Skulduggery – Crow
Anton – Bear
Ghastly – Panda
Dexter – Wolf
Saracen – Weasel
Erskine – Snake
Solomon – Raven
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Chapter 45
Nadia's mother agreed, after much charming by Tanith and Dexter, to leave Nadia with them for the afternoon. She didn't so much as see Nadia before leaving, which was good, because they were giggling and kissing each other's lips and being way too close physically for parental supervision. Or any type of other supervision.
Fletcher apparently didn't get that memo.
"This is the living room!" He almost shrieked, causing Wolf to jump through the door to check on them. He looked at them with narrow eyes and Valkyrie just sort of watched as Nadia turned in her lap and, causal as anything, stuck her middle finger up. He snorted a laugh.
"You two are going to kill me," he said, shaking his head. "That's my baby sister – we took a vow to look after her. And here, this girl is sitting on her!"
"I'm in no pain," Valkyrie smirked.
Nadia and Wolf laughed. Valkyrie did lay her legs out flat and Nadia turned so they were crossing each other on the L-shaped sofa, Nadia still sitting on her but a little less touchy. Fletcher got over his craziness and sat down, Wolf coming over and sitting down in a seat too. Crow came in from the kitchen and gave the girls hot chocolate each, made so amazingly with cream and real chocolate with whipped cream and powdered chocolate atop, before sitting in his usual armchair which had been removed for the Christmas tree but was now back in place.
He was glad about it and they all knew it.
He'd informed them all.
Several times.
"What are we doing then?" Fletcher asked with a grin.
Valkyrie and Nadia looked at each other and shrugged. "I don't know," Valkyrie said. "Maybe a movie? Or go out for dinner. Or both."
He grimaced. "But that's date stuff. I meant us as a whole."
Panda and Tanith joined them in the living room and sat around too, Tanith leaning into Panda just slightly. Valkyrie made no comment but did smile a little. She'd ask about it later.
"Maybe a game from the cupboard," Tanith suggested, sitting down. "You were meant to be training today, but you're probably all messed up still."
Valkyrie nodded quickly. "Kenspeckle gave me a week of rest."
"Well we shouldn't go out then should we," Tanith said sweetly. "Either we stay in, or your fit enough to train."
Valkyrie made a face. "So, I'm meant to just sit around and make cakes all day?"
"Cake!" Nadia said excitedly, sitting up. "Let's make cake!"
Valkyrie stared at her and sagged. "You mean it, don't you?"
"Yes. Come on, up."
Valkyrie did as commanded and they went to the kitchen without further discussion. Nadia seemed to have a recipe memorised and was raiding all the cupboards for the stuff she wanted. Bear and Wolf had long ago gone through all the stuff Gordon had been given and bought over his life and narrowed it down to the best things that could hold the largest quantities of food.
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Skulduggery Pleasant: Raising Cain
Fanfiction(This story is written as a fanfiction, but can be read as a story without having read any of the books.) Valkyrie Cain, the adoptive daughter of the Dead Men, has had a life full of love and magic. But as she gets older, times become scarier and sh...
