A Fate Inked in Blood – Jensen Danielle L. (2025)

A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king while fighting her growing desire for his fiery son in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series. Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish while dreaming of becoming a warrior and putting an axe in her boorish husband's back. Her dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region's jarl, forcing her into a fight to the death against his son. To survive, Freya reveals her deepest secret: she possesses a drop of a goddess's blood, giving her magic capable of repelling any attack. This magic is foretold to unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the king who controls the shield maiden's fate. The fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders his son, Bjorn, to protect her from their enemies. Freya must train to fight and control her magic while facing perilous tests set by the gods. Her greatest test may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn, since surrendering to it risks both her destiny and the fate of the people she has sworn to protect.