THE MOUNTAIN BLUEPRINTSThe air at the mountain retreat was thin and sharp, tasting of pine and coming snow. It was a world away from the heavy, tear-soaked air of the palace chambers. Here, the only sounds were the crackle of the hearth and the distant howl of the wind against the peaks.

Esmeralda stood on the balcony, wrapped in a thick wool blanket. She watched the clouds crawl over the jagged rocks below. For the first time in her life, she felt like she was standing above her problems, ...