“Hi,” said Valkyrie.

A moment passed.

“Well, at least this isn’t awkward,” Fletcher said brightly.

High heels on polished floor and Stephanie stepped aside as China swept in, going straight to the patient. The Black Cleaver stayed at the door.

“Welcome back, my dear,” China said, kissing Valkyrie’s cheeks. “Out of all of the outcomes possible, your not dying last night is probably one of the best.”

“That means a lot,” said Valkyrie, “coming from a Grand Mage. How did you manage that little manoeuvre?”

China waved a hand airily. “Scared and desperate people do scared and desperate things. But enough about the election process. Where is Darquesse?”

Skulduggery brought out the Soul Catcher, holding it up for China to peer at.

“And that will hold her?” she asked.

“We have no reason to think otherwise,” Skulduggery said. “We’ll reinforce it. Make sure there’s no chance of her ever escaping.”

China tapped the glass. “Then it’s done. It’s over. It is over, yes?”

Skulduggery nodded. “It’s over.”

China straightened up. “A celebration is in order, I think. This could have gone horribly wrong, but look at us now. The threat averted, the villain trapped, and we even have Valkyrie back. Tipstaff!”

Tipstaff appeared in the doorway. “Yes, Grand Mage?”

“Organise a party, would you? Something celebratory – extravagant without being indulgent.”

“Extravagant but not indulgent, of course,” Tipstaff nodded. “Will there be anything else?”

China looked at the others. “Requests? Anything you’d like to see at this party? Balloons? A trapeze act? Elephants? We have to make a big deal out of this. People need reassurances that things are getting back on track. We’ll invite every Council from every Sanctuary around the world. It will be wonderful. It will be fabulous.” Her eyes settled on Skulduggery. “And you will deliver the invitation to Zafira Kerias personally.”

Skulduggery’s head tilted. “I was wondering how long this respite would last.”

China waved her hand again, and Tipstaff went away. “We had three problems,” she said. “Darquesse was the first, but she’s no longer a threat. You’ve saved us all and you have our thanks. But we still have two problems left – the renegades and the Remnants. Fortunately for us, I’ve been keeping my ear to the ground, and the latest reports suggest that the American Sanctuary is hiding the renegades. You’ve solved the first problem – now I want you to take Vex and Rue and the Monster Hunters, and solve the second problem. When the renegades are in shackles, you’ll tackle the third.”

“When you say you’ve kept your ear to the ground …”

China smiled. “This information came to me from a confidential source.”

“One of your spies from the old days?”

“Precisely. Their information has always been accurate, and I see no reason why it should be any different now.”

“Fletcher,” said Skulduggery, “you’re teleporting back to Dexter in a few minutes, aren’t you?”