A Crack in the Sea by H.M. Bouwman Part 1 Chapters 1-3

afraid or nervous especially about what may happen

He was anxious about Pip.

showing or feeling little concern : NONCHALANT

And how dare the Raft King say so casually that he would take Pip away?

having a harsh or rough quality

She put her hand up to her forehead almost without thinking and felt the coarser patch of hair that started at her temple and fell down the side of her face.

the color or appearance of the skin and especially of the face

No one knew where he'd come from or how he'd come by such a strange complexion.

to collect or gather into a crowd or group : ASSEMBLE

Eventually the fish began to arrive, returning by greeting and nudging one another as they congregated below him.

the act of plotting with others to do something harmful or unlawful

No, she wasn't going to assume this was some kind of conspiracy.

to seek the opinion or advice of

"My guess is that they want to consult Pip."

to repeat another's words

Why? asked a minnow, and all the minnows echoed, Why? Why? Why?

capable of bringing about a desired result with little waste (as of time or energy)

Usually the cook -a terrifying person named Prissy who did not want her clear and efficient kitchen interrupted, ever- stood at the back window chopping and stirring.

lacking in strength or endurance

"And he's too feeble to use it."

to make gestures especially when speaking

Now his arms, instead of drifting off to his sides, were gesticulating downward.

to push roughly

The fish jostled in the water.

to pay attention to

Heeding Ren's suggestion (though with reservations on her own part), Kinchen and Pip had lain on a dockside shed roof just yesterday and listened to the storyteller as he stood in the market.

operated, moved, or brought about by means of water

Trading of cloth and baskets and books and paper and beads and jewelry and fishing implements and clockwork devices and hydraulic machines.

an object (as a tool) intended for a certain use

Trading of cloth and baskets and books and paper and beads and jewelry and fishing implements and clockwork devices and hydraulic machines.

to mix together

As she drew nearer, she could hear the governor's low, smooth tones intermingled with a deeper voice.

to sit or rest on a raised seat or position

After all, the water was wide, and Raftworld perched on it.

showing doubt or unwillingness

The governor sounded like she was reluctant to say no.

a feeling of doubt or uncertainty about something

Heeding Ren's suggestion (though with reservations on her own part), Kinchen and Pip had lain on a dockside shed roof just yesterday and listened to the storyteller as he stood in the market.

to avoid doing or having something

She slid in the slide door, removed her shoes to be polite, and slipped through the kitchen, resisting the urge to irritate Prissy by rearranging the hanging pots.

showing a superior attitude

Pip struggled to keep his thoughts from sounding smug or bragging.

very good : excellent

"And the storyteller from Raftworld is stellar."