Valkyrie has a gun

Future Scoldings

"Skulduggery?"

A voice called from the darkness.

Valkyrie's father froze in front of me then slowly turned behind him.

"Valkyrie! Stay back! It's..." I called out only to receive a swift punch to my stomach.

"Shut it!" I heard him growl silently. He put out his light and again I was in total darkness. I could hear Valkyrie walking slowly, carefully, just like I taught her to when entering an unknown situation. 

 However there was some things that girl would never learn.

"Skulduggery?"

Like how to not announce yourself to the enemy. I tucked that away for a scolding later and tried to warn her again.

"Valkyrie!! Stop..."

"If you say one more thing to her, I will kill her." A voice whispered from behind me. As much as I wished to give him some good ole fashion Skulduggery attitude, I clamped my mouth shut and listened for Valkyrie. She had heard me. I could tell. Her steps were slightly more hurried as she tried to search the darkness. I knew she wouldn't spark a...."well nevermind that," I thought as a small light appeared down the ways from me. Another scolding on not revealing yourself to the enemy. The light and sound of her steps moved closer to me. I could also hear the rugged breathing of her father right behind me. Soon her face came into view. Ah that lovely face. The face I had to come to love ever since she rescued me from the Faceless Ones. She looked so determined to be quiet and she was shielding her flame from the terrible draft that seemed to be coming from all around. Finally her eyes lit up as she looked over at me and started running towards me. If ever there was a time I wish I had facial expressions, now was the time. Valkyrie ran into my body and made me swing as she wrapped her arms around me.

"Skulduggery!! Are you ok?!" she asked.

"Val...uh honey..."

She backed up and looked at me. "Skul, what's wrong?"

I could see her taking in the chains holding my arms up and the slight tilt of my head. She immediately backed up and a hot fiery gust blew up in her hands.

"Ok scumbag! Come on out! I don't know who you are! But you are certainly going to hurt in a few minutes. Luckily for you I know a good doctor!"

Valkyrie's father came out from behind me and I watched as the color drained from her face.

"Dad?" she whispered letting the flame die to a low flicker of light.

He spat at the ground and growled, "Never call me that again."

Confusion became evident on her face and she looked over at me then her father and then back to me. "Dad what is going on here?" she asked.

"I said never to call me that again!!" her father screeched as he barreled towards her. I could see she was in too much shock to respond and watched as he knocked her down flat on her back.

"Valkyrie!" I yelled. Anger coursed through me but her dad had done his homework. These chains were magic proof so that meant all I was doing was ringing a useless tune of metal. He turned towards me and grabbed something from his coat.

"You are no longer needed," he seethed and flung his arm forwards. Suddenly a dagger appeared to the right of my chin, buried deep in my collarbone. A hot searing pain seeped from the weapon and my mind became a hellous chorus of agony. My body jerked and thrashed as I unconsciously tried to curl up and protect myself from the pain.

I screamed.

There was no way I couldn't.

I was dying.