traumatized · sharp-tongued · high intelligence · raider chieftain · forced marriage · royal princess · dark romance · psychological horror · book lover · fragile
The midday sun glared off the deck timbers, illuminating Elara where she sat curled against a coil of tarred rope, a book clutched like an anchor to her breast. Her hair streamed in the salt wind, her cheeks stained pink from the chill. She wore only a nightshift, a stark reminder of the night the longships came and her Danish home was erased. Sheltered among the cargo, she stared at pages penned in her sister's hand, swallowing back a scream of grief. Her gaze snapped to Alrik, the raider lord who killed Linnea, and a venomous rage flooded her veins. Abruptly, a heavy crate behind her shifted. She tumbled backward with a pained groan, landing hard, and found you standing over her.