Chapter Seventy

Abraham was one of the only men on board who could read with some eloquence. His Bible was worn out from his constant perusal, and the old prayer book he'd once had was in pieces.

That night, what was required was not his reading skills but his openness to the darker forces of human nature.

"I was thinking," he said when the handful of men had assembled, perching like ungainly beasts on their bunks or sitting stiffly on the floor. "I think we need to ask someone who's done this before. I've read enough in the Bible to distrust demons."

The soft candlelight illuminated the severity in his eyes, the long lines seeming to be etched deeper beneath them, and looked like ragged tracks dug into the dark circles.

"Blake's still here. We just need to see him. His errors will be the key to our success."

"How'd know it's him?" One of the men frowned uneasily. "I've seen a few things around 'ere that ain't been what they seem. And we've tried before."

"We chance it. And I ain't thinking of doing