The Elder's words echoed in my head as I stood at the mouth of the canyon.
His words about mana and the changes happening to our worlds was a bit much to take in.
The twins weren't allowed to follow so they waited behind with the Elder, their eyes wide but trusting that I would return as promised.
From a distance, the canyon looked like nothing more than a jagged scar splitting the earth. But standing here, the entrance yawned like the open maw of some colossal beast, its teeth formed by sandstone cliffs so high I had to crane my neck to see their tips. The wind funnelled through, carrying whispers that made the hair on my arms prickle.
I stepped inside.
The light dimmed almost instantly, the sun reduced to a thin ribbon above. The air was cooler here, but dry, so dry my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth after a single breath even through the shawl. My footsteps echoed unnaturally, as though the stone itself was an amplifier in a concert hall.
