She saw Skulduggery and Dusk. Now that he could no longer be taken by surprise, Dusk’s supernatural grace and athleticism were keeping him away from Skulduggery’s strikes. He swept out of range of the punches and kicks, and every hold Skulduggery tried, Dusk eased out of before it was even completed.
He kicked Skulduggery and moved backward, and as he did so, something fell from his pocket. He glanced at it and moved to retrieve it, but Skulduggery held out his hand, and it flew into his grip.
It was a syringe, filled with a colorless liquid.
Dusk shrugged. “You can keep it,” he said. “I’ve got plenty more.”
The Minions were regrouping.
Valkyrie clicked her fingers but failed to ignite a spark. She tried again, and this time she felt the heat of the friction. She focused. She curled her hand, let the energy pour from the center of her body into her arm, into her palm, and she took the spark and made it into a flame.
“Stay back,” she warned.
The Minions didn’t answer. She didn’t even know if they were capable of answering.
The flame grew fiercer, grew into a ball of fire in her hand, and she hurled the fireball right at them.
And then Skulduggery was shouting something and running forward, his arms sweeping up, and a rush of wind hit the fireball and knocked it off course even as the flames extinguished.
Then he was at Valkyrie’s side, holding her arm, walking backward with her as the Minions stalked them.