The desert at night was nothing like I'd imagined. As we ventured deeper into the endless sea of sand, the scorching heat of day gave way to a surprising chill that seeped through my robes. The full moon hung impossibly large above us, bathing everything in silver light that transformed the landscape into something otherworldly.
"It's beautiful," I whispered, my breath visible in the night air.
Beside me, Lyra nodded, her eyes wide as she took in the rolling dunes that stretched to the horizon. "In a terrifying, middle-of-nowhere kind of way."
Queen Lyra walked slightly ahead, her figure silhouetted against the moonlight. Despite her advanced age, she moved with surprising grace across the shifting sands. "The desert reveals its true nature at night," she said. "Under the Goddess's gaze, its secrets become visible to those who know how to look."
