Excerpt: Ocean of Shadows

The carriage rocked over the hard and pitted ground. Her hand came up and shifted the thick and heavy curtains before being tapped swiftly with a wooden cane. She looked over at her companion suprised, he shook his head and she resigned herself to just sitting and waiting, fearing another rap. From what she learned of her companion in the past few years she knew the next would come harder. Sliding back into her seat she pulled her legs up to her chest and leaned her head back. The wooden seat was uncomfortable and rest would be a long time coming, sighing she tried to push the discomfort out of her mind as she had been so carefully taught.
Her gray haired companion looked at her sympathetically. He knew that all she wanted was one last glimpse of the life she used to know so many years ago. Before she had been brought into the order she lived a life of privelage, but that all ended when she entered into the order on her coming of age. The companion knew that this girl was stronger than any special he had met before and he knew that it was his sacred oath to deliver her without doubts and wants to the meeting place. Watching her rock uncomfortably on the wooden bench he wanted to comfort her and tell her that all would be well, but he couldn't.
Feeling the companions eyes on her she opened her eyes and gazed at him. Her mind raced through the years they had spent together and she wondered if he even knew what was going to happen to her. She asked so many times about the beyond and had gotten used to the constant distractions and topic changes that she never bothered to ask anymore. In spite of the attempt to comfort her and win her confidence she knew that the companion had no idea what was out there and that scared her beyond belief. As she watched the town slip away she thought again of just opening the door and flying away, far away.
"Don't. Just don't." The blonde haired companion said to her. He had seen the look so many times he knew what it was. She looked at him, her hazel eyes staring at him. "We find them, we'll find you. We always do." He didn't have the energy anymore to soothe her. She had become so combative in the past few weeks that he couldn't think of another way to keep her there.