Black Lake Manor by Guy Morpuss

Author:Guy Morpuss
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Profile
Published: 2022-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

And the wolf ate time.

1804

26

THE GUIDE

5 DECEMBER 1804, PACHENA BAY CAVE

This was the first night that the captain saw the wolf.

As on previous nights he heard a howling as he slept, echoing through the tunnels and his dreams.

This time he woke to something different.

He could hear the bosun’s wheezing breath nearby.

And something else. Something walking on the shingle by the water, then a snuffling sound near Cooper’s body.

The fire was almost out, only a few embers left. Ross grabbed one of his torches and shoved the cloth-covered end into the coals. It took a few moments to catch.

The wolf appeared out of the darkness.

It had been standing over Cooper’s body, but moved towards Ross as the torch flared into life. It seemed untroubled by the flames.

The wolf was pure black. It advanced to an arm’s length from Ross, then stopped, staring at him with burning orange eyes that flickered in the light of the torch.

Ross felt around him for the knife he had fashioned from the boat’s nameplate, then realised he had left it by Cooper’s body.

But he did not feel that he was in danger. The wolf merely stared at him for a long moment, then turned away, padding softly towards the rear of the cave.

Ross knew that he was meant to follow.

He stood stiffly and gathered his bundle of torches. His food was already in the pocket of his coat.

Ross needed to hurry. The wolf was almost out of the circle of light now. It paused, looking back at him, as though checking that he understood.

He glanced briefly at the sleeping bosun, then shook his head. The bosun was weak and would hold them back. Better to leave him.

Ross took a last look around the cave that had been his prison for longer now than he could recall. He knew this was his chance to escape.

His last chance to live.

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