, held it tightly. The ownership of the Sceptre should have passed to her upon contact. But she had a cold feeling in her belly. She looked around for something to disintegrate. Finally, she opened the window, pointed the Sceptre into the clouds and tried to fire.

Nothing happened.

It hadn’t bonded to her. Meaning it had already bonded to someone else.

Valkyrie sank down on to her haunches and closed her eyes. “Oh, Alice …”

37

BROOKING NO ARGUMENT

Image Missinghe nightmare was vivid. Valkyrie woke with her heart thumping, her hands gripping the sheets. She lay very still, until she was sure it was just a dream. After a moment, tears came to her eyes, and she started crying.

Then her phone rang, and she cleared her throat and answered.

“Stephanie’s body is gone.”

Valkyrie sat up, her eyes wide and her bad dream forgotten. “What?”