Legends of Marithia: Book 3 - Talonsphere by Peter Koevari Page A

joys that land provided.
    He threw him a loaf of spiced bread and grinned. “Here, enjoy yer breakfast on me. Look, we sail soon and I just wanna moment to show her our Lucia, and then me sis’ll be on her way. I swear it.”
    The guards looked at each other and returned to their posts. “If the cap’n sees ye, we didn’t know ye were there, aight? We ain’t getting whipped for ye.”
    Tugging at her hand, he led her toward the bow of the ship, running his hands along its surface. “Ye know that Lucia’s known for her speed and always returning with all sailors on-board. The ships are all guarded, but none as much as Lucia.”
    “What makes her so special?”
    “Only certain ships, like this one, are a shade of dark green, and larger than the rest. These special ships all belong to the best captains.”
    Adela reached out and touched the ship, pulling her hand back and staring at its surface. “That’s strange. It feels softer than I expected. So, why all the secrecy with never letting anyone come close to the ships, aye? I don’t see anything so scary here.”
    Adela bumped into Raehar as he stared up at the giant figurehead. It was a carving of a fierce woman with scaled skin and large bare breasts. Her face had striking features with flowing hair, and she held a shining silver long-sword in her hands. Lucia’s eyes twinkled in the light. He turned to see his sister’s face paling and jaw dropping.
    “Wow! This sculpture is amazing and so life like. It’s almost as if she was real.”
    Raehar passed Adela a piece of bread and said, “My sister, Adela, please greet Lucia.”
    Adela looked at him as if he was a mad man, but indulged him. She bowed and said, “A pleasure to meet you, Lucia.”
    “Whatever is so odd about my appearance, young Adela? Do I frighten you?”
    Adela near jumped out of her skin as she stumbled back and was caught by Raehar’s strong arms. “Bu, bu, but...”
    Lucia smiled at Raehar as if they were old friends.
    “Raehar, you never bring me visitors. Is this one a bit thick in the head?” Lucia said, cocking her large face as she stared at the girl before her.
    Adela’s voice heightened. “I beg your pardon!”
    Raehar roared with laughter as he steadied his sister and barely managed to form words before composing himself. “No, not at all. She has just never met anyone like ye before.”
    His sister approached and stared at Lucia’s eyes. “You’re alive?”
    He had rarely seen Adela shocked by something, and it brought Raehar great pleasure to see her like this. She always acted like she knew everything, and sometimes he wondered where she got her knowledge from, especially her sudden interest in history. She kept telling him she studied books taken from ships. Raehar had no interest in studying, so he just took her word for it.
    What good does a book do for a pirate? he thought.
    A loud banging came from her deck. Lucia snapped around and snarled. “Watch it! You brutes don’t know how to treat a lady. Keep that up and I’ll roll you fools into waves. That’ll teach you some manners.”
    Lucia turned back around and tapped the sword’s blade on her shoulder. “Alive is an interesting word, and it is one which young Raehar takes great pleasure in discussing with me. I don’t really know. What I do know is that I am the ship and the ship is I.”
    “This is amazing! I can’t wait to tell,” she said, before Raehar placed his fingers over her lips.
    “No, ye cannot speak a word of this to anyone in Grenlees, d’ye understand?”
    She nodded slowly, returning her face to Lucia. “But this is extraordinary. I’ve seen nothing like her.”
    “I am anchored right here you know. I can hear everything you’re saying.”
    “My word! How many ships are like her?” Adela said.
    “Most of the largest of our ships have been turned, but it is not a simple thing to create a ship like Lucia. Here, come with me.”
    Raehar led her away from the ship and passed her some