down. Hap could hear his deep, tranquil breathing.
The hatch was still open. Hap wondered if Nima was on deck. He was about to mount the stairs to see if the pursuing craft was still out of sight, but froze in place when he took another look at Umber.
From this angle, he could see that Umber had fallen asleep on his arms. A pen and jar of ink were on the desktop, along with a few sheets of paper.
The note burned, Hap thought. Was he writing down what it said, while he could still remember? His mouth went dry at the thought. He crept toward the desk, stepping as softly as he could with his heels off the floor, praying that Umber’s head wouldn’t pop up. When he made it to the desk, he watched Umber’s face. The man’s eyes moved under their lids, and the corner of his mouth twitched, as if unpleasant thoughts were loose in Umber’s mind. Hap wondered if that was what deep sleep looked like.
There were two pages that Hap could see. One was within easy reach, but blank. Another was pinned down by Umber’s elbow. There was writing on that, but it was mostly obscured by Umber’s arm.
Hap took another look at the blank page. Hints of dark lines bled through from the other side. He reached for it slowly, grabbed a corner between his thumb and finger, and turned it over. The candle, which had burned to an inch-long stub in its holder, flickered a little.
The parchment was covered with writing. Some of the lines had been crossed out and rewritten. Hap’s hands began to shake as soon as he read the first words.
The original note from WN was consumed by some magical fire or chemical reaction. This is what it said, as well as I can recall:
Greetings to you, Umber. First things first: Now that you’ve begun to read this, don’t put it back in anyone’s pocket. You’ll understand soon enough.
You know me not, but I know of you. And you must attend to this message carefully, because everything you once held dear depends upon it.
I leave this boy in your care. Call him Happenstance. Keep him with you always, and bring him on all your journeys. The boy needs to grow and learn; he must adventure, or he will not become what he must. As he is tested and challenged, you will observe certain skills arising. And then you will know what to do with him.
Beware. Happenstance exists in violation of an ancient law, and
The page ended. Hap’s mind swirled with everything the note had already said. But what about the rest? What was the ancient law, and why did he have to beware ? He eyed the second page, trapped below Umber’s elbow. Part of him wanted to stop there and creep back to his bed. The thought of being caught in the act of spying horrified him. But he was desperate to know what the rest of the note said. He bit his lip. How can I make sure he doesn’t see me?
Hap looked at the remaining stub of the candle, with its unsteady flame. Who would suspect that it didn’t go out by itself? He leaned toward it, puckered his lips, and blew it out. The wick mourned its passing with a wisp of smoke.
Hap gave silent thanks that Umber hadn’t used his jar of glimmer-worms for light. He reached for the edge of the paper and nearly gasped aloud as Umber groaned and shifted in his seat. Umber’s arm lifted for a moment, and Hap slid the page out as far as he could before the elbow fell again, covering the last few inches. He read the visible words, poised to tug the rest out if the elbow lifted again.
there are those who will search for him in order to destroy him. There is also a particularly nasty and persistent creature named Occo that has been on my trail for a while. It would not surprise me if he picked up the boy’s scent. That could cause you some grief, but you seem like a resourceful fellow. You’ll manage.
By now you must be wondering: Why? Why do what this stranger asks? The reason is this: I know from where you came, Umber. I, too, know what happened to that world of yours. Quite a mess you folk made of that. I
The hatch was still open. Hap wondered if Nima was on deck. He was about to mount the stairs to see if the pursuing craft was still out of sight, but froze in place when he took another look at Umber.
From this angle, he could see that Umber had fallen asleep on his arms. A pen and jar of ink were on the desktop, along with a few sheets of paper.
The note burned, Hap thought. Was he writing down what it said, while he could still remember? His mouth went dry at the thought. He crept toward the desk, stepping as softly as he could with his heels off the floor, praying that Umber’s head wouldn’t pop up. When he made it to the desk, he watched Umber’s face. The man’s eyes moved under their lids, and the corner of his mouth twitched, as if unpleasant thoughts were loose in Umber’s mind. Hap wondered if that was what deep sleep looked like.
There were two pages that Hap could see. One was within easy reach, but blank. Another was pinned down by Umber’s elbow. There was writing on that, but it was mostly obscured by Umber’s arm.
Hap took another look at the blank page. Hints of dark lines bled through from the other side. He reached for it slowly, grabbed a corner between his thumb and finger, and turned it over. The candle, which had burned to an inch-long stub in its holder, flickered a little.
The parchment was covered with writing. Some of the lines had been crossed out and rewritten. Hap’s hands began to shake as soon as he read the first words.
The original note from WN was consumed by some magical fire or chemical reaction. This is what it said, as well as I can recall:
Greetings to you, Umber. First things first: Now that you’ve begun to read this, don’t put it back in anyone’s pocket. You’ll understand soon enough.
You know me not, but I know of you. And you must attend to this message carefully, because everything you once held dear depends upon it.
I leave this boy in your care. Call him Happenstance. Keep him with you always, and bring him on all your journeys. The boy needs to grow and learn; he must adventure, or he will not become what he must. As he is tested and challenged, you will observe certain skills arising. And then you will know what to do with him.
Beware. Happenstance exists in violation of an ancient law, and
The page ended. Hap’s mind swirled with everything the note had already said. But what about the rest? What was the ancient law, and why did he have to beware ? He eyed the second page, trapped below Umber’s elbow. Part of him wanted to stop there and creep back to his bed. The thought of being caught in the act of spying horrified him. But he was desperate to know what the rest of the note said. He bit his lip. How can I make sure he doesn’t see me?
Hap looked at the remaining stub of the candle, with its unsteady flame. Who would suspect that it didn’t go out by itself? He leaned toward it, puckered his lips, and blew it out. The wick mourned its passing with a wisp of smoke.
Hap gave silent thanks that Umber hadn’t used his jar of glimmer-worms for light. He reached for the edge of the paper and nearly gasped aloud as Umber groaned and shifted in his seat. Umber’s arm lifted for a moment, and Hap slid the page out as far as he could before the elbow fell again, covering the last few inches. He read the visible words, poised to tug the rest out if the elbow lifted again.
there are those who will search for him in order to destroy him. There is also a particularly nasty and persistent creature named Occo that has been on my trail for a while. It would not surprise me if he picked up the boy’s scent. That could cause you some grief, but you seem like a resourceful fellow. You’ll manage.
By now you must be wondering: Why? Why do what this stranger asks? The reason is this: I know from where you came, Umber. I, too, know what happened to that world of yours. Quite a mess you folk made of that. I
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