Skulduggery Pleasant - The Fanclub Unites

// ix

Prysm-Emery

When China entered the Sanctuary, her breathing ceased. Brutal death stuck to the walls, the floor and the furniture. The stench was worst of all, filling her nostrils and infecting her taste buds. She crouched down beside a corpse, inspecting it. One slit across the throat and several limbs missing.

Her eyes flicked back to her cleaver,  who had pulled out his scythe, ready for an attack. As she continued to stain her skirt with blood by traipsing through the carnage, he remained by her side.

China went into the Room of Prisms and it was there that her breathing began again. Valkyrie - no, Darquesse - stood in the centre. She looked as beautiful as ever, her dark hair having grown from what China remembered.

"China Sorrows. What have I done?" Darquesse asked. "Planning to kill me? Now that's hurtful."

"I... I..."

"I could kill you right here," she said coldly. "But I will opt otherwise if you take me to Serpine. Word has it you know where he is."

China opened her mouth and closed it before speaking. "I know where he was. I can show you. Yes. Please don't kill me."

She swiftly led her to a room containing a wooden table. On the table was a vase which she lifted and located the symbol underneath it. China activated it and placed it back down. A few moments later the table descended into the floor and the wall began to part.

"Clever," Darquesse murmured from behind.

They walked down the wallway, China lighting the way with a lantern from the wall. At the end she plucked three harp strings, glancing at Darquesse as she did. The door opened to reveal a very empty room. Rage pierced through China in a glare, but she was one step ahead.

"Attack her!" she commanded her cleaver. It swung it's scythe at Darquesse and as they battled China made her escape. There was only one way Serpine could have escaped and that was through the countless sneaky tunnels that he shouldn't have been able to locate.

She ripped her skirt before opening the trap door. Her body dropped into a pool of water. No air was available but she swam through the tunnel, praying that she'd gone the right way. China could feel the water rush past her as she swam.

Minutes later she reached the surface, coming up in a lake. The woman took a deep breath. Then another. Another several before she stumbled away, hoping to find help somewhere away from Darquesse.

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"Has my house been involved in any illegal activities? Has it robbed a bank? Has it mugged anyone?"
-

Derek Landy; DD