The Shield-Maiden's Secret: A Viking Romance

By Wendy Dalrymple

For as long as she can remember, Katje has dreamed of adventure and exploring faraway lands. The myths of the shield-maidens sparked her curiosity as a young girl — tales of strong, independent women that fought alongside the other Viking warriors and sailed on the open seas. After escaping an arranged betrothal to a much older man, she lands in the village of Fjallen, where women aren’t permitted to join the ranks. Katje is forced to sit back and watch from the sidelines; working as a fishmonger and pining for one particularly handsome raider from afar.

Posing as a man, Katje is able to finally serve, fight and sail, though she soon finds that her freedom comes at a price. Though her outward appearance is masculine, inside, Katje still has the heart and desires of a woman, and she can’t deny the feelings that surface for Ingmar, her friend and fellow man-at-arms. Ingmar is unlike anyone else in their raiding party — beautiful and brimming with humor and joy, even during their darkest times. Katje finds it harder and harder each day to mask her true feelings for Ingmar, but when her morals are pushed to their final limit, it takes everything for Katje not to reveal her true self. No matter what, she must keep her identity secret or she’ll risk losing her freedom, her will to fight and possibly the love of a fellow warrior and friend.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bryant Street Shorts
• Release date: Jul 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781094412078

Wendy Dalrymple

Wendy Dalrymple writes cozy, low-heat romances inspired by everyday people. When she’s not writing happily-ever-afters, you can find her camping with her family or walking her dog. Keep up with Wendy at www.wendydalrymple.com!

Book preview

Chapter One

Sprays of icy brine crashed over the prow of the longship in sharp, stinging sheets that froze Kjell’s knuckles to the bone. The raiding party had been at sea for only three days when the weather turned unexpectedly, testing the creaky ship and its occupants to their limits. One false move could mean an injury, losing an oar, or something worse. This was no time to allow oneself to be distracted by manners of the heart.

Kjell gripped the oar with more determination than ever as the wooden vessel rose and fell to match the undulating waves. Despite battling by turns against sheer terror and unbearable exhaustion, Kjell’s eyes still searched for Ingmar. Even over the roar of the sea, Ingmar’s loud, boisterous laugh cut through the chaos, almost mocking the gods. His white teeth and summery golden skin positively glowed against the gray, stormy sky, and as always, Kjell’s heart ached at the sight and sound of him.

Kjell looked away, focusing instead on the turbulent waters that threatened to overturn their ship. Staring at Ingmar’s well-defined arms and magnetic smile was dangerous and far too easy, especially on these long, frightful days at sea. Ingmar’s entire being brightened even the most hellish conditions and helped Kjell to remember that there was still joy, excitement and adventure to be had.

And yet, Kjell had to look away. It was important never to let the eyes linger too long, lest one of the other raiders notice. It could mean the end of everything Kjell had worked so hard for. Kjell was really just Katje, after all.

Section Break

Katje could remember the first time she saw the man called Ingmar from afar — long before she ever became Kjell. Ingmar stood out amongst the other raiders, with long coils of dark, textured hair woven down his back and skin the color of no other Northman. It was known in the village that his father, Bromnus, famously sailed farther south than any other raider and brought back a beautiful foreign wife as proof. Ingmar owed his sense of adventure to his father and his uniquely captivating looks to his mother.

Spotting Ingmar from afar quickly became one of Katje’s favorite pastimes after landing in the village of Fjallen. In between hauling, cleaning and smoking the herring that she and Morla would catch each day, Katje occasionally stole glances toward the horizon, always searching for the silhouette of a longship. There was no way of knowing when the raiders would return from a conquest, but working and living near the docks made her daily search less difficult.

Katje had been living with the widow and village fishmonger for only a few months when she and Ingmar first spoke. Morla had taken Katje into her home and business with open arms, asking no questions and teaching her the ways of the sea. Morla’s husband, a great Viking warlord, had lost his life on a raid some thirty years before and thereafter she was accorded a certain level of protection from the raiding parties. They had an unspoken arrangement of sorts; Morla kept the men heartily fed and supplied with fish and they brought her back delicacies from their travels abroad.

It was the week before summer solstice when Ingmar strode up to Morla’s market stand, armed with a large basket overflowing with strange fruits. Katje had spent the morning watching him and his fellow raiders unload their longship after returning from an expedition and her pulse began to quicken when she realized he was heading her way. Ingmar sauntered towards the fish stand brimming with bravado and smiling from ear-to-ear. On anyone else, a glowing aura of neverending confidence would have seemed intimidating. But Ingmar’s bold vivaciousness was nothing short of endearing.

As he neared, Katje quickly got down to the business of making herself look extremely interested in her work. During all of her time pining for him from afar, it had never occurred to her that he might approach the fish stand and actually speak to her. She was bold in life but shy in love, and not at all prepared to speak with this man that she held so high in her thoughts.

Ingmar slung his basket of fruit on the market stall counter and flashed her a perfect smile. He smelled of sunshine and sea; a light film of sweat beaded just above his lips and across his forehead in the early summer heat.

Is Miss Morla in? he asked, resting his elbows on the counter.

Katje looked up from her work and momentarily lost her sensibilities as she allowed herself to drink him in. His eyes were golden and flecked with copper, nearly the same metallic hue as the many hoops that pierced his ears. She tried to guess his age — twenty-one? Twenty-two?

No… she is away, Katje said,

Reviews for The Shield-Maiden's Secret

[Khandygirl4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Quick lil sexy read. I read part and listen to the rest. Well worth the it. I will be checking out more of her books.

[MasterXDLink500 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This short, breezy read will transport you to another time and place and keep you engaged with its ambitious female Viking protagonist.

[emma · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love love love this new Dalrymple. Katje is tough, sweet, and captivating, and the romance is as sweeping as it is earned. Recommend!

[Olivia Jeremiah · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Needs more spice. I was disappointed when there was a build up but no follow through