Chapter 185
There'd been all kinds of plans for how to sneak into the Sanctuary, but each one was discarded because either it wasn't very good or it wasn't very possible. In the end, after Valkyrie had left Nadia in Fletcher's capable hands – she used the term loosely – they just went up to the side door of the English Sanctuary and knocked.
The door opened and the Administrator, Merriwyn Hyphenate-Bash, looked out. Her gaze took them all in and then settled on Frightening.
"Mr Jones," she said, "I wasn't aware of an appointment."
"No appointment," Frightening said pleasantly, "but I need to gain entry nonetheless."
"I'm sorry, sir, but security has been tightened," she glanced at Valkyrie for less than a second, "and rules must be obeyed. If you'd like, I could have a representative of the Council come outside to meet with you, and if he is satisfied, we can begin formal procedures to get you a temporary visitor's pass."
Gracious stepped forward with a grin. "What do you make of this?" He asked, thrusting a small glass cube into her hand.
Valkyrie raised an eyebrow. The cube glowed in Merriwyn's hand. "It's certainly pretty," she said, staring at the colours. "Where did you find it?"
"It was just over there," said Gracious, not pointing or showing where. "I thought someone might have dropped it. The lights are interesting, aren't they? Almost hypnotic."
Realising what the stupid cube was, Valkyrie forced her eyes from it and looked at the wall where the others were all suddenly staring.
Merriwyn nodded and kept staring. "Very pretty indeed."
"They'd almost put you to sleep, wouldn't they? If you look at them hard enough."
"They might very well do."
"You can almost feel your eyelids get heavier..."
"I suppose your right."
"Look at all the nice colours..."
"I'm looking."
"Feel yourself getting more and more tired..."
"I'm really not tired, though."
"Feel your eyelids starting to droop..."
Valkyrie rolled her eyes and Donegan sighed as Gracious toppled over in a deep, deep sleep.
"Oh, my," was all Merriwyn had time to say before Aurora punched her and she collapsed into Frightening's arms. Tanith dropped down from where she was perched, watching the whole thing amusedly, as Frightening hid the Administrator behind the commercial green, blue and black rubbish bins.
Donegan nudged Gracious in the face with his foot until his partner moaned and sat up. "That," Donegan said, "was brilliant. You have outdone yourself, Gracious, you truly have."
"Did it work?" Gracious groaned, sitting up sleepily.
"You're a genius," Donegan continued in the same flat voice. Tanith and Valkyrie hid their smiles behind their hands while Aurora glared and the others watched on. "A magical, mystical genius. They'll write songs about you in years to come."
"Guys," Valkyrie said quietly, pretending she wasn't grinning. "We need to move. Save it."
Frightening helped Gracious up, getting a small blush from the smaller man, and they all slipped through the door, closing it quietly behind them. Aurora checked the air as Tanith flipped to the ceiling. "Two Cleavers in the next room," she whispered. "They're facing us."
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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...
