The steady rhythm of the carriage wheels filled the air, an unchanging backdrop to the faint hum of coastal winds brushing through the trees. Jem sat beside me, her tiny face pressed to the window of the carriage, her bright eyes darting between the hills and the sea that began to peek through the horizon.
Her fascination was contagious. She didn't speak much—unusual for her—but her amazement at the world beyond Orchast was evident in every wide-eyed gaze she cast outside.
"Do you see something, Jem?" I asked, watching her with mild curiosity.
Her tiny finger pointed at the horizon where the glimmer of blue rippled like silk. "The water is so big! Is that Zefron?"
"Not yet," I replied, leaning closer to look. "That's the sea. Zefron is still a little farther."
"Farther than that?" she asked, turning her head towards me, her tone laced with disbelief. "How can it be farther than the water?"