Bows and arrows are enough of a relic of the past that Skulduggery isn't watching out for them. By the time he sees the arrow being pointed straight at him, the arrow's been let loose, and it's all he can do to knock it slightly off-course with the air before the tip nicks one of his ribs on its path through him.

The resulting pain is enough to break the illusion giving Skulduggery his disguise, and the disguise drops. He curls inward briefly with a sharp cry, then straightens and fires with unerring accuracy into the cultist's leg before stumbling backwards.

That hurt.

He has an ace up his sleeve, but he can't use it while other Foreigners are there. That only leaves him a few options. With the revolver still in hand, Skulduggery speaks quickly before the kedan can resume their attack. "If you'd like to surrender," he says, "now is the time."

He doesn't expect a response.