This place pulsed with raw magic, thicker than anything he had felt in the other villages, where magic was scarce or hidden.
Here, it was alive, omnipresent, and he had sensed it from the very first step.
Xylon moved with Eva floating at his back, cradled by the shifting sand, guiding her silently toward a secluded corner of the town.
"They'll know we're here if we linger too long… and I don't want a greeting yet."
Xylon headed to a cluster of secluded, ancient houses, and when he reached them, he paused at the doorway, sensing the absence of anyone inside.
With a subtle wave of his hand, he released the sand's hold on Eva, letting her feet touch the rough ground.
She lowered herself onto her knees among the sun-warmed stones and sand, eyes wide as she took in the space.
"This place… it's enormous," she murmured..
He paused, scanning the empty space, his body relaxed but alert.
"No one's here," he muttered, more to himself than to Eva.
