Prologue: The people of the Protectorate believe they must sacrifice a baby every year to appease a witch who lives in the forest. They fear her wrath if they disobey. In truth, this story is based on lies and manipulation spread by the ruling Elders to control the people.

Chapter 1 – In Which a Story Is Told: A mother tells her child the terrifying story of the witch. She claims the witch is evil and will destroy them if they don’t give her a baby each year. This sets the tone of fear within the Protectorate.

Chapter 2 – In Which an Unfortunate Woman Goes Quite Mad: A woman, grieving the loss of her child to the yearly sacrifice, loses her sanity. Her sorrow becomes dangerous; she is imprisoned by the Sisters of the Star (the ruling order) as she resists the Protectorate’s cruel trad ...