Read Online Happenstance Found (Books of Umber #1) by P. W. Catanese - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: P. W. Catanese
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if there’s a wall there.”
“Interesting,” Umber said, narrowing his eyes. “I’d like to try something that might help you break through. When we get to the Aerie, that is.” When he saw Hap’s questioning look, he added, “The Aerie is my home in Kurahaven. Sort of a tower … sort of a cave … you’ll see when we get there. I’m sure you’ll—” Umber tipped his head back and sniffed the air like a hound. A broad, toothy smile split his face. “Is that what I think it is?”
Balfour pushed the galley door open with his back. When he turned, he revealed a tray with another omelet and a mug of steaming dark liquid with a sharp, pleasant smell. “More food for the hungry boy,” he said. “And, Lord Umber, I’d stored away a little—”
“Coffee!” Umber cried, leaping up from his chair and holding his hands out. “Sweet, bitter, aromatic coffee! I thought the last was gone!” He seized the mug with two hands, brought it to his face, filled his lungs with the steam, and took a lusty slurp. He shivered, and his eyes closed in ecstasy. “This cries out to be drunk in fresh air,” he said. “Hap, meet me on deck when you’ve eaten your fill.”
When Hap emerged from the hatch his eyes turned by habit toward their wake. But there was no craft in pursuit. The suggestion of land on the southern horizon had become a certainty: Swollen hills rose to craggy peaks that pierced a cloudless sky.
Umber was in the center of the deck, engaged in the oddest behavior. He leaped up and down in place, with his legs alternately spreading and closing, while his arms rose over his head and clapped against his thighs in turn. Nima leaned against the forward rail, fighting a smirk at the corner of her mouth.
“What the devil are you doing now, Umber?” cried Oates, who’d followed Hap out of the hatch.
“These are called jumping jacks ,” huffed Umber. He timed his words to the rhythm of his leaps. “When we were on the run from the tyrant worm, I found myself a little short of breath. And I vowed to whip myself into better shape. You might try them yourself, Oates.”
“I wasn’t the one out of breath,” the enormous man replied, yawning and scratching his hindquarters. “You were. And if you’d slowed down any more, I would’ve carried you like a sack of flour.”
“Ha! No need for that, Oates. Soon I’ll be capable of epic feats of endurance. Hello again, young man!” Umber came to a stop, shook his arms, and beckoned Hap. “Speaking of jumping, there’s something I’d like to see.” There was a long pole with a hook on one end hanging from the rail. Umber lifted it from its bracket and held it horizontally. “Now, my boy, forgive me for treating you like a circus animal, but could I persuade you to jump over this?”
Hap stared at the pole. It wobbled in the air at the level of his chin. “It’s awfully high.”
Umber narrowed one eye. “I saw that leap that you made to escape the worm, Hap. Just give it a try! My curiosity has been aroused.”
“All right,” Hap said, though his jaw tensed at the request. Was this the first of the tests and challenges that the note mentioned? He crouched, swung his elbows back, and leaped. Then his eyes widened as he found himself springing into the air. The force that bound him to the earth seemed to weaken for a moment; he soared and crested, with his heels well above the pole and even Umber’s head. He saw Oates gape and heard Nima draw a sharp breath. Something like a laugh and a cry escaped from his own mouth. He came down on the deck, landing on his toes and the splayed fingers of one hand.
There was a clatter of wood. The pole had slipped out of Umber’s hands. He clasped his hands near his chin and beamed at Hap like a man who’d just discovered a chest of gold. “Well. That was something.”
“Boy’s not normal,” mumbled Oates.
“Who among us is?” replied Umber.
Hap straightened up. How did I do that? he wondered. A tingle
“Interesting,” Umber said, narrowing his eyes. “I’d like to try something that might help you break through. When we get to the Aerie, that is.” When he saw Hap’s questioning look, he added, “The Aerie is my home in Kurahaven. Sort of a tower … sort of a cave … you’ll see when we get there. I’m sure you’ll—” Umber tipped his head back and sniffed the air like a hound. A broad, toothy smile split his face. “Is that what I think it is?”
Balfour pushed the galley door open with his back. When he turned, he revealed a tray with another omelet and a mug of steaming dark liquid with a sharp, pleasant smell. “More food for the hungry boy,” he said. “And, Lord Umber, I’d stored away a little—”
“Coffee!” Umber cried, leaping up from his chair and holding his hands out. “Sweet, bitter, aromatic coffee! I thought the last was gone!” He seized the mug with two hands, brought it to his face, filled his lungs with the steam, and took a lusty slurp. He shivered, and his eyes closed in ecstasy. “This cries out to be drunk in fresh air,” he said. “Hap, meet me on deck when you’ve eaten your fill.”
When Hap emerged from the hatch his eyes turned by habit toward their wake. But there was no craft in pursuit. The suggestion of land on the southern horizon had become a certainty: Swollen hills rose to craggy peaks that pierced a cloudless sky.
Umber was in the center of the deck, engaged in the oddest behavior. He leaped up and down in place, with his legs alternately spreading and closing, while his arms rose over his head and clapped against his thighs in turn. Nima leaned against the forward rail, fighting a smirk at the corner of her mouth.
“What the devil are you doing now, Umber?” cried Oates, who’d followed Hap out of the hatch.
“These are called jumping jacks ,” huffed Umber. He timed his words to the rhythm of his leaps. “When we were on the run from the tyrant worm, I found myself a little short of breath. And I vowed to whip myself into better shape. You might try them yourself, Oates.”
“I wasn’t the one out of breath,” the enormous man replied, yawning and scratching his hindquarters. “You were. And if you’d slowed down any more, I would’ve carried you like a sack of flour.”
“Ha! No need for that, Oates. Soon I’ll be capable of epic feats of endurance. Hello again, young man!” Umber came to a stop, shook his arms, and beckoned Hap. “Speaking of jumping, there’s something I’d like to see.” There was a long pole with a hook on one end hanging from the rail. Umber lifted it from its bracket and held it horizontally. “Now, my boy, forgive me for treating you like a circus animal, but could I persuade you to jump over this?”
Hap stared at the pole. It wobbled in the air at the level of his chin. “It’s awfully high.”
Umber narrowed one eye. “I saw that leap that you made to escape the worm, Hap. Just give it a try! My curiosity has been aroused.”
“All right,” Hap said, though his jaw tensed at the request. Was this the first of the tests and challenges that the note mentioned? He crouched, swung his elbows back, and leaped. Then his eyes widened as he found himself springing into the air. The force that bound him to the earth seemed to weaken for a moment; he soared and crested, with his heels well above the pole and even Umber’s head. He saw Oates gape and heard Nima draw a sharp breath. Something like a laugh and a cry escaped from his own mouth. He came down on the deck, landing on his toes and the splayed fingers of one hand.
There was a clatter of wood. The pole had slipped out of Umber’s hands. He clasped his hands near his chin and beamed at Hap like a man who’d just discovered a chest of gold. “Well. That was something.”
“Boy’s not normal,” mumbled Oates.
“Who among us is?” replied Umber.
Hap straightened up. How did I do that? he wondered. A tingle
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