"There was some discussion of that at the trial. Stories and their rules. The fact that he couldn't just kill Skulduggery, he had to do what was proper by the rules. What was it Erin's friend said? The tall one..."

He closes his eyes, trying to remember. "Something about how the rules define the Captain's realms. 'Trees grow up, but they don't have rings because that's not important...At summer camp, people wear shorts. It snows at a mountain resort.' Because that's what happens in stories."