Natalie POV
The high observation turret of the black wing was a fortress of freezing isolation. Through the narrow slit windows carved deep into the ancient granite wall, the entire northern valley stretched out like a massive sheet of crumpled white silk under the pale, flat glare of the midday sun. The solstice blizzard had finally blown its fury out into the lower peaks, leaving behind an eerie, breathless silence that hung over the white-drenched spruce forests and jagged slate ravines.
I stood perfectly motionless against the cold stone sill, my hands folded loosely over the dark green velvet of my formal gown. The heavy iron bands on my forearms were cold to the touch, but beneath the thick fabric of my clothes, my internal alignment was completely stable.
The frantic, subterranea
