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She was back in Ireland. The cold air nipped at her skin as she stood on the pier in Haggard. Where she’d used to wait for Skulduggery in her teens. When she’d been training as a Elemental and so naive.
She’d be lying to say she hadn’t missed it. Her family weren’t home. She’d checked. She time. Just her and the coastal breeze.
Her hair whipped in the wind. She missed Xena’s presence, She was only at Gordon’s Estate but it was unnerving being without her when she’d been by her side for five years. Her life for five years.
Valkyrie thought of Stephanie. Her reflection, the life she could have had. She could have been the owner or Xena, with Fletcher popping by to stay with her. There was no point dwelling on the past. She rolled her shoulders, catching a flash of black suit in the corner of her eye. A smile settled on her lips.
“You look different.” Skulduggery Pleasant commented. “Not bad different. Good different. Not as wonderfully handsomely different as me.” She laughed, letting her elbow brush his.
“I’m thinking about getting a hat.” Was all Valkyrie replied.
“You look good in a hat.” The conversation seemed tense. “Missed it?”
“More than I knew.” She breathed, baring her throat to the air and closing her eyes. “Home.”
“Home.” He nodded, hands falling out of his pocket, gloved fingers brushing hers. She turned to him.
“No.” She said, face contorting.
“What?” Skulduggery’s façade looked scandalised.
“I know they’re randomised but no.” Valkyrie waved her hands in front of his face. He grabbed both of her hands and held them away from his face.
“I quite like it.”
“You have a creeper-stache.” Valkyrie grimaced. “Do I look that old?” Her face turned horrified.
“No. You’ll always be pretty.” He dropped one of her hands and pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Not as pretty as me. But still pretty.” Valkyrie squeezed his hand, not dropping it or letting him let it go. “You better have not lost your womanly wiles, Cain. I know my charms hold no boundaries, but I don’t look good in a dress.”
“I on the other hand look amazing in a dress.” She smirked, and Skulduggery wriggled his fingers out of her hand only to intertwine them with hers. She smiled softly. “It’s good to be home.”