I agree with Unblinking and Listener on this one. The talking in second person was really jarring for me. I listened to this one, then listened again, thinking I missed something, then read the text, for which I thank DKT. They all left me with the feeling that I missed the boat on this one, or was off synch, or just plain too dumb to understand the deeper meanings of the story. I liked the idea of the grey sorceress, bending iron and stone to her will. I liked the idea of the citadel that could be controlled by its ruler. I liked the thought of a powerful sorceress trying to hide her powers away. There were interesting facets, but the overall crystal was flawed.
The biggest flaw, in my mind, was the motivation of the MC. She was yearning to meet the leader of the western lands, but wishes her father to flee to avoid this. She says she should feel happy about her betrothed's death, but instead slept with his picture under her pillow. There could be something I missed there, but I don't see the reason she was so attached to this man. I did very much enjoy the reading, it was superb.
All in all, this story seemed disjointed and too cryptic for this slow cow to comprehend.