Sometimes, Valkyrie wondered if she was insane. Why else would she stay in this hell hole of a place, lying on this bed of nails? She could have easily escaped, could have easily slipped out of these loose knots and been halfway to America. But no, she stayed here.

Her captor walked in, his stylish shoes clicking against the floor. He was always impeccably dressed, perhaps trying to make up for his lack of skin.

Skulduggery crouched down and looked at her with disappointment, though he had no expression.

Valkyrie almost groaned, but sighed instead. She had been here too long, it seemed. She was starting to be able to discern a skeleton's emotions by simply looking at his skull. He raised a glove hand and touched her chin, the soft fabric rubbing against her face.

"You haven't escaped," he said sadly. "You haven't even tried, I've been told."

Valkyrie had used to always try to escape, though she had given up long ago. She smiled, her lips cracked from lack of water.

"You'll just stop me anyway," she said with a weak laugh. "Hey, could I have a little water?"

He sighed and picked up the water bottle he had brought. She drank it gratefully, and then smiled again.

He stood and left, those shiny shoes of his echoing in the dark room.

Valkyrie woke up screaming, and would have scraped herself on the sharp objects beneath if not for the hand holding her still. She threw up (not on him, thankfully) then turned to him, licking her lips.

Skulduggery had a concerned sort of air about him. Funny, since he had been the one to strap her here.

"You must hate me," he murmured. "I'm sorry for keeping you here."

She stared at him, her stomach aching.

"You've clipped my wings, Skulduggery Pleasant," she whispered, tears trickling down her cheeks. God, she hated crying in front of him. "But I don't hate you."

He let go of her, and she looked at the ceiling.

"Why is that, I wonder?" She said softly. "I should hate your nonexistent guts, but...I don't."

He bent down and pressed his teeth against her forehead, like an almost kiss.

Ah, she thought as he left. I love you. That's why.

Skullduggery had not locked her away because she was pretty, though she was. He did not lock her away because he was lonely, though he was.

No, he locked her away because he loved her too much to bear. And if that meant he had to put her in a dark room on a bed of nails to keep her safe...well then, so be it.

He hesitated in the hall outside her room, his hands in his pockets. Who was he to lock this girl away? What sort of monster was he, to rob the world of her light? So he walked into her dark room once more.

When Valkyrie awoke, she found the ropes that had been holding her down had been untied. She was free.

She sat up on the bed of nails and stood up, her legs weak and wobbly. Could it be...he loved her too? When he had trapped her here, in this dark little room, had he done it because he was fond of her?

She walked with bare feet down the hall she had seen him go down a thousand times, and found herself at a door. She pushed it open and stepped inside.

He sat at a desk, his head in his arms. She walked over there, and stood before him.

Maybe smiling, he said, "You can leave, you know. I've opened you're cage." She smiled, and stepped closer.

"Ah, but the bird loves her master," she said, falling to her knees. "The bird does not want to leave, it seems. Can she stay here?"

He placed a hand on her head and played with her hair.

"Of course she can."

She smiled and hugged him. Sometimes, Valkyrie wondered if she was insane. And the answer was, she is. But that's okay, because he is too.