The Awakening
Embrace beyond Passion
By
Sarah Dahl
The second
in the collection of sensual short stories set in the Viking age, the Tales of
Freya:
In a world of
crackling fires and rough landscapes, long winters and bloody raids, the
immediacy of life and death ignites undeniable passions. Warriors and monks,
healers and housewives – all follow the call of their hearts and bodies to
indulge in pleasures that may forever change their lives …
Ingrid leads a quiet,
joyless life with a husband who is oblivious to her needs. Every time the
dragon boats carry him away, she resigns herself to the solitude of her modest
hilltop farm by the fjord. But her uneventful world is shaken to the core when
the shadows of her house reveal a secret that sets her passions afire.
“Full of passion and rich historical detail .
. . an enthralling read, impossible to put down.”
Book Excerpt
Ingrid felt Rikard’s eyes on
her, piercing through the dark. Her heart strained against her chest, thudding
nervously, knowing she wouldn’t manage a polite conversation. His presence
paralysed her. His dark voice derailed her every thought. She stared into the
flames, wringing her hands as if to warm them.
Before she knew it, his
hands covered hers. She winced as if bitten, eyes wide from the unexpected
touch. How dare he …. But being an able warrior, he must have scanned the room
for onlookers before reaching out. He knew he was safe.
“Ice-cold,” he stated
matter-of-factly.
Oh, by the gods, how could
he? Even though they had known each other since childhood, they had never
exchanged more than a few polite words at the market. She remembered how the
air had crackled between them after his return from his longest trip. His eyes
had lingered on her, and her flush deepened so much she thought everyone around
them would notice. As far as she knew, he wasn’t tied to a farm, a wife, or
family. He lived on the earl’s estate, waiting to join the next raid.
As if that made a
difference.
Strong, calloused fingers
began to gently massage her, while Rikard kept his eyes on the fire.
Breathless, she was unable to retrieve her hands. His palms radiated badly
needed life into her stiff fingers, burning marks onto her skin where he
stroked. She knew she’d be staring at the invisible pattern later, when she was
alone.
“What brought you here?” His
head did not move to look at her.
“I … I wanted to —”
He chuckled and his eyes met
hers, silencing her. Little bright dots danced in their coal blackness.
Links for
Purchase
About the author
Sarah Dahl lives on the edge of the rural German Eifel and writes historical fiction (novels and short stories) primarily set in the Viking age. She also works as an editor, translates, and coaches new writers in German and English. She is interested in everyday life in bygone centuries and the human stories that may have occurred behind the hard, historical facts. Her author page is: sarah-dahl.com
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The Awakening – Embrace beyond Passion
Publication date: July 21, 2017
Published by: Pronoun
Series: Tales of Freya
