As part of The Viking Trilogy, Catherine Coulter shares her passion for all things Viking once again. This heady tale begins
simply. Merrik,
merchant trader and middle son to a prominant family goes to the slave markets in Kiev in the year 916 to find a plain-faced female slave to help his mother around the loghouse. Instead, he finds himself entranced by a five year-old boy who is being torn from the arms of his older
brother. Out of pity, Merrik buys the child and promises to rescue the older brother from the Swedish merchant who plans to sell him to a queen for a plaything. What he discovers is Lauren, masquerading as a boy and beaten very badly by the merchant who bought her. Now Merrik has two charges, slaves he must protect while remaining unaffected by the way they fill his life so completely. Who is Lauren, spinner of tales? Why does he feel compelled to treat her and Taby as equals? Who were they before they were slaves? Lauren will not tell him, even when she begins to feel safe in his arms. The danger to Taby is too great. The truth is too important to leave in the hands of man who's loyalties ore torn between a woman he owns and the family he owes. The truth will stun them all.