[The way Skulduggery pauses before saying 'no' tells Kratos all that he needs to know, though he appreciates the attempt at clarification.]
Serpine.
[Grimly. If Skulduggery had been killed by someone else, why would that someone else spare his family? It's a guess, but Kratos does not think he's wrong. He's willing to let Skulduggery change the subject, since the subject of Kratos's family is far less unpleasant nowadays -- regardless of the panging grief he still feels. Kratos smiles slightly.]
Family. Yes.
[He reaches up to his collar to pull out the locket and open it to show Skulduggery. It's quite clear the two pictures are years apart; the one of him and Anna and Lloyd is chipped around the edges, while the second is still shiny with varnish. (If Skulduggery thought Kratos was wearing rather a lot of buckles now, the outfit in the image is going to be a surprise.) Kratos points to each person in turn, starting from the older image, moving to the newer.]
I. Anna. Lloyd. Lloyd. Colette. Genis. Raine.
[Kratos hesitates, then makes the same motion across his throat which Skulduggery had.]
Killed?
[He points to his side and says, in tones of bitter, resigned anger:]
Kvar. Kvar killed Anna.
[It isn't entirely accurate -- but Kratos is willing to submit to Lloyd's interpretation of the situation, in light of the language barrier.]
I killed Kvar. Serpine?
[Vengeance may be a hollow victory, but there's something to be said for knowing a killer is no longer capable of killing.]
no subject
Serpine.
[Grimly. If Skulduggery had been killed by someone else, why would that someone else spare his family? It's a guess, but Kratos does not think he's wrong. He's willing to let Skulduggery change the subject, since the subject of Kratos's family is far less unpleasant nowadays -- regardless of the panging grief he still feels. Kratos smiles slightly.]
Family. Yes.
[He reaches up to his collar to pull out the locket and open it to show Skulduggery. It's quite clear the two pictures are years apart; the one of him and Anna and Lloyd is chipped around the edges, while the second is still shiny with varnish. (If Skulduggery thought Kratos was wearing rather a lot of buckles now, the outfit in the image is going to be a surprise.) Kratos points to each person in turn, starting from the older image, moving to the newer.]
I. Anna. Lloyd. Lloyd. Colette. Genis. Raine.
[Kratos hesitates, then makes the same motion across his throat which Skulduggery had.]
Killed?
[He points to his side and says, in tones of bitter, resigned anger:]
Kvar. Kvar killed Anna.
[It isn't entirely accurate -- but Kratos is willing to submit to Lloyd's interpretation of the situation, in light of the language barrier.]
I killed Kvar. Serpine?
[Vengeance may be a hollow victory, but there's something to be said for knowing a killer is no longer capable of killing.]