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blood. Toby had made a single slash with that carving knife, and opened his throat for him. Blood came pouring out, and Noseless blinked his squinty little eyes and raised his hands up against his neck, as if to catch it as it fell. Finally he collapsed.

"That was not necessary, Toby," Joshua York said quietly, "I could have stopped him."

Gentle Toby Lanyard just frowned, holding his cleaver and the bloody knife. "I ain't so good as you is, Cap'n York," he said. He turned to Marsh and Sour Billy. "Cut him open, Cap'n Marsh," he urged. "I bet you Mister Billy ain't got no heart in dere."

"Don't, Abner. One killing is enough."

Abner Marsh heard both of them. He shoved the knife forward just enough to prick through Billy's shirt and start a little trickle of bleeding. "You like that?" Marsh asked. Sweat plastered Billy's lank hair to his brow. "You like it good enough when you're holdin' the knife, don't you?"

Billy choked on his reply, and Marsh let up the pressure on his skinny neck enough to let him talk. "Don't kill me!" Billy said, his voice gone thin and shrill. "It ain't my doing, it's Julian, he makes me do them things. He'll kill me if I don't do like he tells me!"

"He kilt ol' Hairy Mike, an' Whitey, too," Toby said, "an' a mess o' other folks. One man he burn up in the furnace, you could hear dat poor man screamin' all over. Tole me I was a slave agin, Cap'n Marsh, and when I shows him my freedom papers he done rip 'em up an' burn em. Cut him up, Cap'n."

"He's lyin! Them are damn nigger lies!"

"Abner," said Joshua, "let him go. You have his weapon, he's harmless now. If you kill him like this, you're no better than he is. He can help us, if anyone challenges us as we're leaving. We still have to reach the yawl and get away."

"Yawl," said Abner Marsh. "To hell with the yawl. I'm takin' my steamboat back." He smiled at Sour Billy. "Billy here can get us in to Julian's cabin, I reckon."

Sour Billy swallowed hard. Marsh felt the lump of his Adam's apple against his skin.

"If you attack Julian, you go alone," Joshua said. "I will not help you."

Marsh craned his head around and stared at York in astonishment "After all he done?"

All of a sudden Joshua looked awful weak and tired. "I cannot," he whispered. "He is too strong, Abner. He is bloodmaster, he rules me. Even to dare this much goes against all the history of my people. He has bonded me to him a dozen times, forcing me to feed him with my blood. Each submission leaves me... weaker. More in his thrall. Abner, please understand. I could not do it. He would look at me with those eyes, and before I could take two steps I would be his. As likely as not it would be you I killed, not Julian."

"Toby and me will do it then," Marsh said.

"Abner, you would not have a chance. Listen to me. We can escape now. I've taken a great risk to save you. Do not throw it away."

Marsh looked back at helpless Billy and thought on it. Maybe Joshua was right. Besides, his gun was gone now, they didn't have nothing to hurt Julian with. Knives and meat cleavers sure wouldn't do it, and Marsh wasn't anxious to face Julian hand to hand. "We'll go," he said at last, "but after I kill this one."

Sour Billy whimpered. "No," he said. "Let me go, I'll help you." His pox-scarred face was moist. "It's easy for you, with your damn fancy steamboat and all, I never had no choice, ain't never had nothing, no family, no money, got to do like I'm told."

"You ain't the only one ever growed up poor," Marsh said. "It ain't no excuse. You made up your own goddamned mind to be like you are." His hand was shaking. He wanted to shove the knife in so bad it hurt, but somehow he couldn't, not like this. "Damn you," Marsh said grudgingly. He let go of Billy's throat and stepped backward, and Billy pitched forward to his knees. "Come on, you're gettin' us safe to that damn yawl."

Toby made a sound of disgust, and Sour Billy eyed him warily. "Keep that damn nigger cook away from me! Him and that cleaver, you keep 'em away."

"On your goddamn feet," Marsh said. He looked over to