The End of the World

We're not robbing him," Skulduggery said." But I'm afraid I have some bad news." "Is it Deacon?" Francine asked, her eyes wide. "It is." "Is he sick?" "It's a little worse than that." She gasped. "He's dying?" "He was briefly dying," said Skulduggery. "Now he's dead.

Valkyrie made a face. "Bloody vampires." Ryan sat forward. "That was a vampire? That guy who looked like an accountant?" "We don't talk about vampires," Skulduggery warned. "But it was daytime. How could he have been out during the-" "We don't talk about vampires!" Valkyrie said sharply. Ryan shrunk back. "Sorry," he said. "Don't worry about it," Skulduggery told him. "Valkyrie used to date a vampire that's all." "We didn't date ," Valkyrie said immediately. Skulduggery held a hand up. "I'm not judging." Valkyrie scowled.

The workshop door opened and Skulduggery emerged. "Ryan," he said, "stop leaning on my car.

I’ve got good news and bad news for you, Ryan. The bad news is that you’re the only one in the world who can activate the Doomsday Machine, and Foe and his gang are never going to stop coming after you. The good news is that with myself and Valkyrie protecting you, you stand a very good chance of emerging from this relatively unscathed.” Valkyrie looked at the back of Skulduggery’s head. “You said they’d probably try to cut his hand off.” “I said relatively,” Skulduggery reminded her.

He was so strong,” Francine sobbed. “So proud. So much dignity. How did he die?” “Wood chipper,” said Valkyrie.

Ryan, you're not real. You don't exist... You're Deacon Maybury," Skulduggery said. "You're a hiding place who thinks it's a boy.