Selah is a slavegirl who fetches water from a well. She sees the distant mountains and imagines things she has never known--like trees, stars, lakes, and snow. Her Master Regan and The Craft have kept nature from the valleys, damning rivers and turning all to desert. They weave their material spells upon the slaves, and nothing ever changes. Then, one day, Regan summons Selah to serve him at a banquet. As she fills a goblet, a stranger in a hooded cloak speaks to her and gives her one unmelted snowflake. That very night, the stranger named Micah leads Selah outside the Keep and across the valley, to meet a band of travelers. They journey through hills, moors, and highlands to Mountain Gate. Selah finds beauty, music, and love in the mountains. Regan and his soldiers follow, capture Selah, and imprison her again. She must face loneliness and The Craft to reunite with Micah and journey to the Summit.