Skulduggery decides fairly quickly that he likes Septimus. It takes a special sort of courage to be as disgusted by Malicant's evil as the doctor so obviously is, and yet still be both willing and able to consider similar tactics. It speaks of a military honour much more rare within armed forces than it should be. Perhaps Septimus's world is fundamentally different from the one Skulduggery knows, but it's still a trait worthy of acknowledgement and admiration.

"Thank you," he says as he steps into the office after Septimus. In his own world, he would know if the office was secure as soon as the bindings on it drained him of his magic. Here, it isn't quite so easy to tell, so Skulduggery waits to let the other man speak first.