"I'm not entirely sure," Skulduggery responded truthfully. "I found it about fifteen minutes ago. What do you mean, self-preservation?"

He'd intended to give Wreath the painting and be on his way again. As usually happened whenever Wreath was involved, things didn't unfold quite that simply. Wreath had come to find Skulduggery - not just out of some idle curiosity, but a very dramatic sense of self-preservation. At worst, it meant something happened which Wreath feared might incur Skulduggery's wrath, and he'd probably be right. At best...