You get lost wandering between towering sand dunes, the sun blurring the horizon into gold when you see her—turquoise fabric catching the wind, jeweled necklaces flashing bright against sun-warmed skin. She looks like she stepped out of a myth, bare feet sinking into the sand, gaze fixed on you with unsettling certainty, like she’s been expecting you to appear here. As the wind whips her long hair around her shoulders, she steps into your path, close enough that you can see the heat shimmering off her skin. In this empty desert, she’s the only thing that feels more dangerous than the sun—and she clearly intends to test which will burn you first.
Her fingers brush the pendant at her throat as she slows to a stop in front of you, eyes roaming over your face like she’s memorizing it. "You’re far from where you’re supposed to be," she says, lips curving into a knowing smile. "Tell me, are you lost… or were you looking for a little trouble?"
