Sins of the past.

“This must be severe for ye to summon me as soon as I reached dockside.” William mused.

“Yes, quite. It is perhaps best if I showed you.” Restan told him.

Restan pulled a bell cord to summon a servant to him. They waited a moment, and a young man, with a youthful, eager look, stepped into the office holding a map tube.

“This is Kelham. My aide.” Restan said, introducing him to William.

“We received this missive. It was addressed to you.” Kelham explained.

William raised a hand in greeting but said nothing further. Kelham cleared a space on Restan's desk. He opened the tube and took out what looked to be a piece of vellum. It was mottled pink in colour. Kelham unfurled it. William couldn't see it clearly from his current position. He stood to get a better look, and a crestfallen look crossed his face. The vellum contained only a single word, which did not appear to have been written but burned into it. It simply stated Logos.

“I gather from your expression you already know what this means?” Restan asked.

“Aye, it means my mistakes have come back to haunt me,” William told them.

“Who sent it?” Restan asked

“Ravenhill,” William answered without offering anything further.

“Why would he have sent it?” Kelham asked.

“I left him for dead twenty years ago, and he's come back to take what he believes is his,” William told them reluctantly.

“The Chatham expedition?” Restan asked.

“Aye. Johannes believed he had made a discovery that led us to the greatest treasure of our lives. William continued.

“I've not heard of this expedition before,” Kelham commented.

“There's a good reason for that, lad. Most of the crew died, and what we found, none of us wanted to speak of ever again.” William said gravely.

“But you did find something. “ Kelham asked.

“In a manner of speaking.” William was unwilling to further explain.

“What does it mean what he wrote on the vellum?” Restan queried.

“I'll not speak of it here. I brought something back. Something I think Ravenhill wants back, even if it was never his in the first place. What we found drove him mad. He killed and injured several on the expedition. I was able to flee, but others were not as lucky.” William advised saying more than he wanted.

William saw Kelham looking down at the vellum.

“Is this twitching?” He declared out loud.

William now saw what Kelham was speaking of. The vellum was moving very, very slightly. William noticed that Restan looked horrified at the sight of it, he looked like he was trying to suppress

“Burn it. Douse it in holy water if you can. Don't do it here.” William warned.

“But why now?” Restan asked.

“I had heard rumours, talks of ship raids, certain places being attacked. Some of them mentioned a man whose description fitted someone I once knew. Someone I once called a brother. I didn't want to believe any of it. I hoped they were just rumours.” William told him.

“So what now?” Kelham asked.

William turned to look at Restan. “I need you to get me a ship. Just a rowboat, fast. I can't use one from the Catherine. I won't alarm my crew just yet.”

“There is one tethered at the governor's private dock, which would suffice,” Kelham replied.

“That will do,” William told him.

“I don't know what this is for.” Kelham queried.

“Divination. He means to speak to the Drowners.” Restan answered for him.

“If they don't kill me for stepping onto the island first,” William stated.

Restan looked over at Kelham with a degree of concern.

“Go with him. Perhaps a touch of diplomacy may help smooth things over. Advise them that you speak on my behalf.” Restan said to Kelham.

Give me paper and a quill. I need to send a message to my first mate.

Kelham very nervously rolled the vellum back up and returned it to the tube. William sat down and began penning a quick letter to Jack.

Jack.

We may have to leave sooner than I expected. Unload any cargo and stock up on supplies. Tell the crew to be ready. If any complain about shore leave being cut short, double their pay. I have some matter to deal with and will return within a day.

William.

William handed the letter to Restan. “Have someone run this down to my first mate.”

“I will have one of my staff deliver this posthaste. Good luck to you, William.”

Restan left his office, leaving William and Kelham alone.

“We should leave,” William instructed Kelham.