“Now, actually,” Fletcher said. “I want to help them search the next town on our list. Shouldn’t take more than an hour or so.”

Skulduggery nodded. “Good. When it’s done, we’ll all pay Grand Mage Kerias a visit.”

“I’ll tell them,” Fletcher said. He gave Stephanie’s hand another squeeze before dropping it and disappearing.

China turned to Valkyrie. “Now that all that pesky business is taken care of, it really is good to have you back with us. How are you feeling?”

Valkyrie smiled grimly. “Tired. I’m not entirely sure what’s been happening, but … but I’m OK. I’m quite surprised to see you making house calls, though. I thought they weren’t your style.”

“I felt I could break that rule for you. You saved my life, you know. Do you remember that?”

“I remember you burning up.”

China nodded. “You could have let me die. Darquesse could have let me die. But she didn’t. There was enough of you left in her to save me. I won’t forget that.”

“I’m just glad I was stopped before I could hurt anyone else.”

“We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. We’ve all done questionable things. Some of us have even done terrible things. But you’re back with you now, and you’re safe and you’re well, and you’re going to get better.” She looked round as Synecdoche walked in. “Isn’t that right, Doctor?”

Synecdoche read the monitors. “Absolutely,” she muttered. Then she looked up. “Yes. Perfect health. There’s no reason why Valkyrie can’t walk out of here in the next few minutes. May I see the Soul Catcher, please?”

Skulduggery held it out, and Synecdoche ran her hand round the glass. Her hand glowed. Even from where she stood, Stephanie could feel the radiating warmth and the welcoming comfort.

“What are you looking for?” Skulduggery asked.

“Energy readings,” the doctor said. “Erskine Ravel is still being tortured. With Darquesse shut away like she is, that link should have been broken. I don’t understand why he’s still in pain.”

“You think the link is still active?” China asked.

“It looks that way,” Synecdoche said. “Although I can find no traces of it here.”

“Maybe we’ll need to reinforce the Soul Catcher before the link will break.”

Synecdoche murmured something, then nodded. “Yes. Maybe. We’ll need to isolate the Soul Catcher, though. If the link is still active, Darquesse may still have some other tricks up her sleeve. May I take it?”

Skulduggery handed it over. “Try not to drop it. It contains a god.”

“I’ll do my best.”

China watched Synecdoche walk off, carrying the Soul Catcher in both hands, and she said, with only a hint of malice, “I do hope Tanith Low isn’t too distraught at losing her messiah. Are we any closer to finding her, by the way?”