Her hand wraps around the chain of his handcuffs and glows white, and a moment later the chain breaks. “Get in the pickup there,” she says. “I’ll make a few calls and then we’ll head back to Meek Ridge.”

He gets in, groaning a little when Xena jumps in on top of him. She settles herself in the middle, then reaches back to lick her bloodied fur. Every so often, she licks Danny’s face. He is too tired to stop her.

Valkyrie talks on the phone for a bit, then gets in behind the wheel. “Some people are on their way here,” she says. “They’ll seal off the place, make sure Gant doesn’t get back in. Hopefully, they’ll pick him up on the road. If not, you’ll get round-the-clock protection until he’s arrested.”

Danny nods. “OK,” he says.

She reaches into her jacket, takes out a slim packet of dried leaves. She folds one, offers it to the dog. Xena swallows it and Valkyrie scratches behind her ears.

“Who’s a good doggy, huh? Who’s a good doggy?”

Xena wags her tail in a steady, happy rhythm.

Valkyrie pops one of the leaves in her own mouth, chewing it, and holds one out for Danny. “For the pain,” she says.

He takes it without asking what it is. It tastes exactly like he expects it to – like a leaf. But the feeling that floods his body takes him completely by surprise.

“Wow,” he says.

Valkyrie starts up the pickup and pulls away from the kerb. “Long drive back to Meek Ridge,” she says. “You want the radio on?”

He’d wanted to sleep, but now that the leaf is working wonders, he’s got more important things on his mind. “No,” he says. “I want to know what’s going on. Stephanie, Valkyrie, whatever your name is … please. Who are you?”

She gives him a smile. “Well, OK. You deserve it, I suppose. I’ll start at the beginning, how about that?”

“Sounds good,” he says.

She fixes her eyes on the road. “It all started with the death of my uncle.”

By the time Valkyrie has finished the story, told him all about Skulduggery and Tanith and Ghastly and Darquesse and the Accelerator, they have reached Meek Ridge and are driving past the grocery store.

It hasn’t burned down, which is a good sign. They take the road up to Valkyrie’s place. They pass Danny’s car, but they don’t stop until they get to the house.

They get out. Xena disappears immediately. Valkyrie stretches. Danny looks at her, says nothing. He follows her up the steps, into the house. It’s cold in here.

“Make yourself some coffee,” she says, and that’s what he does while she busies herself in another room.