Prologue
The newborn squealed as her mother swaddled her in a blanket, tightly woven by hand from the finest grasses of the land. Gently lifting the infant, she cradled it carefully until the weeping stopped and the breathing slowed. She looked down at her new daughter, and, flinching back in alarm, she nearly dropped her child. On the baby's neck, she noticed, was a letter, a symbol of great importance and danger in this land.
She darted through the vast maze of trees, the child in her firm grasp. When her feet could carry her no longer, she collapsed to the ground, bursting into tears. She had a nearly impossible decision to make, both sides promising danger to both her and her child.
Finally silencing her weeping, she lay there, deep in the terrifying thoughts of the decision that she knew would come back to haunt her for all of her future days.
She stood, trembling, gripping her baby as if trying to prevent it from vanishing before her very eyes. The young mother stared down at her infant, trying to form memories for future days, trying to lock away the image of the child she knew could not stay with her. Setting the newborn down on a pile of leaves near a narrow path, she took off, leaving her child for death, knowing she would never see her again.
