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Kalia ran out of the pyramid, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the light. “Desa?” She let her arm fall, taking in the sight. A beautiful world waited for her. As beautiful as any desert could be. The blue sky stretched from horizon to horizon with only a few clouds drifting past overhead. Some of the homes on the north side of the city had been damaged, but the others were still intact. But most important of all: there was no sign of Hanak Tuvar. “Desa?”
Her love stood on the field of clay outside the pyramid, staring off into the distance. Panic welled up inside of Kalia. Was Desa all right?
Before she knew it, she was running down the stairs, taking them two at a time. She reached the bottom step and sprinted across the hard-packed clay.
Desa turned around, and for one despe
