The Faceless Ones (Skulduggery Pleasant - Book 3) by Derek Landy Page A

ever did, and that's no mistake."
    When Skulduggery spoke, his voice was even and without anger. "Solomon, so glad to have you on board. Welcome to the team."
    "A delight, sir, as always."
    Skulduggery nodded his farewell and walked from the house, out into the rain. Valkyrie followed.
    "What was that?" she demanded as they approached the Bentley.
    "History," Skulduggery replied.
    "You never told me you had a history with the Necromancers."
    "I'm over four hundred years old," he said. "I haven't told you a lot of things."
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    Twelve
    ***
    In the Office of the Grand Mage
    Remus Crux knocked, and the Grand Mage bade him enter. The office was crammed full of books, and maps covered every inch of the far wall. Thurid Guild was not one to become complacent just because he had reached a certain level of power. Crux admired that and was determined to follow his example. Together, they would make the Sanctuary strong again.
    "You idiot," the Grand Mage said, and Crux lost his little smile.
    Sir?
    "Do you know how many calls I've been
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    getting? Our people are terrified, Crux. They're looking at what is going on and they're thinking, If someone can kill the Teleporters without leaving one single trace, then they can kill me, too. That's what they're thinking."
    "Grand Mage, I assure you, I am doing everything in my power--"
    "You assure me? I've assured them, Crux, that my best detective is on the case. And do you know what they say? "
    Inwardly, Crux swelled a little at this compliment, but he shook his head.
    "They say, 'Oh, I didn't know you'd got Skulduggery Pleasant back.'"
    Crux felt the blood rush to his face.
    "They are scared and they are looking for results. I brought you in to do the job, and you have yet to impress me."
    "But sir--"
    "There's another Teleporter. Did you know that? The last Teleporter. A boy."
    "Sir, yes, sir. His name is Renn, sir. He was last seen in a nightclub in County Meath. I have our agents combing the area. We'll find him."
    "Do not let me down, Crux."
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    "I won't, sir."
    "Leave me."
    Crux bowed and hurried out, closing the door gently behind him.
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    Thirteen
    ***
    T he House on Cemetery Road
    Skulduggery had a home. When Valkyrie had first discovered this, her initial reaction had been surprise. Her second reaction, following hot on surprise's heels, had been logical acceptance. Of course he had a home; of course he had somewhere to live. Had she really thought that he just drove around all day in the Bentley? A part of her actually had thought that, but that was a silly part, and not very bright.
    His house was the only residential building on Cemetery Road. There wasn't an actual cemetery on Cemetery Road, but there were two competing
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    funeral homes, situated directly opposite each other, and Skulduggery's house sat proudly at the top, like a parent overseeing squabbling siblings. He'd told her stories of the arguments the funeral directors would get into as they stood just inside their gates and hurled abuse at each other from a safe distance.
    One of the first things Valkyrie had noticed about the inside of the house was that every room seemed to be a living room.
    "I don't need anything else," Skulduggery had explained. "I don't need a kitchen or a bathroom, and I don't need a bed, so I don't need a bedroom."
    "Don't you sleep?"
    "I don't have to, but I've developed the skill and I quite like it. Though I suppose you'd call it meditation. The effect's still the same--I shut down completely, let my mind wander where it wants to wander, totally unhindered by conscious thought. It's good. It's relaxing."
    He'd shown her the chair he liked to sit in while he "slept." It was an armchair, nothing particularly impressive about it. Valkyrie had looked at it, felt pretty bored, and gone snooping.
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    There were a lot of books and a lot of files. The biggest room in the house had a large sofa, and whenever Valkyrie had to spend any time on Cemetery Road, this was where she'd usually