The Norseman's Conquest

Her hand wavered as she held the blade to his throat. He was close enough that she could feel the faint warmth of his breath, as the scents of leather, lifeblood, and sea enveloped her. His eyes were narrowed and alert, and she saw that they were the color of both steel and sky. She glanced briefly at the discarded and stained weapon that lay at his feet, and her resolve strengthened.
Her fingers tightened around the blade. At last she found her voice, and hardening it, met his stare. "No."
For a moment, it was silent; the sounds of screams and clashing of metal faded into the background. Then wordlessly, he grasped her hand and pressed the blade's edge deeper into his skin. A thin crimson stream slithered down his throat, as he tightened his grip.
His expression remained indifferent, as his eyes flashed violently and bore down into hers,
"Now...what will you do?"
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At seventeen, Alys has already accustomed herself to a life of hardship and loss. With the death of her mother, she is left to care for her half-siblings under the roof of a man who would sooner sell her to a stranger. Despite all of this, she maintains a will of iron. However, Alys must face a new trial when her village is raided by Vikings, and she is taken captive by Søren Sigurdsson, a man infamous in battle and ambitions. Yet, rather than break her spirit, Søren recognizes that Alys possesses a soul much like his own, making her both a formidable match and an attractive prospect.