Skulduggery Pleasant: Raising Cain

Chapter 51 - Scars

Skulduggery – Crow

Anton – Bear

Ghastly – Panda

Dexter – Wolf

Saracen – Weasel

Erskine – Snake

Solomon – Raven

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Chapter 51

Thank God her four days of schooling went quickly, filled with talking to Tanith about her torture to work through it, talking to Nadia about anything and everything while avoiding increasingly burning questions and desires she wanted to bring into their lives, and working with Gordon on a new book idea he wanted to write with Valkyrie. She'd had a haircut too to even out the bits the Remnant had cut off. It was just brushing her shoulders, whereas before it had been down to her elbows.

By the time it came to her first unofficial day back on the job, Valkyrie found herself inexplicitly nervous.

She knew why of course.

There was always the possibility she might get hurt. There was always that chance of course, of simply falling down the stairs, but in her line of work, a very simple case of someone retrieving someone's stolen property could easily turn sour quickly. And then she'd get hurt and have to go to Kenspeckle.

She sat on her bed that morning, dressed, eaten and ready to go, looking at the letter from Kenspeckle in her hands. She wanted to read it, but the felt something weird inside her. Some fear, a little repulsion, but also guilt.

She didn't know why. She knew that Kenspeckle only had a few memories of what had happened and that he felt extremely guilty, but it still hurt her even if it hadn't been him. She swallowed thickly and opened it resolutely, knowing she'd just work herself up otherwise.

It was two pages long, outlining first that he was sorry and hoped she had a fast recovery before spiralling into begging for forgiveness and repeatedly telling her he barely remembered the experience and if he were ever to be possessed again he'd sooner take the infamous pill – something used by soldiers in the war and highly controversial, something Kenspeckle had always abhorred – than allow it to happen again.

She could feel the pain in the letter and knew it had been written in a rush and had been left unedited. It had a few tear spots on it and Valkyrie almost cried, knowing how the gentle man had been forced but still feeling the lingering anxiety about being in his presence. She didn't want to not go to him if she was hurt, because that would surely hurt his feelings, but she didn't want to go and break down either because that would definitely hurt him even more. She had no idea what to do but did feel herself soften towards him a little more even if she was conflicted.

She sighed and left it on her pillow, knowing she'd want to see it again later, and after washing her face of tears, she joined Crow in the car.

They were silent on the way there and when they arrived, Valkyrie knew why.

"Hi," she said, smiling and stopping herself from using his codename. Raven was there. "How are you?"

"I am well, thank you," he said, and he looked it too. Less sleepless. "How are you?"

"Grand, grand. Are you working on this case?"

"Yes, the Sanctuary has you on time off after all. I am sharing some cases I have been offered as a means of training you. I thought also, I could introduce you to Necromancy on the way?"