Read Online Happenstance Found (Books of Umber #1) by P. W. Catanese - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: P. W. Catanese
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plowed down his arms, seeding goose bumps. The others stared; Umber with that delirious smile, Oates with a frown, and Nima with a solemn and curious look. It was an awkward pause, broken suddenly by a low, trumpeting blast that came from under their feet. Hap felt the sound pass through his bones.
Nima leaned over the rail, with one ear lowered. “Boroon says the Swift is signaling us. Should we rendezvous?”
Signaling us how? thought Hap. He saw no ship on the horizon. And then he remembered the metal device that Umber had lowered into the water to summon the leviathan barge.
“Without question,” Umber replied. He put a hand on Hap’s shoulder. “The Swift will bring us into port. She’s been waiting here, expecting our return, and signaling every half hour. We keep Boroon in the open sea; you can imagine the uproar if this magnificent beast swam into a crowded seaport.” Umber cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted downward, “And I do mean magnificent!” He turned back to Hap. “There are times when more conventional transport is the ticket, and the Swift is a dandy ship, the fastest afloat. Thanks to me, I should add; her design was my contribution.”
Hap felt himself leaning to one side. Boroon had changed course, veering toward the coast. Before long, they saw the Swift at the horizon. She was a sleek ship with a pair of tall masts. For the moment, her sails were furled, and anchor lines angled into the sea from her narrow prow and raised stern.
A dozen sailors lined the near rail and watched the leviathan approach. Boroon used his great fin to paddle his vast bulk sideways, closer to the smaller boat, which bobbed below where Hap and the others stood. Nima hurled ropes across the gap, which the sailors tied fast to the cleats of the Swift . The men nudged and whispered to one another while gaping in Nima’s direction, but she acknowledged none of it. Once the ropes were secured, she unrolled the ladder. Its wooden rungs clattered on the smaller boat’s deck.
A tall, graceful man with sun-bleached hair tied back in a ribbon stepped forward with his hands clasped behind his back. “You are welcome to board, Lord Umber. It is good to see you.” He smiled at Nima. “And greetings to you, sister.”
Nima nodded. “’Lo, brother.”
Umber leaned over to whisper to Hap. “Same father, different mothers. That’s Captain Sandar of the Merinots.”
Hap took a closer look at the handsome man below. Sandar’s fingers were splayed on the railing, and Hap saw no webbing between them. The chief resemblance between the siblings was the heart-shaped faces and high cheekbones.
“Nima, are you sure you don’t want to add a crew member? I’m certain I could find a volunteer,” Sandar called up. A smile teased the corner of his mouth. Around him, the young sailors coughed and yanked on the bottoms of their shirts to smooth the wrinkles.
“Boroon is all I need,” Nima said. She crossed her arms and turned to Umber with a flush of red on her face. “Your party may disembark now.”
Umber bowed. “We thank you, Captain, for your service. I’m sure we’ll see you again soon. Ready, everyone?” He gestured for the others to climb down to the Swift . Sophie, Oates, and Balfour descended, each tossing a pack of belongings to the sailors below. And I have nothing, Hap thought. The notion gnawed his heart. No stuff. No memory. No life .
While Umber said a few quiet parting words to Nima, Hap went down the ladder with his back to the crew members below. When he reached the deck of the Swift , he turned around. The air filled with gasps, and Hap winced. He’d forgotten how people reacted to the first sight of his luminous eyes.
The moment seemed eternal, and was only broken when Umber hurried down the ladder and glared at the crew. “Paint a picture, it’ll last longer,” he snapped, stepping in front of Hap.
Sandar took note and raised his voice like a trumpet. “That’s right, you pack
Nima leaned over the rail, with one ear lowered. “Boroon says the Swift is signaling us. Should we rendezvous?”
Signaling us how? thought Hap. He saw no ship on the horizon. And then he remembered the metal device that Umber had lowered into the water to summon the leviathan barge.
“Without question,” Umber replied. He put a hand on Hap’s shoulder. “The Swift will bring us into port. She’s been waiting here, expecting our return, and signaling every half hour. We keep Boroon in the open sea; you can imagine the uproar if this magnificent beast swam into a crowded seaport.” Umber cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted downward, “And I do mean magnificent!” He turned back to Hap. “There are times when more conventional transport is the ticket, and the Swift is a dandy ship, the fastest afloat. Thanks to me, I should add; her design was my contribution.”
Hap felt himself leaning to one side. Boroon had changed course, veering toward the coast. Before long, they saw the Swift at the horizon. She was a sleek ship with a pair of tall masts. For the moment, her sails were furled, and anchor lines angled into the sea from her narrow prow and raised stern.
A dozen sailors lined the near rail and watched the leviathan approach. Boroon used his great fin to paddle his vast bulk sideways, closer to the smaller boat, which bobbed below where Hap and the others stood. Nima hurled ropes across the gap, which the sailors tied fast to the cleats of the Swift . The men nudged and whispered to one another while gaping in Nima’s direction, but she acknowledged none of it. Once the ropes were secured, she unrolled the ladder. Its wooden rungs clattered on the smaller boat’s deck.
A tall, graceful man with sun-bleached hair tied back in a ribbon stepped forward with his hands clasped behind his back. “You are welcome to board, Lord Umber. It is good to see you.” He smiled at Nima. “And greetings to you, sister.”
Nima nodded. “’Lo, brother.”
Umber leaned over to whisper to Hap. “Same father, different mothers. That’s Captain Sandar of the Merinots.”
Hap took a closer look at the handsome man below. Sandar’s fingers were splayed on the railing, and Hap saw no webbing between them. The chief resemblance between the siblings was the heart-shaped faces and high cheekbones.
“Nima, are you sure you don’t want to add a crew member? I’m certain I could find a volunteer,” Sandar called up. A smile teased the corner of his mouth. Around him, the young sailors coughed and yanked on the bottoms of their shirts to smooth the wrinkles.
“Boroon is all I need,” Nima said. She crossed her arms and turned to Umber with a flush of red on her face. “Your party may disembark now.”
Umber bowed. “We thank you, Captain, for your service. I’m sure we’ll see you again soon. Ready, everyone?” He gestured for the others to climb down to the Swift . Sophie, Oates, and Balfour descended, each tossing a pack of belongings to the sailors below. And I have nothing, Hap thought. The notion gnawed his heart. No stuff. No memory. No life .
While Umber said a few quiet parting words to Nima, Hap went down the ladder with his back to the crew members below. When he reached the deck of the Swift , he turned around. The air filled with gasps, and Hap winced. He’d forgotten how people reacted to the first sight of his luminous eyes.
The moment seemed eternal, and was only broken when Umber hurried down the ladder and glared at the crew. “Paint a picture, it’ll last longer,” he snapped, stepping in front of Hap.
Sandar took note and raised his voice like a trumpet. “That’s right, you pack
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