Page 17 - UnderEarth

over the side of the ship, Lake whipped out his knife. “All right, first-timers, hold out your hands.”
Storm saw Cloud slip to the front of the assembled crew. He gave her a reassuring nod. He must have decided to forgive her. A knot in her heart eased. Storm gave him a quick smile, trying to look unconcerned about the sharp knife her uncle was holding in a businesslike manner. The two other first-timers stuck out their hands, palms up. Storm took a deep breath and did the same.
“Bucket!” roared the captain. And the bucket appeared, sloshing full of seawater, plonked in front of her uncle, who grabbed the nearest boy’s hand and stuck the point of his knife in the fleshy part of the boy’s thumb. Storm saw the apprentice wince. Her uncle held the boy’s thumb over the bucket, letting his blood fall into the water.
Her turn. Lake was rough but deft. A sharp pain, then she was watching her blood fall – drop-by-red- drop – into the seawater and immediately disappear. She clenched her fingers over her stinging thumb as she watched her uncle do the same to the last of the new apprentices.
The captain held the bucket high, as if it was a
prize captured in battle, and the gathered crew gave a
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