‘Jesse killed them. Jesse led them down there. He wanted them to die. He wanted to kill Forest too, but . . . I guess he escaped.’ There was a catch when he said that, but Ahab barely registered it.

Ahab’s ears were ringing. He felt as though he was sinking, or the caves were somehow coming unmoored.

‘It’s the truth, Ahab.’

‘That’s – he wouldn’t do that to his own family . . .’ he managed to croak. He couldn’t even convince himself.

‘Yes, he would,’ said Forest, his teeth chattering. ‘You know it’s true. He was brutal, he was selfish, and he never loved Forest.’

Ahab fell to his knees, the cold rock cutting at his hands as he braced himself. The boy was right. Of course he was right. Jesse would have done anything to save his own skin, Ahab knew that to be true. He’d just always hoped . . .

‘Tell me,’ he said. ‘How do you know this?’

‘Because I met Huck Donnager. He told me everything.’ Forest looked down at the skull. ‘At least, that’s what he told me his name was. Now I think it’s clear who he really is.’ Forest wiped at his eyes. ‘It looks like Forest is alive after all. He just calls himself Huck.’

‘Tell me everything.’

Crouching on the floor with him, Huck’s skull between them, he told him the story. The cave Alexandra found and the rage it inspired in Jesse. Their trip to the caves and Jesse’s betrayal. The diving slate, the rushing water – Huck’s escape. The boy who claimed to be Huck, anyway . . .

If Ahab had had the strength to lift his hands over his ears, he would have.

‘Where’s that boy now?’ said Ahab.

‘I don’t know,’ said Forest. ‘Haven’t seen him in years. Figured he was dead.’

Now Forest stayed silent. He was giving Ahab time to process it all, but Ahab wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to comprehend what had happened. How wrong he had been about Jesse’s true character.

I could have helped them . . .

Suddenly Forest sprang to his feet, hunched in the small space.

‘Do you hear that?’

Ahab was ready to snap at the boy, but then he heard it too. A distant drone.

The Black Wind.

Leaving the skull where it was, they fled up through the passages, Ahab following the boy’s lead, pushing him to speed up.

He told himself he wasn’t panicking, he was just moving quickly because it was the sensible thing to do. The Black Wind’s waves filled ocean caves fast. But . . . there was something dark about the Black Wind coming when it did. Right as they had moved Huck’s skull.

Black Wind at morning, sailors take warning.

Black Wind at night, death is in sight.

Soon the two were in the open air, panting.

Ahab felt sick, Forest still shook.