Free The Chronicles of Lumineia: Book 01 - Elseerian by Ben Hale

quarters. At the front of the ship, the forecastle housed the captain’s quarters, with ready access to the deck. In addition, a large ballista stood mounted at the stern, its wood hardened from long exposure to the salty air.
    Even with only one sail, the prow of the large ship crashed through the water with tremendous force, tilting the vessel in either direction without warning. Standing on the deck the affect was slight, but the swaying crow’s nest could move up to ten feet to either side in an instant. When he’d first begun volunteering for the high watch, the other sailors had told frequent stories of men who had been catapulted out of the nest when an unexpected wave cracked the tip of the mainmast like a whip—sending the unfortunate men far from the boat.
    Taryn enjoyed the tales, and laughed just as much as Liri and Trin. It didn’t occur to him until later that the stories were meant for him. By then, the sailors had taken his lack of response as self-assurance, and left him in the unnerving position of being welcomed into the sailors’ confidence. They had even begun inviting him to join their games below deck and letting him take the high watch whenever he wanted. One of crew, named Hunrin, or Hun, as the other sailors called him, a squat nugget of a man with a bushy beard and a wide smile to match a wide face, had even offered to show Taryn how to throw knives after seeing the set from his uncle the night before.
    A shout from the deck pulled him away from the view. Looking down he saw Hunrin standing at the door to the aft cabin.
    “Do ya want to learn how to throw a knife or what?” Hunrin called up.
    Without answering, Taryn leapt out of the crow’s nest and caught a rope on the way down. With thick leather gloves protecting him from the burn, he slid down the rope almost as fast as he would have fallen. Tightening his grip as he neared the deck, he landed lightly in front of Hun.
    Hun grunted. “Not bad. I can see you’ve picked up a few things since we set sail, but don't expect it to be so easy to fling a blade.” Hun walked across the deck and hung a crude target at about head height on the forecastle. “Not many people are very good, you know, mostly because no one has the coordination or the time to practice. It took me months to become skilled enough to actually use a knife throw in a fight.” He grinned broadly. “It sure comes in handy now and then.”
    While he was talking, several more sailors appeared and began going about their morning routine, checking ropes or eating breakfast. Erix, the captain, settled onto the stairs next to the newly hung target and began eating a mess of potatoes. Taryn didn’t miss his nonchalance with the knife target only a few feet away.
    Hunrin walked back to Taryn, who still stood next to the aft cabin. “I’m just about the best knife thrower I’ve ever met,” he proclaimed, with a smug smile and an over exaggerated wink. At the same time he idly flicked a knife towards the board on the other side of the deck. The small blade went several feet to the left and embedded next to the captain.
    With a chagrined “Woah, sorry cap’n,” Hun bounded forward to get his knife while the captain glared at him even as the corners of his mouth twitched. The other men within view of the scene laughed until the captain glanced at them.
    Hun returned and said with a straight face, “It always helps to look at where you’re throwing.” He nodded expansively to add emphasis.
    Another sailor tightening a rope next to Taryn leaned over to him, “Don’t let him fool ya, he’s the best o’ the crew with a knife.”
    It didn’t take long for Taryn to agree. Like an oiled hinge, Hun whipped out a knife and threw it straight into the board, sinking half the blade just to the left of center. Despite the quick movement, Taryn took careful note of how he threw it. The way he twisted it and tossed it underhand seemed simple enough. A few seconds later, two more