She caught herself, and laughed. Actually, now there was a difference. Now that Valkyrie was trapped in that Soul Catcher, Darquesse was alone in her own head for once.

It felt good.

She just needed to remember how Valkyrie behaved. She needed to remember the things Valkyrie cared about. Family. Friends. Hitting people. She didn’t know how long she could keep up the act, but she didn’t need an exorbitant amount of time. Just long enough to find out who and where Argeddion was, and to take a look at the Hessian Grimoire, and maybe have a little mischievous fun while she was at it.

She left the Medical Wing, and went for a walk.

The Sanctuary had changed since she’d been here last. It reminded her of Mevolent’s Palace in that alternate dimension. In fact, Roarhaven itself now resembled that entire city, even down to the great wall protecting its borders. She wondered if this little coincidence bothered Skulduggery. It probably did.

Mevolent. Now he had been fun. He had been a challenge. He hadn’t even discovered his true name, and yet he’d stood toe to toe with her and very nearly beat her.

She looked forward to the rematch.

She wandered the corridors, smiling at everyone she passed, until she glimpsed Deacon Maybury rounding a corner. She followed, hanging back whenever he was around other people. When he was finally alone, she stepped into the room behind him.

“Hi there,” she said.

Deacon looked up. She could see the surprise on his face. He was used to being despised – especially by Valkyrie. He wasn’t expecting a smile.

Darquesse wandered in, all casual. “Looks like I’ve got you to thank for pulling Darquesse out of my head.”

Deacon blinked a few times before answering. “I suppose,” he said. “I mean … there was a team of us …”

“But you were the key ingredient, weren’t you? No one else could have separated our personalities like that? No one else has the skill? At least that’s what China said.”

“She said that? Well, yeah, I mean …”

Darquesse laughed. “You’re just being modest.”

He laughed along with her. “That’s not something I’m used to.”

She let his little joke turn her laugh into something more heartfelt, and saw how much he beamed at her reaction. That beaming smile told her everything she needed to know. Poor little Deacon Maybury – all he’d ever wanted was for someone to show him a bit of affection.

“Thank you,” she said. “Genuinely, I mean that. You don’t know what it was like, to be in here and not able to control anything, not even able to speak. Then I felt your hands on my head and I heard Skulduggery’s voice and I focused, just like they told me to. And I hung on while she was dragged out, kicking and screaming …”

“It must have been awful.”