Valkyrie stood in the middle of the room. All three council members were sitting in their seats looking tired and bored except for madame mist, who face was covered by her veil. Valkyrie looked around the room and saw three people off the side having a conversation of their own. She tired listening in but all she could gather was that they weren't from Ireland, their accents sounded off. Skulduggery walked in the room wearing his usual pin striped suit but val noticed a new hat. Green around the edge and a gold feather on top. Valkyrie smiled.

"Good evening Grand Mage. Elders. To what do I owe this pleasure of being summoned here. I don't think we did anything wrong this time. Did we?" he looked over to Valkyrie.

"Nope. don't remember anyone getting hurt besides the bad guys of course. Almost destroying the world or forcibly kidnapping. No we're good."

"You're not here because anything you might have done whether its illegal or not," Ravel looked down at them mostly Skulduggery. Skulduggery simply waved his hat. "You're here because... because. Tell them Ghastly."

Elder Bespoke sat facing the audience before him. Never in his life did he ever think something like this would ever happen, the Americans were here in Ireland asking for their top Sanctuary agents as teachers to train ‛the newbies' as Ghastly called them. This was something out of the ordinary, but he was used to that. Ghastly cleared his throat and sat up, failing miserably to look slightly happy to be there. "The American Sanctuary has given the Irish Sanctuary a proposition. They want three of their own to be taken under the wing of the best agents we have so that we could-"

"Excuse me," Valkyrie waved her hand in the air as if attending class. "If I may say something."

"No you may not. You need to learn to hold your tongue girl." Madame Mist raised her veil to look squarely into Vals eyes. "Grand Mage, you asked these to... people" she said with disgust facing the Grand Mage. "These people to accept this assignment when the girl can't even keep her mouth shut and she works under your authority. This doesn't seem wise at all."

Valkyrie just wanted to walk up to the elder and smack her right across the face. She called a girl. That girl. Who does she think shes is. The boss. So what, technically she is but shes dealt with people with like her thousands of times not to mention Grand Mage Guild, gosh she hated him. But if she thought she was just going to stand there and take this Elder mist was about to get a rough wake up call. Before Valkyrie could get the first word out of her mouth Ravel had cleared his throat and all eyes turned to him. "Can we continue please? Thank you. Ghastly, you were saying."

Ghastly waved over the three men Val noticed earlier. These two men are from the American Sanctury."

Two of the men stepped forward and went to shake Skulduggery's hands. "Hello. My name is Simon Thatch. Nice to meet you."

"And I am Nicholas Revivty Flamel. I know, not exactly original isn't it."

"Not especially bright are you?" Skulduggery asked . Val's hand flew up to her mouth trying to cover her laughter. Flamel face twisted into one of confusion then quickly turned into a genuine smile. "I can't wait to start working with you both." He shooked Valkyrie's hand and stepped back. "I do believe I do not know your name, although I'll probably just forget it anyways." Skulduggery said to the man standing away from the others.

He was tall and in sort of handsome Valkyrie noticed. He was well built he seemed as though he went to gym everyday. Valkyrie took in his whole apperance. He was really quiet. She didn't even know him yet he struck her as a person she would never forget. She looked up and gasped, he was staring straight at her. Not in a friendly way either, more like studying her, it made her arms cold. She couldn't think of a reason why but something clicked in her head like she saw this person before and it wasn't a good memory.

Someone made a sound. What seemed like forever and a day passed by before anyone made a sound.

"Pardon me, but I go by the name Victor." He strode up to Val, took her hand in his, bowed and kissed it softly. "Victor Huston. May I ask yours?"

"My...my name?" Valkyrie stuttered.

"Yes."

That uneasy feeling came back to Valkyrie and she quickly pulled away from Mr. Huston. "If you must know, Valkyrie Cain," it came out cold and rigid.

"Val. We're trying to get along with these people." Ravel hissed.

"Grand Mage, I would like to know something and since no one was talking I do believe that you can answer it. Agreed, Madame Mist?" Valkyrie stared pointedly at Mist. Mist merely raised her chin then sent daggers of her own back at her. "Why did you pick me and Skulduggery for this. Isn't there anybody else that could do it?"

"Val, its Skulduggery and I. Honestly you could use a few grammar lessons." Skulduggery whispered.

"Hush. You just wanted me to say your name first," she whispered back.

"Actually Val to answer you question no there wasn't anybody else because, well everyone else... kinda refused to have anything to do with the Americans and I wish we could have found instructors who didn't burn down half the city but duty calls." he muttered darkly to himself but they still heard him.

"Ok this has been great. Everyone meet your new partners and now if you would please try not to have too much fun." Ghastly rushed them out then slouched back into his chair. "I think I need an Asprin."

"Well this should be exciting." Ravel said to Elder Mist. She simply nodded then left the throne room. Ravel got out his hidden marker from the sleeve of his robes then started doodling on Ghastly's face.