Astrid navigates an uncertain future when she arrives at the court of Grand Prince Oleg in Kyiv. Her reunion with her husband, Kjarr, is long-awaited but bittersweet. She has yet to tell him of their daughter's death, her own near-fatal encounters, and the reappearance of a former lover. She is not the only one with secrets to tell. A skald weaves a haunting melody of impending sorrow as a forbidden union threatens the burgeoning Rus' dynasty. Prince Mal, the war-hungry Drevlian leader, bears the brunt of Grand Prince Oleg's desire for territorial domination. Behind the facade of noble boyars, fierce druzhina warriors, and their cunning wives, the Kyiv court becomes a battlefield of treachery and deadly rivalries. With destiny and loyalty hanging in the balance, Astrid must trust the voice that guides her, even if that means defying her husband. As her fate intertwines with the Kyiv nobles and their pursuit of power, Astrid must grapple with duty and her ambition, a struggle that will shape the future of the Rus'.