Skulduggery Pleasant: Raising Cain

Chapter 181 - The Bow

Chapter 181

It took two days to organise what they were doing and allow their friends to extract themselves from their various jobs and commitments. Valkyrie had been the one to call China, sweet-talking her and promising a visit very soon as well as telling her about how Nadia absolutely dreamed and fantasied about being her apprentice and becoming her prodigy to convince her to give them her private jet. They were also able to enlist the help of Fletcher who had minimal choice and was also scared out of his mind imagining god-level weapons. Unfortunately, he would not be able to help them much as they wanted his presents in America in case anything went wrong so no one could imprison him and leave them with just Peregrine who was a pain to work with since he tried so hard to remain hidden.

Tanith had chosen to go with them in the end. She was gone for a day with Fletcher on a trip to England to drop off Laila and Fletcher would be taking Ghastly back and forth to visit and care for their baby. It just made the most sense to leave Laila with her parents than to trail her all over the world for potentially the next couple of months, and it just wasn't possible for Ghastly to look after her when he had to work as a Dead Man. It would be more work on Fletcher but he seemed to be more than happy to help. Neither Tanith nor Ghastly were too enthused about it, but they are more focused on trying to create a better world, and a safer one, for their daughter to grow up in. "Some sacrificed have to be made," Ghastly had told her, glaring at the wall.

The jet turned up on the third day, along with their team. Frightening Jones, Aurora Jane, Wilhelm Scream, the Monster Hunters, and of course Valkyrie, Nadia and Tanith. Valkyrie had met Frightening and the Monster Hunters before, briefly, when they came to flush out the caves under her house, but that had been at the same time as Caelan and they left right after Valkyrie and Nadia broke up so they hadn't exactly spent time getting to know each other. Nadia hadn't met them either. She also hadn't met Wilhelm Scream before, but Dexter had found him last second to deal with the electronics side of things – air traffic control and security, primarily.

"Hey, lovebirds," Aurora called, coming out of the small building and out onto the tarmac. The plane was filling up waiting for them. Valkyrie turned, hand in hand with Nadia.

"Hey Aurora," Valkyrie smiled. "You alright?"

"Sure, sure, you? Congratulations by the way," she said, giving them both one-armed hugs. "Where's Tanith? Is she bringing the kid?"

"No, the baby's with other family," she said, almost tripping on Laila's name. "Tanith's on the plane."

"I'll go say hi," Aurora smiled and rushed off towards the plane.

"Do you think they'll start dating?" Nadia asked.

Valkyrie grimaced. "I hope not."

Frightening came through the door next, the Monster Hunters on his heels. "Detective Cain, Miss Robin," he boomed, a massive grin on his face. "It is so good to see you."

"And you," she grinned back. "How have you been?"

"Well, despite the increasingly turbulent times," he said as he shook his hand. He turned to Nadia. "We have not met, but I have heard much about you."

"I've been told a lot about you too," Nadia laughed a little nervously. She took his hand and it engulfed hers. He gracefully gave her some space and turned to the Monster Hunters who were quietly waiting behind him like children.

"Hi," Donegan grinned.

"Long time no see," Gracious waved.

"It's good to see you too," Valkyrie smiled. "We're just waiting on one person now."