stopped outside a door on the second floor, marked 24.
“This is where I keep the Remnants,” Shudder said. “They’ve been here for over a hundred years and they’ve never managed to escape. This door hasn’t been opened in a century and it won’t be opened for a century more. They’re not going anywhere.”
Skulduggery took off his hat and brushed imaginary lint from the brim. “These are some very resourceful people we’re talking about, Anton.”
“In that case they will try and they will fail. I would offer you the room across the hall, to make sure nobody gets in, but I am fully booked and expecting another guest at any time.”
“If it’s all the same to you though, we’ll stick around for a few hours.”
“By all means.”
Shudder led them back down and into the reception area, where they found Billy-Ray Sanguine standing at the desk.
Skulduggery’s gun leaped into his hand, and Sanguine laughed and backed away, hands up.
“Don’t shoot!” he cried in mock horror. “I’m unarmed!”
Skulduggery didn’t say anything. The gun didn’t waver.
Sanguine lost the laugh. “Hey, I’m serious now. Don’t you shoot me.”
“You’re under arrest,” Skulduggery said.
“Sanctuary agents have no jurisdiction in the Midnight Hotel,” Sanguine said. “Ain’t that right? I checked the rules before I came.”
“That is correct,” said Shudder.
“Makes no difference to me,” Skulduggery said coldly. “I can throw you out of here and arrest you then just as easily.”
“You can’t lay a finger on me,” Sanguine smiled. “You’re Shudder, right? Mr Shudder, I believe I have a reservation at this fine establishment for one whole night. The name’s William-Raymond Sanguine. Billy-Ray to my friends.”
Shudder went to his desk and looked in the book, then raised his eyes to Valkyrie and Skulduggery. “He is a guest,” he confirmed.
“Not yet he isn’t,” Skulduggery said, moving to Sanguine. Shudder stepped between them.
“Skulduggery, this man is a guest of the Midnight Hotel. As such he is under my protection. Please put away your gun.”
Skulduggery didn’t move for a moment then, slowly, his gun slid back into its holster.
Shudder turned to Sanguine. “Do you have any bags, Mr Sanguine?”
“Just this one,” the Texan answered, nudging a small case at his feet.
“Is that where you’re keeping the Soul Catcher?” Valkyrie asked.
“Valkyrie, I’m sure I don’t know what you mean. All I’ve got in my case is a change of underwear and a good book to read.” He turned to Shudder. “Now then, let’s make this official. Where do I sign in?”
“May I?” he asked, indicating one of the empty chairs. When they didn’t object, he sat. Valkyrie saw her darkened reflection in his sunglasses.
“Well, now that we’re sittin’ here,” he said with a flash of white teeth, “I can’t think of anythin’ interestin’ to say.”
“How about you tell us where you’re keeping Kenspeckle Grouse and Tanith Low?” Skulduggery suggested. “And then where exactly you plan to detonate the Desolation Engine, assuming you manage to get it repaired? After that, we can go wherever the conversation takes us.”
“And if I don’t? Will you beat it out of me?”
“With pleasure.”
“The proprietor will not stand for violence in his hotel,” Sanguine reminded them happily. “I checked with him and he is a stickler about this. If you go after me, he’ll go after you. Ain’t that great? Ain’t that just the greatest rule you ever heard?”
“I’m sure my friend will make an exception in this case,” Skulduggery said.
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
“Where’s Tanith?” Valkyrie asked.
“She’s safe,” Sanguine answered. “Relatively unharmed – though I feel I must state for the record, I voted to have her killed immediately. Good thing for her our little Revengers’ Club is a democracy. By the people, for the people.”
“That’s what you’re calling yourselves?” Skulduggery asked. “The Revengers’ Club?”
“It has a ring to it, don’t you think? It’s not as sinister as the Diablerie, but heck, we don’t want to bring back gods or destroy the world. We just want a little payback.”
Valkyrie sat forward. “What do you want? Scarab is doing this because he thinks he was framed. Crux is doing this because he’s insane. Dusk is holding a grudge against me because of his scar. Why are you doing this?”
Sanguine inspected his fingernails. “I got my reasons.”
“Oh,” Skulduggery murmured. “Of course.”
Valkyrie looked at him, but his attention was focused on Sanguine.
“A few weeks ago, you burrowed in and out of the Necromancer Temple,” he said, “but later, when you broke Dusk out of prison, you only burrowed in. You had to fight your way out. You could have snatched Professor Grouse without a fuss, but you didn’t. You bundled him into a car and you drove. What’s wrong with you, Billy-Ray?”
Sanguine grinned. “You can’t expect me to reveal all my secrets before the—”
“You’re hurt,” Skulduggery interrupted and Sanguine’s jaw clenched. “My guess is the wound Valkyrie inflicted on you at Aranmore Farm last year is causing you more trouble than you’d anticipated. You hurt yourself when you stole the Soul Catcher, didn’t you? Maybe you tore something up inside. Is that what happened? You tried breaking Dusk out quietly, but you just couldn’t face using your power for the return journey. That’s why you’re looking for revenge – because Valkyrie stole your magic from you.”
Sanguine lunged at Valkyrie, but Skulduggery caught his wrist and kicked the chair from under him. Sanguine went sprawling
