Summary

Nestled among rolling green hills and fertile soil was the town of Barneburrow, it was filled with perhaps not the richest of people but for sure some of the most hardworking. A farm town by trade with a friendly enough community that valued tradition, manners, and lots of arduous labor. This is where Photine Frey Orlaith was born into a family of ten as the youngest member-- more hands meant more work could get done around the farm but it also meant more mouths to feed.

It was the autumn of her third birthday when a mysterious group of strangers arrived in their wholesome little town, their words tasted of milk and honey. They managed to seduce a few of the villagers to abandon their roots and join them, meet the prophet himself, and learn from his church up in the North. The Orlaith family received their visit from the cult, but the words didn’t seem to stick -- they had always been poor farmers but it was simply their way of life. However, the eldest sister of the religious group took a great interest in the smallest filly. The child was a delicate and feeble little thing but the way she seemed to stare at nothing at all and spoke to the wind as if she was speaking to a dear friend intrigued the older woman greatly -- perhaps this child could be one of their children for the right price.

Money to help feed a struggling family for the upcoming harsh winter was exchanged -- the item sold was a shameful choice. Photine was told she paid the price for her family’s sins, she still takes pride in that to this day knowing she saved them from death that winter -- they are but a golden sweetened memory these days.

Raised by the sisters of the church, the small filly grew into a shy and reserved young mare. Virgin and pure in every way, keeping her growing supernatural gift a shameful secret not wanting to be punished for hearing the demon’s whispers. Even when traveling she exchanges letters with the sisters and mother often, she considers them the closest thing she will ever have to a family. -- she was chosen to travel by the leader of the church himself; Ayanthis. He always favored her, as she was so young and impressionable she drank their religion as if she was dying of thirst.

Upon her travels, she has encountered a very alarming new fact about herself -- with every growing year, her connection to the supernatural only seems to grow stronger and stronger. Unaware of her unicorn blood she has decided it must be punishment for her sinful ways -- no matter how hard she repents…

It only gets worse.