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Chapters (115)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. Table of Contents
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. 75
  81. 76
  82. 77
  83. 78
  84. 79
  85. 80
  86. 81
  87. 82
  88. 83
  89. 84
  90. 85
  91. 86
  92. 87
  93. 88
  94. 89
  95. 90
  96. 91
  97. 92
  98. 93
  99. 94
  100. 95
  101. 96
  102. 97
  103. 98
  104. 99
  105. 100
  106. 101
  107. 102
  108. 103
  109. 104
  110. 105
  111. 106
  112. 107
  113. 108
  114. Also by Derek Landy
  115. About the Publisher

“Ah. Right then. Suppose I should kill you now, so …”

The chuckle dried up. “I’m sorry?”

“Well, not kill, exactly. I mean, yes, I’m going to end your life and this, this person I see before me will not exist any more, but I wouldn’t worry about it. Physical death means nothing. We’re all just energy, after all, aren’t we? Poor little Deacon Maybury. One of six identical brothers, only two of which remain alive. How did the others die, Deacon? Remind me?”

“I don’t … Valkyrie, what’s going on? Why are you—”

“Davit locked himself into a room, but forgot to provide ventilation, I know that much. Dafydd fell into a wood-chipper. That one’s my favourite. How did the other two die?”

Deacon backed away slowly. “Intestinal distress and rabid goat.”

Darquesse clapped her hands. “Eaten by a rabid goat, that’s right! I think that might be my new favourite, to be honest. So now there’s just Dai and you left alive.”

“You’re not … you’re not Valkyrie …”

Darquesse gave him a smile. “No I’m not. So, how am I going to kill you, Deacon? What is the amusing fashion in which you’ll die? It is a family tradition, after all.”

“You … you don’t have to kill me. Why do you have to? I’m no threat to you.”

“You’re the only one who can do what you do to people’s minds, Deacon. Given the chance, I’m sure Skulduggery would think up a way to use your skills against me before I built up a defence.”

Tears ran down Deacon’s face, and he clasped his hands before him. “Please … I don’t want to die …”

“It’s OK,” said Darquesse. “You won’t feel a thing.”

She waved her hand and he exploded into atoms.

Now was the tricky part. She still had control over those atoms and she spun some of them, manipulated them, changed them as much as she was able, as much as her limited knowledge allowed, and she took them and brought them together and a little yellow rubber duck appeared in mid-air and fell to the floor.

It bounced with a slight squeak.

Darquesse grinned, and left.

24

A FINE PAIR OF SPECIMENS

Image Missinglarabelle gave them the signal, and Scapegrace and Thrasher hurried into the Medical Wing.

They were but minutes away from uncovering the Sanctuary’s dark little secret. If what Clarabelle said was true, if their old bodies were still here, then questions had to be answered. Questions like, why? What for? When? Where? Fair enough, the last two questions were probably immaterial and the first two meant the same thing, but Scapegrace was going to find answers to, essentially, that one question, and he was going to find answers today.