The Witch Collector

Raina Bloodgood, a 24-year-old, Witch Walker who cannot talk, remembers the Witch Collector, who rides into Silver Hollow every Harvest Moon to take witches to Winterhold, the fortress of the immortal Frost King. Eight years ago, the Witch Collector took Raina’s sister, Nephele. Raina vows to kill the Witch Collector, rescue Nephele, and leave the Northland Kingdom.

Raina sneaks through Silver Hollow to steal bread, which she hides in her pack. She plots to capture the Witch Collector, kill her enemies, and flee. Unlike other Witch Walkers, Raina is mute and can’t chant spells aloud in Elikesh (the language of the Ancient Ones, which is used to sing spells). Few know she can cast spells using signed Elikesh, though it’s more complex and slower. Because Raina bears no witch marks (complex runic symbols that appear on a Witch Walker’s body and indicate the powers they wield), most believe that she has no power. A dove crashes into her door, and Raina secretly heals it. Healing drains her, but only Nephele knows she possesses this gift. Each time she heals something near death, she feels the death coil inside her.

She reflects on her home in the Northlands, ruled by the Frost King.