What cruel game are the gods playing?

While wandering the market at The Thing, Elin Korisdottir encounters a mysterious and handsome man. The attraction is strong, rousing recollections of girlhood fantasies of a brave warrior who would make her his own. Was he the one? Her hopes are soon dashed by the news her father has arranged a marriage to another in order to make an alliance. Desperate to find a way out, Elin determines she has one chance to break the agreement. Will it work?

Torsten Dragmállsson has traveled the world for many years, remaining home for no longer than a few months before embarking on a new venture. His voyages have been successful and led to powerful alliances that will bring prosperity and security to his village. But he has grown weary of searching for adventure and longs to settle in his home village. Encountering the lovely maiden at The Thing convinces him he's made the right choice to build a life as his father's successor. When he unexpectedly discovers Elin in the forests beyond the market, the despair in her eyes and the plea in her voice easily convince him to accept her offer–of her body. After a passion-filled afternoon, Torsten vows to find her planning to offer a marriage, but his attempts to locate her fail. Elin has vanished, leaving no clue about her clan or village.

On the day of her wedding, Elin clings to the recollections of the afternoon with Torsten, vowing to hold onto the memories throughout her days, fearing she will never again experience such passion. When presented to her husband, despair turns to disbelief and confusion at seeing Torsten at the wedding. It's not long before they learn murderous enemies lurk in the village, closer than either suspect. If those enemies succeed, Elin's and Torsten's very lives are at risk.