The fortress sat high above the valley, carved into the mountainside like something that had grown from the stone itself.
Cold wind swept across the battlements, carrying the scent of pine and approaching rain. Guards stood motionless along the outer walls while servants moved quietly through the halls below, careful not to draw unnecessary attention.
This was not a place where people raised their voices.
Power didn't need to.
Power simply waited for everyone else to listen.
Inside one of the upper chambers, a woman stood before a tall window overlooking the valley below.
Elizabeth rarely looked impressed by anything.
Today was no exception.
She held a report in one gloved hand while the other rested lightly against the stone ledge beneath the window.
The parchment contained three
