Valkyrie's passer by.

Valkyrie was dropped off by Tanith on her motorbike. She loved riding on Tanith's bike. The thrill excited her, especially when Tanith would swerve dangerously around the country corners. They were trying to find any information about the location of Skulduggery Pleasant's missing skull. Skulduggery had said Trolls had taken the skull but apart form that, there was absolutely no trace to who would have it. Valkyrie was growing more and more impatient by the day, Ghastly and Tanith too. But until they could do something about it she had to go to school and act normally. Valkyrie never missed a day where she didn't think of Skulduggery. What is happening to him? Where is he? Is he safe? But there was no answer.

As Valkyrie strode home in the evening from the harbour, she heard a rustle in the bushes by the side of her. She was currently walking through a park. She looked suspiciously to it, and posed for a fight. Then, to her surprise, she saw Remus Crux slump out of the bush, a bottle in his hand. He was unkempt and unshaven. He looked rough.

He had been fired by Guild and since had fallen low.

He hadn't noticed Valkyrie standing there, staring until he looked up wiping his mouth with a grimy sleeve.

"You!" he slurred venomously to her. He tried to get up on his feet, but the amount of alcohol he drank had made his legs wobble and he fell back down again.

Valkyrie crossed her arms. "What are you doing here?"

Crux took a swig from his bottle and stayed on the floor, not bothering to attempt standing up again.

"I just am, OK? Can't a man drink where ever he likes?" he defended himself.

Valkyrie almost took pity on him, looking at the man who had indulged in drink and despair.

Valkyrie narrowed her eyes, "I'm going now."

"Wait!" he called after her, almost in plead.

She stopped abruptly.

"What?"

"Have you found that skull yet?" His voice was cold.

Valkyrie bit her lip. "How do you know about that?" She demanded.

"News travel fast." was all he said.

"We're all doing fine, thanks. China is helping us, its hard for her though, losing her brother."

Crux sneered. "She could always get him back though,"

Valkyrie didn't understand. "What do you mean, 'she could always get him back?' he's dead!" Her voice cracked.

She was just about to turn on her heels and walk away until Crux said. "Ask her about Skulduggery. How he came back to life."

She turned slowly towards him, frowning. "You're not making any sense."

He sighed, "No one ever believes me, never expects some one will ever do what China did." he said this to himself mostly to Valkyrie.

"What did China do? Was she involved in Skulduggery's resurrection?"

Crux was quiet for a while. "Why should I do her dirty work? Ask her yourself. Watch her squirm yourself." He laughed coldly. "If only I was there to see it."

Valkyrie was confused, can she trust a drunkard, a disappointment to the Sanctuary? But he seemed so bitter, so sure. China was never a woman to trust. Skulduggery always said that. Could she trust her now? Even with all the help China was doing to retrieve the skull?

Valkyrie had enough, she started to run away from the scruffy man sitting in the dirt, swigging his whisky bottle.

"Run all you want little girl. But you will never escape!"

Valkyrie rolled her eyes and ignored him, her feet slamming the rigid path.

She needed answers.