But that’s probably because I haven’t moved from this spot.”
“Maybe we should move, pretend we know what we’re doing.”
“That’s a good idea.”
They started to walk, very slowly, still looking straight down. “How’s the magic coming along?” Tanith asked, keeping her voice low.
“I moved a shell.”
“Hey, congratulations!”
Stephanie shrugged modestly. “It was only a shell.”
“Makes no difference. Well done.”
“Thanks. What age were you when you first did magic?”
“I was born into it,” Tanith answered. “Folks were sorcerers – my brother was always doing something. I grew up doing magic.”
“I didn’t know you had a brother.”
“Oh, yeah, a big brother and all. You have any brothers?”
“I’m an only child.”
Tanith shrugged. “I always wanted a little sister. My brother’s great, I love him to death, but I always wanted a little sister to talk to, to share my secrets with, you know?”
“I wouldn’t mind a sister either.”
“Any chance of that happening?”
“I can’t see what would be in it for my parents. I mean, they have the perfect daughter already – what more could they want?”
Tanith laughed, then tried to cover it up with a cough.
“Found something?” Skulduggery asked from behind them.
Tanith turned, looking serious. “No, sorry. I thought I had, but, no, it turned out to be, uh… more floor.”
Stephanie hugged herself, trying to stop her shoulders from shaking with laughter.
“OK,” Skulduggery said. “Well, keep looking.”
Tanith nodded, turned back and nudged Stephanie to get her to shut up. Stephanie clamped a hand over her mouth and had to look away when she saw Tanith’s face, straining to hold her composure.
“Cow,” Tanith muttered and that was it, the floodgates opened, and Stephanie doubled over with laughter that echoed throughout the warehouse. Tanith pointed at Stephanie and backed away. “Skulduggery, she’s not being professional!”
Stephanie’s laugh proved infectious and Tanith was soon on her knees. Skulduggery and Ghastly just looked at them.
“What’s going on?” Ghastly asked.
“I’m not entirely sure,” Skulduggery answered.
They looked at Stephanie and Tanith and shook their heads. “Women,” they said together.
Stephanie wiped the tears from her eyes and looked around at Skulduggery, and then something fell from the ceiling, and landed behind the detective without a sound. Her laughter vanished as she stood. “Behind you!” she yelled.
Skulduggery wheeled, gun in hand, and everyone froze. They looked at the man. His uniform, though identical in design to the Cleavers, was of startling white.
“Stand down,” Ghastly said as Stephanie and Tanith ran up to join them. “We are working with the Elder Council. Stand down.”
The White Cleaver didn’t move.
“What do you want?” Skulduggery asked.
A moment dragged itself by, and then the White Cleaver raised his arm and pointed straight at Stephanie.
“That’s all we need to know,” Skulduggery said and fired, four shots to the chest and two to the head. The White Cleaver jerked with each impact, but it was clear that the bullets didn’t penetrate his coat, and the two to the head ricocheted off the helmet, leaving dark scratches against the white.
“Damn,” Skulduggery muttered.
Stephanie stayed back as Skulduggery, Tanith and Ghastly closed in on their new adversary. The helmet denied them any chance of knowing where he was looking, but Stephanie knew he was looking right into her eyes.
Tanith attacked first, feinting with a low kick then snapping it up high. The Cleaver didn’t fall for the ruse and slapped the high kick away as Ghastly attacked from behind. The Cleaver spun with a kick of his own that caught Tanith in the gut, and he ducked under the punch that Ghastly sent his way. Ghastly’s fists blurred but the Cleaver absorbed the blows and his hand shot out, catching Ghastly in the side of the neck. Ghastly staggered and Skulduggery thrust out his palm and the air rippled.
But instead of being pushed backwards, the Cleaver moved through the ripples without being affected. The uniform, Stephanie thought. Unfazed, Skulduggery threw a punch that the Cleaver caught.
Skulduggery was flipped over but when he landed he had reversed the grip. His foot sneaked out, striking the Cleaver’s knee and now Skulduggery was the one doing the twisting, and the Cleaver was the one who flipped.
While he was in mid-flip, however, the Cleaver got his free hand to the ground to cartwheel back to his feet. A pause followed and Stephanie’s three friends reappraised their opponent.
Tanith took her sword from beneath her coat and slid it from its scabbard. Ghastly let his jacket slip off and Skulduggery put away his pistol, freeing his hands.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said to the Cleaver. “Tell us where Serpine is –tell us what his plans are. We can help you. You are not going to lay one finger on Valkyrie Cain, but we will help you.”
The Cleaver’s answer was to reach behind him and draw his scythe. Skulduggery grunted in dissatisfaction.
The Cleaver darted towards them before anyone could react, using the scythe like a pole-vaulter to swing himself up, kicking both Skulduggery and Ghastly in the chest at the same time.
They went stumbling back and Tanith came in, sword flashing. The Cleaver dodged back, whirling his scythe to parry the blade.
Sparks flew as the metals clashed, sword against scythe, and such was the ferocity of Tanith’s assault that the Cleaver didn’t notice Ghastly until it was too late. Ghastly’s strong arms wrapped around him, pinning his arms to his sides, making him drop the scythe.
Tanith moved in for the kill and the Cleaver’s leg blurred in a crescent, his bootheel slamming into her wrist as she neared. She hissed in pain and dropped the sword, clutching her wrist.
The Cleaver rammed his heel into Ghastly’s shin and whacked the back of his helmet against his nose. He then kicked both legs into the air and over his head, slipping out from under Ghastly’s arms. His hands went to the ground and he continued the movement, sending both boots into Ghastly’s face.
Ghastly
