Still, pride in her achievement did not thaw frozen fingers and toes or make the misery pass more quickly. It was only when day had fallen into an icy, blue twilight that this wide, well-traveled road led them to Graistan, her new home.Set atop a sharp lift of land guarded by a river's bend was a tall stone keep. Surrounding the great square tower was a massive wall with defensive towers at its every turn. Proof of her husband's might and prominence lay not only in this powerful keep, but also by the town below the castle. This fledgling enterprise nestled safely between castle and its own walls. Rowena's heart soared at the sight. Where there was trade, there was wealth.They thundered past outlying farmland, meadows, and orchards, then through the town's gate. Here, their pace slowed along the narrow lanes that twisted and curved at will and with no apparent reason. With night now closing in, only a solitary few remained out and about. The eerie wail of yowling cats shattered the chilled quiet.
