The Return of Mevolent

Chapter 8: Nothing as it seems

Raven

Where is she?

Where is she?!

WHERE IS SHE?

I couldn't lose her.

It would kill me.

After I had lost Sparrow among the corridors of the Roarhaven Sanctuary, we had labelled her missing and set off so go find her. I couldn't find her anyway. I was losing my mind looking for her.

And then a scream shattered my pacing. I ran toward the scream, and I analysed the voice. It was Valkyrie's scream, located in the Hall of Remembrance. When I arrived, I saw Ghastly Bespoke's statue knocked down, with two splotches of blood on the floor. Wait. Two splotches of blood. It was the same amount of blood usually drawn from Sparrow's twin blades. That meant that Sparrow had managed to put up a fight before being pulled away. Sadly, Tanith had worked it out first.

"The blood is definitely not Lexi's, because it's from a male. Judging from the size of the blood puddle, I'd say Lexi only managed to scrape her attacker's legs before being punched across the room, into Ghastly's statue. This means that a man, someone, took her, because there are drag marks on the floor, where Lexi's sword etched the floor."

"Someone?" a voice said behind us. "Isn't the fallen Bespoke statue clear enough?"

Valkyrie and Tanith whirled around in sync. Fletcher, China and Skulduggery had just teleported in, and hearing the voice, Skulduggery looked like he had seen a ghost.

The man wore a mask that covered his entire face, and he was obviously very muscly.

"Ghastly..."Skulduggery whispered. "But it can't be... You're dead..."

"That's what this young lady said, but she's the child of Nefarian Serpine, so I don't trust her." He placed Alexandria's limp figure onto the floor, and before I knew what I was doing, I ran across the room.

"Sparrow! Wake up! Sparrow! SPARROW!" I screamed, clutching my friends body and shaking it constantly. "Sparrow! Don't do this to me!"

Tanith appeared at my side and checked Lexi's pulse.

"She's alive, Tanith." Ghastly said. "Don't worry, I don't punch that hard, do I?"

"My, my. Ghastly Bespoke is alive! Today is a very special day. We find Skulduggery's granddaughter, I meet Serpine's child, and Ghastly is alive. We should host a party, of returning heroes!" she smiled.

"China Sorrows. Or is it Grand Mage Sorrows, now? That should be my title, since I'm the surviving Elder. Never mind. At least my Tanith isn't a remnant!"

Valkyrie, without a word, launched herself into Ghastly's embrace. Skulduggery soon followed, and Tanith kissed Ghastly on the cheek. I was just like, uh, hello? My best friend is unconscious here? Anyone remember me?

"Uh, guys?" I started, "Do you know that Alexandria is still unconscious here?"

China smiled at me. Weird. "Oh yes. Fletcher, could you get Synecdoche?"

Fletcher nodded mutely and disappeared, soon arriving with Doctor Synecdoche. I hadn't even realised that Fletcher was still there, as he was so quiet that nobody could hear him. Luckily, Synecdoche set off to work immediately, and within seconds, Sparrow was awake and ready to go. But it seemed like something had changed Sparrow in her missing time. She woke up screaming.

"GHASTLY BESPOKE YOU TRAITOROUS BRAT. I HEARD STORIES THAT YOU WERE HONOURABLE AND GOOD-HEARTED, AND WHAT DO YOU DO? I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I KNEW ABOUT YOU, AND YOU BROKE THE DEAL. YOU SAID YOU WOULD LET ME GO, YOU STINKING B*STARD. INSTEAD YOU TIED ME TO A CHAIR, THREATENED TO KILL ME SLOWLY AND AGONIZINGLY, KNOCK ME UNCONSCIOUS TWICE, AND STILL ACT LIKE NOTHING WRONG HAS HAPPENED. MAYBE THAT'S WHY YOU AND LORD VILE OVER THERE ARE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS. YOU'RE BOTH COLD-BLOODED MURDERERS AND BACK STABBERS!"

I wrestled Sparrow to the floor and clamped a palm across her mouth but it was too late. The secret was out.

"You killed my mother?" Ghastly whispered, glaring at Skulduggery.

"Yes he did, Bespoke! Your best friend killed your mother and felt no regret. He destroyed half of the world numerous times. He is a monster, just like you. He was the one who destroyed Meritorious's troops like they were ants." Sparrow wrenched off my hand and continued to speak. "I don't know what's keeping me from chopping your head off. Maybe it's the fact that I am more human than my father. Maybe it's because that I'm afraid that I can do nothing to hurt you, since you're one of the Dead Men. But whatever it takes, I'll try."

I tried to tackle Sparrow again, but Alexandria proved to be much faster than me again. Her twin blades already twirling in her hands, she somersaulted over me (since when could she do that?) and started to advance on Ghastly. Ghastly already had both hands curled into a fist, welcoming a fight. But before Lex could get close enough to hurt him, Tanith's black sword cut in front of her.

Sword in front of her, Tanith stood by Ghastly's side. "Do not." She said. "Hurt my boyfriend."

Sparrow in disgust, groaned. "Tanith, you have hurt more people that you care for than I have ever known. How many did you kill that were innocent? You claimed that you would always hesitate before the swing when you face one that is innocent. That's how you got your name, right? You killed a woman named Tanith who had killed her husband."

Tanith looked like she just got punched.

But it was Valkyrie that spoke. "Tanith, please. Maybe Sparrow is partially correct. Maybe that's not Ghastly. Because the Ghastly I knew would talk out his situation instead of resorting to violence. The Ghastly I knew never hurt without reason. The Ghastly I knew was like a father to me, who sympathised when I was hurt, or when others were hurt. You do not seem like the Ghastly I knew. You may wear his face and speak with his voice, but I am not convinced you are him."

Ghastly looked hurt. "Tell me Valkyrie, who can I trust. Look what I have found out about my friends. My best friends. Skulduggery is Lord Vile, who killed my friends and mother. Valkyrie is Darquesse, who destroyed the world. Tanith was a Remnant, who hurt me without trying. China is a cut-throat, and I can't even count how many times I've been betrayed. Is the only one that I can trust Fletcher? And even he is just obsessed with his ridiculous hair."

"Hey!" Fletcher complained. "My hair is a masterpiece!"

Skulduggery looked grim. "Then I guess we have to go pay Dexter Vex and Saracen Rue a visit."