"Sounds fine to me." Skulduggery doesn't move, but it sounds like he's getting comfortable in his seat from the tone of his voice. "Well, to begin with, we are the latest batch of passengers to come aboard the Serena Eterna, which has been periodically taking prisoners for hundreds of years.

"The method by which we are abducted is random, but that hardly matters to the Captain, who sees us as fuel for his magic rather than individual captives. He draws power from our pain and our deaths, the latter of which are not permanent. The magic by which he resurrects us after death is unknown, but I do know that when he's displeased by your death, he'll take something from you as... punishment. That, as far as I know, only happens outside of excursions -- that is, events he holds in separate realities that are designed to fuel his power."

He nods. "Still with me, or is the magic throwing you off?" He's clearly used to that being a sticking point.