Novels by NEBULA

THE VIKINGS had set up camp just outside the Kingdom of Wessex as they all gathered, preparing and strategizing for their next move. Sophie was escorted into a tent by Hvitserk, accompanied by four guards to ensure she remained confined until they convened for the feast. They couldn't risk losing their valuable hostage. Later, she followed two guards to where King Ragnar and his allies were assembled. The raucous noise reminded her of the feasts she had witnessed in Kattegat, but this time, she was to join in rather than serve. Life had its way of playing tricks. It remained unclear to her whether they were planning to attack her kingdom or negotiate with her father, potentially offering lands in exchange for her—a typical Viking strategy. If Helen had accompanied her, Sophie might have learned a thing or two about their plans, but she was on her own. "Join us, Princess," King Harald beckoned, seated beside Floki and his brother. "Get our Princess a drink, please," King Ragnar i

SOPHIE'S LIFE had undergone a profound shift in the past few months as King Ragnar Lothbrok and his Viking crew prepared for their voyage to England in the coming spring. Since Ubbe had brought her to the cottage, she had been confined there, and she had lost track of how much time had passed. The days dragged on with a monotonous routine, spent mostly in solitude. Despite being their captive, they ensured she was cared for, sending Helen to provide her with food and warm baths. Sophie found herself with nothing to occupy her time—no chores, no responsibilities. The lack of purpose was slowly gnawing at her, making her feel like she was losing her grasp on reality. King Ragnar had not visited her since the day he rescued her from her attackers. That harrowing incident haunted her nights, and she found herself unable to forgive him. While he did rescue her and stationed guards outside her confinement, it was his actions that set the chain of events in motion, and she couldn't shake

THE DAY FELT like an eternity for Sophie, who had been unable to get any sleep due to the commotion in the lively city. Her head throbbed, burning with fever, and every bone in her body ached from the lack of rest. Helen finally made an appearance, approaching Sophie, who barely had the energy to acknowledge her presence. "Sophie, my child," she spoke softly, as if afraid her voice might startle her. "I brought you some food." "Water," Sophie tried to speak, her voice failing her. "Of course, of course, I brought water too," Helen said as she brought the cup to Sophie's chapped lips, noticing the heat radiating from her head. "There you go, my poor child." She wanted to tell her to stop calling her that, but she knew better than to waste her energy arguing with the older woman if she had any energy left at all. So, she drank from the cup that was held for her, nurturing the little coolness the water provided. "You'll have to eat something," Helen told her as she moved the now emp

SOPHIE FOUND HERSELF abandoned in the darkness, tethered to the post that cruelly denied her any respite. Her legs throbbed, longing for rest, yet every time her eyes began to close in hope of a brief reprieve, her bouncing head jolted her awake. It was a torment she had never experienced before, making her almost wish that Ragnar had chosen to end her life. The cold gnawed at her skin, the thin dress she wore offering no protection from the biting chill. The cloak, once deemed useless, now seemed like a desperate necessity. In her solitude, she couldn't help but wonder why Helen hadn't come to visit her. Had she been abandoned in her time of greatest need? Sophie felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness and fear in the darkness, while everyone else was comfortably inside, basking in the warmth of a crackling fire or slumbering peacefully. Unknown to her, Ragnar observed from a short distance away, perched in the shadows, unable to sleep. The image of the vulnerable girl alone out

"King Ecbert will pay the price," Ragnar's words were a menacing threat to Sophie, who stood frozen, caught in a struggle between fight and flight, desperately hoping for someone or something to intervene. Two words whispered incessantly in the back of her mind like a faint warning: run away. But she couldn't, not when those two glinting blue eyes were fixated on her, momentarily making her wonder if she had been picturing the devil wrong her whole life. "Don't be afraid, I won't kill you," he assured. "I have greater plans for you." Sophie glanced around, perhaps hoping for Athelstan or Queen Aslaug to come to her aid, but they were nowhere to be found, assuming they would have intervened. She was on her own. "I took good care of his daughter while he slaughtered my people," Ragnar recounted, his gaze hard on Sophie, who maintained a rigid posture. "Tell me, Sophie, what am I supposed to do now?" "We can fix this," was all she could manage to say. The truth was she wasn't sure

AWAKENING TO THE gentle patter of rain, Sophie slowly opened her eyes, finding a sense of calm in the melodious symphony of raindrops harmonizing with the song of the birds. Happiness was a rare visitor to her waking moments in Kattegat. Little there brought her simple joys, save for her training sessions and conversations with her two close friends. Everything else seemed insignificant. Each day followed the same pattern—training, visiting Helen and Yelda, and concluding with long, solitary nights during which Sophie yearned for her homeland. She often wondered if she would ever step foot on her native soil again. On this particular morning, Ubbe was conspicuously absent. Curiosity piqued, Sophie decided to venture into the city. To her surprise, the townsfolk of Kattegat were fixated on her, their intense stares causing her heart to race. "Christian!" A person nearby hissed, setting off a chain of insults from others. If their looks were piercing, their verbal barbs were even sh