Gustaf Ræliksen lives by the blade of his sword. After avenging his father's murder and reuniting with his family, he wants nothing more than to settle down and have sons of his own. Only one woman will do—a beautiful redheaded thrall he saved from the spoils of war.

Free from slavery and those who kept her captive, Æsa has nothing to offer the noble warrior except her heart. But when someone with a deep score to settle seeks revenge and the whereabouts of buried silver that only Æsa knows, she must break Gustaf's heart in order to spare his life.

Gustaf's world is torn asunder, and he has but one vow—saving the woman he loves from the dangerous rival who will stop at nothing to have it all.

*Previously published as The Temperate Warrior. (This new edition has been partially rewritten and professionally edited, along with a new title and new cover.)