Skulduggery Pleasant: Books 7 - 9

“All what?” Kitana asked. “Oh, you mean the murder and mayhem? Don’t you like it? Aren’t you a fan?”

“Not especially.”

“Well then, Mr Skeleton, you are no fun. We were chosen by Argeddion because we would use these powers in the way they were intended, to punish the people who have messed us about in our lives.”

“Your ex-boyfriend, did he mess you about?”

“He humiliated me.”

“He broke up with you. There’s a difference. Doran, you killed your brother. Do you really think he deserved to die like that?”

“Yeah,” said Doran. “I do.”

“What about Patrick Xebec, and the others? What about all the people you’ve hurt? And when all the punishing is done with? Then what are you going to do?”

“Whatever we want,” Kitana said. “For the rest of our lives, we will do whatever we want.”

“You know I can’t allow that.”

“You can’t stop us. Those magic men tried to stop us earlier and we killed them so easily I was laughing.”

“I see.”

Kitana smirked. “Do you?”

“I do,” said Skulduggery. “You’re psychopaths. The magic may have pushed you over the edge or maybe you were like this anyway, I don’t know. But the point is you’re psychopaths now.”

“I suppose we are.”

“I should have shot you when I had the chance.”

“And we’re the psychopaths?” Kitana laughed.

“You didn’t get these powers so you could punish those who’ve wronged you. You weren’t chosen for any special reason.”

“You’re just jealous.”

Valkyrie moved around them, heading towards Skulduggery as he straightened his tie.

“Argeddion is using you in an experiment,” he said.

Doran frowned. “You know Argeddion?”

“You see? You don’t even know who the players are. Who did you think Argeddion was – some mystical being granting great power to mere mortals? Before he was Argeddion, he was just an ordinary sorcerer. He worked for peace and enlightenment. You’re his test subjects and you’re trampling over everything he believes in.”

Kitana put her hands on her hips. “Oh, really? Well, if we’re such a mistake, then where is he? How come he isn’t here to tell us where we’re going wrong?”

“He’s refusing to believe that you’re as bad as you are. But this? Coming to your own school to attack it? I think this will be all he needs to realise his error of judgement.”

“I think you’re lying.”

“I don’t care.”

Kitana smiled. “You’re jealous. Just admit it. You’re jealous that Argeddion picked us and not you. I know you all think you’re so cool with your secret societies and whatever, but we’re the new breed of sorcerers. And we’re stronger than you.”

Valkyrie dived on Skulduggery, hiding him from view, and dragged him to one side. Kitana and Doran let loose streams of energy that came dangerously close.

“Thank you for that,” Skulduggery said.

“No problem.”

They circled them, keeping low, as Kitana and Doran spun and fired at random, their eyes wide.

“Where are they?” Doran cried. “Where are they?”

“How am I supposed to know?” Kitana snapped.

Skulduggery took out his gun. “I didn’t want to have to do this,” he said as he took aim.

Valkyrie looked away, and Skulduggery fired twice.

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ammit,” Skulduggery said.

Valkyrie looked back. Kitana and Doran were still standing. Hovering in the air next to each of their heads was a bullet, gently rotating.

“Hello, children,” Argeddion said from where he floated above them all.

He waved his hand and the cloaking sphere stopped working. The bubble retracted but Kitana and Doran weren’t interested in a skeleton and a teenage girl any more. They gazed upwards like they were seeing their own personal god.

“It’s you,” Doran whispered.

“Hello, Doran,” Argeddion said. “Hello, Kitana. I’m sorry it took so long for me to meet you, face to face. I took some time to experience what it means to be a free man once again. Hello, Skulduggery. Hello, Valkyrie.”

Skulduggery holstered his gun. “Are you proud of them?” he asked. “They came here, to this school, to kill everyone they found. If you’re hoping you showed them enlightenment, I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

“They’re young,” Argeddion said. “They’ll learn.”

“And in the meantime, they’ll kill and destroy. You’re meant to be a pacifist. You’re meant to value every human life. How can you let this continue?”

Argeddion smiled. “Because I can see the difference between one life and many. Between a few lives and all. The children are learning and exploring and pushing their boundaries. They don’t know who they are yet.”

“They’re through pushing boundaries. Now they need rules.”

“I have no wish to limit them with the restricted view of western morality.”

Skulduggery shook his head. “You’ve got to take responsibility for this.”