“My hometown, Casenga, had in its location both the great advantage of being in a wonderfully scenic place (nestled between the arms of two mighty mountains and sheltered by a deep and lush forest) and the stark disadvantage of being in the remotest part of our kingdom. The war with Galland overseas kept King Stefano’s attention—and his resources—stretched thin. This left our town in a peculiar situation, awkwardly straddling the proud and civilized country of Romí, and the wild, perilous no-man’s-land that was the Doloria mountain range… the territory of witches.”