The Witch Roads

Elen is a deputy courier, traveling to villages with messages and news, always on alert for the deadly Pall. Upon arriving home at Orledder Halt with her nephew Kem, she discovers that a prince of the realm has arrived, brought by a dangerous royal rivalry that permeates the Tranquil Empire. When the pretentious prince and his entourage demand a new pathway to their destination, as their original route has been covered by a landslide, Elen is tasked with leading the group over the hills. She gladly leaves with them, hoping to outrun her past as an enslaved child and the secrets she carries. Overnight at a haunted Spire, the prince rejects Elen’s warnings and enters the mystical space, only to return totally changed. As Elen continues to lead the tiresome prince and his entourage across the land, she’s not sure she’ll be able to keep them safe if they continue to barely acknowledge or trust her.