For years, shieldmaiden Kara has suffered her stepfather's cruelties to ensure her secret daughter's safety. So being seized at swordpoint by Aksel, her stepfather's ruthless enemy, feels like switching one captivity for another. Until glimpses of the man beneath the armor have her wondering if her captor could be her savior... Raised in Constantinople, Aksel has returned to his Viking roots to avenge the destruction of his grandfather's jarldom. Taking Kara was just part of his revenge. But when he realizes they have a common enemy, can his betrayal-scarred heart learn to trust--and love-again?