Chapter 39

Later in the evening, after they had taken a light dinner, Kolester at last was able to isolate Abegail enough from her son and Holland to whisper a message in her ear.

"Tonight, my love. I will visit your cabin tonight."

But she whispered back. "And if you do, you'll find the door locked."

He did visit and the door was locked. He tapped on it for a few minutes, but Abegail was planted on the bunk of her cabin, her eyes held tightly shut, her fists covering her ears, and her mind summoning up the visage of Sun Li and calculating how she could return to his side—just as soon as it was safe enough to do so.

Abegail had resolved after she had awakened from the harrowing nightmare the previous afternoon on the Maha Chakri, and able, even if she hadn't wanted to, to remember every damning, guilt-ridden aspect of it up until Sun Li had entered the dream and had entered into her and calmed her, that she would return to him as soon as possible. It would only add shame to guilt to reject all o