Chapter One Pons entered the scriptorium. For several years I have been the sacrist of the copy room to oversee the library and the monks copying the old manuscripts and Bibles. No one would question why I work late hours, but dear Lord, forgive me for my curiosity. I am again drawn to a manuscript […]

Prologue Cape Coast, 1787 The royal prison was dark and reeked of piss and sewer water. Pirate captives dressed in bloody rags were being dragged into their cells by His Majesty’s soldiers, fresh from a battle that had ended on the beach in the king’s favor. The pirates would protest until what was left of […]

Prologue The middle of the China Sea, 1885 From his position on the wet floor in the corner of the dark and dank room, the boy rubbed his blood-shot eyes and looked around him. The room resembled a medieval battlefield littered by the slain. Men and women of all backgrounds lay slumped over chairs, tables […]

Chapter Seven Adok is talking to his brother Hans. Adok recalls the day he sees Nazi Colonel Otto Strauss awaken from the dead weeks after WWII ends. “Did you see the colonel awaken?” Hans asked. Adok walked up to the window and stood beside Hans. “Yes, eleven years ago. It was two days after we […]

CHAPTER ONE Malqata was the most beautiful palace Jeska had ever set her eyes on. Never mind that, in all her five years, it was the only palace she had ever set her eyes on. Father never let her go too far without him because he never wanted her to go missing. “Stay close to […]

Part 1 Chapter 6 A Family Divided Mary bustled around the shop arranging freshly baked, warm bread and spiced buns ready for opening time in five minutes. Her shop was the most popular bakers in the area, and Mary prided herself the best window display in the town. Jimmy, her grandson, had just finished the […]