I was silent for a long period of time, when Kynae suddenly called down to where we were standing.
“Aeryn, Zulu, come up upon this dune, you can see the city!”
I began climbing the sandy slope, my bare feet (I had long ago abandoned my shoes, Sand Women never wear them either) digging into the sand. I wondered at what she meant, I thought the Sand Women merely lived in the desert in tents and such, not in a city.
I reached the top of the dune and let out a soft gasp. The moon was rising gently over the city casting a blue glow that glittered on… everything. The city was made of tents and sand-mud houses, but everything was covered in silver design, and Sand Women, Sand Men, and their children roamed the streets freely, excitedly preparing for the Ritual. In the center of the bustle was an oasis. In the moonlight it looked a deep blue-black, matching the color of the orb on my staff, and similar to the orb, it emanated with power beyond understanding, and here the Ritual would begin.