Fergus raised his hand and clicked his fingers, and a flame leaped up from his palm. “This is all I can do,” he said. “I can summon one little flame, and that’s all. I can’t throw fire or fly or turn invisible. But even this you think is a trick, don’t you? A party trick.” He closed his hand and the flame went out. “But it’s not. It’s real magic. Actual magic. But I can’t convince you that we’re telling the truth, not with my little party trick.”

“So what are we doing here?” Valkyrie’s mum asked.

“Waiting,” Valkyrie said.

Twenty minutes of silence passed, punctuated occasionally by questions that went unanswered.

During this uncomfortable silence, her parents watched and rewatched the video.

Finally, there was another knock on the door. Valkyrie went to answer it.

She had briefly thought about calling Geoffrey Scrutinous. About having him rearrange her parents’ memories, convince them that nothing on that laptop screen was real.

But they were her parents.

So she hadn’t called Geoffrey.

She came back into the kitchen with a tall man in a black three-piece suit, white shirt, and black tie. His shoes were polished to a gleam. His gloves were leather. His hat was in his hand. The expression he wore on the face he wore was calm. Confident.

“Mum, Dad, Fergus … this is Skulduggery Pleasant.”

Her dad stood up immediately. “What the hell have you been doing with our daughter?”

“Desmond,” Skulduggery said, “please sit down. This will go a lot smoother if we remain calm. Before we begin, can I make tea for anyone? Desmond? Melissa? What about you, Fergus? Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Uh,” said Fergus, “yes. Please.”

“I’ll make tea for everyone,” Skulduggery said.

Valkyrie helped him. Nobody spoke while the kettle boiled. Nobody spoke while tea bags were dipped and milk added and spoons stirred. When everyone had a seat and a cup in front of them, Skulduggery sat. There was nothing special about where he sat, yet he made it seem like he was at the head of the table.

“You’re not having one yourself?” Fergus asked hesitantly.

Skulduggery smiled. “No. I don’t drink tea.”

His hat was on the table at his elbow. He adjusted its position slightly. When he was ready, he looked up. “So you know about magic.”

“Tell us what’s going on,” Valkyrie’s mum said.

“That’s why I’m here. I’m here to offer you proof that what your daughter is saying is true. But before you see that proof, I have to warn you. I’m dead.”

Valkyrie’s parents waited for an explanation. When one wasn’t forthcoming, her mum said, “Figuratively?”