Chapter 275 Whispers In The Sand

• The sun rose higher, casting long shadows over the endless dunes of the Sunlit Wastes. The wind picked up, swirling the golden sand into small vortices, blurring the horizon as the group continued their trek. The blistering heat was relentless, but they pressed on, knowing that each step brought them closer to the edge of Queen Isolde's dominion.
• Ariella’s hand brushed the pouch that held the shard, the coolness of it a stark contrast to the oppressive warmth of the wasteland. She felt its pulse beneath her fingertips, like the heartbeat of the land itself. There were moments when it seemed to call to her, a silent whisper on the edge of her awareness, but each time she tried to reach for it, the connection slipped away, like sand through her fingers.
• "How much further?" Kaelen asked, his voice hoarse from the dry air.