were holding their breath. Even the servants, who once bustled through the cor

lent. The fountains had stilled. And deep within her chest, Prin

uld not fa

-

th the scent of hay and leather, t

used from years of labor, his face freckled by the sun, but his eyes were kind -

own her white pony, Moon

she sai

to find her there, wit

he asked, setting

eed

e between them. He straightened, bru

," he sai

shadow. And though the story sounded like something from the

come with y

irst companio

-

respect, even when she was just a small child struggling to pronounce the names of ancient kings. His books and lessons h

ter sunset, he opened it without surp

n't you?" she asked b

rd streaked with gray, his

softly. "And I know the old stor

t, her second com

-

llow the path the silver tree had placed in her dreams. Neither Tomas nor Master Emric questione

three of them left the palace behind. No royal escort. No

-

ower upon the earth. The shadow's reach had turned fields into wastelands, the once-green hills now pal

eart leading her north, to

returned - sharper, clearer. The silver tree stood at the center of t

the world wa

ke, her pat

-

Hills. The sky hung low, the clouds thick and unmoving. The

legs aching, her breath s

n ancient stone gate. Around its arch, carved deep into the weathered stone, were the

mall hand upon t

er skin, and the stone answered

ing a staircase that sp

houlder, his voi

sure?"

ed. "This

princess stepped fo