A powerful story of friendship, love and betrayal, from a fantastic new voice.In a high mountain valley, a group of disparate characters have set up a rudimentary community, held together by the formidable Emaline, hostess of the wayside inn. It is there that Alex, on the run from something, concealed under a false identity, finds refuge but that arrival brings dramatic change to Motherlode.In the small settlement, no one asks questions about where you have come from or who you are. They all...