Nums of Shoreview

Nums of Shoreview - Box Set

A.G. Wedgeworth

Anthony G. Wedgeworth

Copyright © 2018 by Anthony G. Wedgeworth

Written by A.G. Wedgeworth

Front Cover Artwork by Frederick Wedgeworth

Illustrations by Steve Ott

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Altered Creatures

Epic Fantasy Adventures

Historical Date 4.0649.1116

Series: Nums of Shoreview

Book 6, Revision 2.0

Nums of Shoreview – Box Set

www.AlteredCreatures.com

Contents

Stolen Orb

1.Dare to Trade

2.A Stranger Comes to Town

3.Screams from a Murder

4.In Over Their Heads

5.In Too Deep

6.Mystery Solved

7.Saving the Beast

8.Ramifications

Unfair Trade

9.Dare to Trade

10.First Trade

11.Spice

12.The Ledger

13.Open Forum

14.The Warning

15.Back at the Shop

16.Performance of a Lifetime

17.Prison

18.Confronting the Sheriff

19.Flu’cra’s Return

Slave Trade

20.Dare to Trade’s Magical Items

21.Heading Home

22.Missing Faun

23.The Plan to Trade

24.Payment

25.Time to Get the Sheriff

26.Investigation

27.Guilty as Charged

28.On His Own

29.All Is Lost

30.Escape

31.Light as a Feather

32.Freedom

Baka's Curse

33.Dare to Trade

34.Baka’s Idol

35.Gaz’s Home

36.Further Investigation

37.The Morning After

38.Baka’s Curse

39.Out of Options

40.The Sheriff Arrives

41.Pruva Leaves

Haunted Secrets

42.The Key to Getting Along

43.What’s Chasen Hiding?

44.What Must We Do?

45.Unexpected Stranger

46.Haunted House

47.The Red-Cloaked Man

48.Sheriff’s Orders

49.Gaz’s Fate

Rodent Buttes

50.Gaz and Shadows

51.Making Plans to Hide It

52.Sir Newcastle

53.The Rodent Butte

54.Down the Rat Hole

55.Riding the Wave

56.Dare to Trade

More Stories

Stolen Orb

Nums of Shoreview: Book 1 of 6

Chapter one

Dare to Trade

Bik poked his head out from the shadow. There it is, he whispered. The boy’s short spiky hair was naturally colored with bright greens and yellows. His green eyes glistened with the thrill before them.

Creaking from rusty hinges could be heard from a sign hanging in front of the shop he was gazing at. Swinging back and forth in the light breeze off the lake, the driftwood sign had the words ‘Dare to Trade’ carved into it.

Bik pulled his head back out of the moonlight. Can you get us in?

Disappointed that he would even ask her such a question, Faun moved closer to Bik. The question is, can you get us out without getting caught?

Faun and Gaz leaned out and looked around the corner at the shop. The street was empty and dark, with sounds of water lapping at the docks while boats groaned from rocking and rubbing against each other.

If we get caught, he’ll tie us up by our toes, Gaz said, shivering from the wet night air as well as the danger before them. His dark messy hair blended into his surroundings, but his pale skin nearly glowed when hit by the moonlight.

Faun pushed him back into the shadows. Shhh, you’re going to wake someone up. Slightly awkward, her body was thin and frail. Her long, straight, gold and cherry-colored hair was pulled back away from her vibrant youthful face and bright eyes.

The old wooden shop was built on the docks and swayed slightly as waves hit the pontoons below, which held over half the city above the lake’s water. A front door and picture window were accessible from the floating street. An unorganized pile of knickknacks and oddities from foreign lands filled the ledge inside the window.

The rustling of a torn poster on the front wall sounded like the flapping of bat wings. The picture on the poster was of a man with a tall hat and a thin red beard. His small eyes peeked out from behind the flapping of ripped paper. It made the three feel as though the man was watching them.

Come on, Bik said, sneaking across the wooden planked street and leaning up against the front wall of the shop, pinning the poster to the wall. His heart raced faster with excitement and fear as he took a second to collect his thoughts.

Bending down to sneak under the picture window, he stopped halfway across and stood up. There it was: the translucent blue crystal sphere. Bik stood in amazement at the fist-sized orb and placed his hands on the glass. He wanted this item more than anything.

The window fogged up from his breath as a hand grabbed his shoulder.

Awww! Bik screamed and turned quickly to see his attacker.

Shhh. You’re going to mess up everything, Faun said, removing her hand from Bik.

Gaz looked up and down the street for anything that would cause them to abandon this plan. We shouldn’t be stealing this. It’s not right.

Bik’s face scrunched up. It’s not stealing if it’s mine.

Gaz disagreed. It is too. You’re going to get us all in trouble. My pa is going to kill me.

Stop it, you two. Let’s get in and out before the old man wakes up. Faun reached into her pocket and pulled out a few pieces of thin metal. Leaning down in front of the door, she placed the metal items into the lock and began to wiggle and twist them.

CLICK!

The lock had been picked, so Faun moved back a step. Now, get in there, grab your orb, and get back out.

You’re not coming in? Bik asked.

She shook her head. No, we’ll watch the street to make sure no one is coming.

Bik swallowed hard. Fine, I’ll be right back.

Metal scratched against metal as he turned the handle, followed by the squeaking of the door hinges as he carefully opened the door.

Stepping inside, he was overcome by a ripe smell of dead rodents. The room was pitch black except for the thin light peeking through the window shades and a sliver of light from the front door against the wall to his left.

He held his breath and turned toward the window ledge. One step at a time, he quietly shuffled his feet across the creaking floor. Spider webs brushed against his face. Wiping them off his head as fast as they landed, he ended up covering his right shoulder with them.

Nearing the window, his foot bumped against something soft, like a thick pillow. It was too dark to confirm.

Slowly moving his foot back, he could feel that the object was stuck to his shoe. Bik shook his foot slightly to knock it off. No luck. Tapping his toe softly to get it off didn’t work either.

Shaking his foot harder still had no effect, so he reached down with his hand to push it off. Upon touching the object, he found it to be furry and soft. Perhaps it was a mink coat or something along those lines.

Grabbing the item, he heard a low growl. His fingers could now feel ribs under the fur. They raised and lowered from breathing. A shoulder blade moved. A head twisted around and snapped at him.

Sandrats! he yelped, standing up and kicking it against the wall. Knocking it off, he backed up to get out of the shop.

SLAM! The front door shut, cutting off all light from that side of the room.

Bik ran for the door at full tilt. Tiny footsteps could be heard behind him as the giant sandrat raced after him.

Running blind, he hoped he was heading the right way. Several steps into the chase, Bik could hear a second rat move on his right, and then a third.

Without warning he ran smack into something as tall as himself, knocking him down with a crash.

Ouch! Faun and Gaz shouted as they both fell to the floor.

Bik was relieved that it was them, but only for a moment. Sandrats! Run! Get out of here.

Faun stood up and prevented him from running to the door. You can’t go out there. Someone’s coming, and I think it’s the captain.

The moment of silence that followed was quickly filled with the sound of rats approaching from every direction.

Better him than these rats, Bik said, running for the door. Faun agreed and followed, pulling Gaz up off the floor.

We’re going to die! Gaz yelled, as he was being dragged to the door, rats at his heels biting on his pant legs.

Flinging the door open, the three jumped out into the street just as the captain approached his shop’s entrance. His large intimidating silhouette cast a shadow on the children, hiding their faces.

The captain was a wide and massive human. A huge animal bone was used as a cane as he limped towards them. The poster on the front wall had been ripped down and was tightly gripped in his left hand. Get out’a me shop, ya no good thieves. Picking up his thick animal bone, he swung it at them with full force.

The children scattered as the crushing blow missed them and flattened one of the sandrats instead.

Running around the corner and through the streets, they could hear the captain yelling at them. They just hoped he hadn’t seen their faces.

Bik ran alongside his friends, huffing and puffing. I have a better plan to get my orb for tomorrow night.

Chapter two

A Stranger Comes to Town

I t’s wrong. We shouldn’t be doing this. Gaz leaned back against the window frame as he straddled the windowsill with one leg hanging outside. The warmth of the late-fall sun felt good against the cool day temperatures, and the young Polenum soaked it up.

Polenums, more commonly known as Nums, had softer facial features than humans, who were a head taller than the Nums. This was the case of Gaz, Bik, and Faun. In addition, their hair was streaked with various bright colors from nature, and their pale skin was often interrupted with patches, swirls, and lines of darker skin tones.

Bik sat on his bed on the fourth floor of the family’s crookedly vertical house. Thin and tall, the dilapidated home held one room per floor with a ladder to each level. Perched on the top level, his room consisted of an old bed, a trunk for his clothes, and items he had obtained during his adventures.

Three thick lines of dark skin coiled down Bik’s arms, around his wrist, and over the back of his hand before completely covered three of his fingers. A thin line ran down his forehead, over his left eye, across his cheek, and around the back of his neck before ended in a swirl in the center of his chest. If it’s so wrong, why did you come last night?

I wanted to see the inside of the captain’s trade shop. I heard it was filled with priceless magical items. Swinging his legs, Gaz had been daydreaming of what riches were stored in there. Short, thin, dashes of darker skin sporadically covered his body, and a small patch drooped under his right eye, while another colored his chin.

It doesn’t matter. He has my orb. I want it back, Bik said.

I still don’t understand how he got it, Gaz said.

He must have stolen it while I wasn’t looking, Bik answered.

Oh, yeah. He probably stalked you for months until the right time to steal your worthless orb, just to add it to his collection of valuable treasures. Gaz laughed at his own comment.

Shut up. It’s not worthless, Bik explained.

Gaz kept laughing. No one is going to believe your story. It’s dumb.

Bik’s face became red, and he stood up straight. Take that back! It’s the truth.

Bik, I’m your best friend, and I don’t even believe it. It sounds stupid.

Maybe you’re stupid, Bik lashed back. Your whole family is stupid.

Now Gaz’s face turned a shade of red. Well, maybe your father stole your orb to trade it for ale.

Bik’s anger took over; reacting to the comment, he punched Gaz in the arm. The force wasn’t enough to cause a bruise, but Gaz flinched hard enough to throw himself off balance. He tumbled out of the window.

Reaching for the windowsill to stop his fall, he missed. HELLLLLP! Gaz screamed as he plummeted several stories down to the street below, rolling and spinning as he tried to grab any of the clotheslines that he crashed through. Each line snapped under his weight or slipped out of his grasp. There was no way to stop from crashing.

Bik rushed to the window and looked down, expecting to see his friend’s broken body, but what he saw instead made no sense. Gaz was floating several feet above the ground and was slowly drifting down to the street.

A few yards away from Gaz, a tall man wearing a hooded cloak was reaching out with one arm and appeared to be controlling Gaz’s fall. Once the lad was on both feet, the thin human stepped over and patted him on the head a few times before walking away without saying a word.

Faun had been on her way to Bik’s home when she also witnessed this scene. She stood motionless as the hidden-faced man walked past her. Waiting for him to completely pass, she then raced over to see if Gaz was okay. What was that?

Terrified, Gaz grabbed his hair on both sides of his head with his fists. Pacing back and forth, he looked up at the open window from where he fell and then at the area on the street he should have been crushed against. He began babbling nonsense.

Faun grabbed him by the shoulders and looked at him straight in the eyes. What happened? Are you hurt?

Gaz’s head was still spinning, and his eyes rolled around like marbles.

Bik had made it downstairs and raced out of the house, rushing right up to his friend. Gaz! That was amazing! Did you see what that man did?

Gaz froze as he stared at Bik. AWWWWW! he screamed into his friend’s face, a delayed reaction to his near-death experience. You almost killed me! Gaz lurched forward at Bik with both outstretched hands.

Faun held him back. What happened up there? she asked Bik.

Bik shook his head. Gaz flinched. To demonstrate his point, he quickly made a punch for Gaz’s arm without making contact. Gaz pulled back hard, knocking himself to the ground and nearly taking Faun with him. See what I mean? Bik asked before changing the subject. We need to find out who this outsider is and how he kept Gaz from becoming street muck. With that, he ran down the street in pursuit.

Gaz stood back up. I’m going to get him, once and for all. His fist swinging in the air in front of him, he watched Bik rush off.

No, you’re not. He didn’t mean to hurt you. Besides, he’s your best friend.

Best friend? He threw me to my death out his window.

Lifting one eyebrow, she looked at him sternly. Threw you?

Well, maybe he didn’t throw me.

What did you do to make him hit you in the first place?

Gaz relaxed his shoulders in a sheepish manner. I told him his father probably stole his orb.

Gazibor Fenwood, how could you? Her hands were now at her hips, with elbows out to the sides. You know how hard it’s been on Bik since your pa put his father in jail. His mother can barely afford to feed him anymore.

I know. It was a stupid thing to say. I’ll apologize.

Yes, you will. She placed her arm over his shoulders. Her long, straight hair hid most of her neck, which was covered with dark intricate lace-like designs on her skin. They could also be seen around her wrists and ankles. Now come on, let’s go meet the stranger who saved your life.

Starting off slowly, they walked down one of the many side streets of Shoreview. The city sat in a little bluff cove at the edge of the great lake of Luthralum. Half the city floated on the lake and was anchored by the other half, which was locked into the sandy beach below the wooden dock-like streets.

At high tide, the sandy beach below the city was completely flooded all the way back to the steep bluff walls. Tall grass covered the top of the bluff all the way to the northern mountains.

A single enormous oak tree perched on the east side of the bluff, whose exposed roots held onto the edge of the cliff. It was a welcome shade tree for most of the city on summer evenings. But now that winter was approaching, leaves fluttered down from the tree and landed on walkways, in windows, and even into hanging laundry.

Because of the small size of the cove, everything had been built out onto the lake or straight up into the air. Wooden ladders and walkways connected the houses and businesses. It was a maze of turns, angles, ups, and downs. Outsiders struggled to reach their destination without asking for directions, even to get from one street level to the next.

Bik easily caught up to the stranger, who was having some difficulty finding his way down to the lower street section. Correcting his turns a few times, he finally made it to the main level and then out onto the floating section of the city.

Always out of sight, Bik swung from cross braces and support beams like a monkey as he followed the stranger. He knew every single hiding spot and every escape route. He was the master of covert operations, at least among his friends.

Gaz and Faun joined Bik as he hid under a stairwell which led up to a second story business.

Where is he? What has he done so far? asked Gaz, sticking his head out farther than Bik wanted him to.

It’s not good. Bik pointed at the thin stranger, who had stopped outside a shop. The sign read ‘Dare to Trade’.

Gaz pulled his lips to one side as he wondered what the man was doing. What does he want at the captain’s place? Only outlaws do business with him.

Faun reached in and removed two clear flat crystals from her pocket and held them at different distances from her right eye. Looking through both of them at the same time, she could see the stranger as though he was standing next to her.

The stranger waved his hands and fingers about, in the same way he did when saving Gaz’s life. Let’s get closer, Faun said.

Bik didn’t need to be told twice. Jumping and rolling from hiding spot to dark nook, he stopped at the same location they were at the prior night, just across the street from the shop.

Faun fell into place before taking the crystals back out to get a close look at the stranger’s hands. As she focused on them, she was bumped by Gaz as he joined the two friends. His interruption caused her view to sway up toward the man’s face.

The stranger’s hood had fallen to his shoulders by this point, and she could see red burn marks over the right side of his face and neck. The red wrinkled skin made him look evil as he turned to stare straight at her, directly through her crystals.

The hairs on the back of her neck raised and goose bumps covered her body as he gazed intently at her. She gasped for breath and ducked back behind the wall to hide.

What? Gaz said, poking his head out.

The stranger walked to the door and waited for it to be opened. He slowly turned his head toward Gaz and nodded at the young boy with a smile.

Gaz jumped back against the wall of their hiding place, next to Faun. He saw me! What are we going to do? Do you think he’ll come after us to take us away to the slave traders?

Shhh, the door is opening, Bik said. He was looking through a small hole in the wooden half-wall extending from the building, providing him with a good view without being seen.

Faun nudged her way forward to watch, followed by Gaz.

A shirtless fat man came to the door. It was the captain. His belly hung over his pants and jiggled as he talked to the stranger. Unshaven, dirty, and