London, 1850

An ancient evil a doomed expedition. The heart of the British Empire is about of fall prey to an unspeakable curse... When a merchant ship sails into port at twilight, Jack recognizes it for what is: an opportunity. But Jack has never seen a ship quite like this one. A side from a flock of enormous black bats that flies from it hull, there's only one living soul on board – a young stowaway named Benedict Cole. Jack and the wealthy, educated Ben have little in common. But once Jack hears Ben's hair raising story of an ill fated expedition to Mexico and the strange sickness that's followed him back the two boys find themselves on the same side of a deadly struggle. With no one to turn to and nothing to rely on but their wits, they face a plague the likes of which London has never seen.