Free Happenstance Found (Books of Umber #1) by P. W. Catanese Page B

ruins of Petraportus. It’s very old. That’s where the kings lived long ago.”
    “Oh. Thank you,” said Hap. He could have stared at the broken castle for hours, but there was more to see. At the far end of the harbor, in stark contrast to the ruins, stood the dazzling, flourishing city of Kurahaven. He had no memory of the world of his past, but he was sure there couldn’t be a more remarkable place anywhere.
    He let his eyes wander across the great vista, starting with the ruined castle on his left. Behind that, a lofty pillar of rock stood out from the cliffs. Through some unimaginable act of carving, the rock had been transformed into a tower fortress. Columns, stairs, arches, balconies, and windows had been sculpted into its surface. Near the top, part of the rock jutted from a corner, and this outcropping had been carved in the likeness of a head with a craggy face, a flowing beard, and windows for eyes.
    Near the bottom of the pillar a thick jet of water shot from a crack in the rock. A boat was floating where the stream splashed into the sea. The craft was so tiny that there was barely room for the gray-haired man and woman who occupied it, and the barrels they were filling.
    “They call that the Spout,” Sophie offered. “See that little boat? That’s the old fisherman and his wife, who live in the ruins of Petraportus. They keep to themselves mostly. We don’t even know their names. Nobody else is crazy enough to go in there, because the rest of it could collapse any minute.”
    “And what is that place?” asked Hap, looking toward the carved pillar.
    “Why, that is the Aerie,” Sophie replied. Her voice had gained strength, and he was glad to see that she’d moved a little closer.
    The Aerie. Of course, Hap thought. Umber could not live in an ordinary home; it had to be something remarkable. He took a closer look. At the top a short, narrow tower stood at one corner. At the bottom was a boxy gatehouse, dwarfed by the pillar that loomed over it. Descending from there, a stone causeway spanned a frothing white river that spilled from the mountains to the harbor. The causeway flattened into a road that led to the magnificent city.
    To behold the city from the harbor was to look up a series of steps. First, all around them were the watercraft—too many to count, from tiny rowboats to great cargo ships, cluttering the docks and moored offshore. Sophie followed his gaze. “Have you ever seen so many ships?” she said. “The merchant vessels are there … the king’s navy is in the middle … and the fishing boats are there. And look—there’s the shipyard.” Hap followed where her finger pointed and saw, on the far side of the harbor, a dozen ships in every stage of construction. Some were just skeletal rows of ribs, others were partially clad with curving planks, and some needed only a mast and sails before they could swim.
    Behind the docks was a high stone wall, daunting to any invader. Past that, the city sprawled on a gently sloping hill. There were buildings with magnificent columns, arches and domes, and neighborhoods packed tight with tall, brightly colored houses.
    In the center of it all was a palace. The great building looked like something sculpted from sand. Its elegant towers, clustered tight and rising ever higher near the center, were topped by swallow-tail banners that snapped in the ocean breeze. The tallest tower was adorned by a clock with a face as big as the moon. Gardens surrounded the castle, and even from this distance Hap could see the riot of hues in bloom.
    Behind them, Hap heard the door to the cabin open. Umber stepped out. When he saw Hap he wiped the back of his hand across his forehead in exaggerated fashion, and then broke into a wide grin. “Well, I suppose I deserved that tongue-lashing. Don’t get the wrong idea about Hoyle, though. She’s a fine person, though mortally addicted to profit.” Umber swept his arm across the panorama before them. “So, what