Kellach's whole life has been marred by the brutal rape and abduction of her 
mother when she was young. From that day forward she has led a cursed life. 
She has married four times and each husband has died prior to even having the 
chance to consummate the marriage. In order to not be the death of any other 
men Kellach has had to choose to live a solitary life. 

Kellach has dedicated her life to the protection of the villagers and running 
of the Fort in place of having a family. Only now there has come one to 
disrupt even that small bit of harmony in her life. A Norseman by the name of 
The Badger has come and taken control of the Fort and made Kellach his personal 
slave. This is not something Kellach takes to easily or willingly. Though 
this Norseman seems to wish a peaceful overtaking he is still an enemy and none 
of the situation is to Kellach's liking. The situation combined with Kellach's 
temper would be volatile enough but to make things just a bit worse the 
Overking's stepson wants Kellach's hand in marriage and the over king himself 
seems to have sinister plans for the Fort.

Kellach seems to keep her head about her. Well as much as possible for a 
Gaelic woman with a temper no man could handle is capable of. Eventually 
Kellach even begins to grow a bit of grudging respect for this man that had 
taken over her Fort and taken her slave. The Badger as they call him has done 
all he could to strengthen the protection for the Fort and the surrounding 
village and to improve the huts of the villagers. To Kellach's chagrin his men 
have begun to fit in and even become friendly with the villagers. Life seems 
to be settling to a bit of if not normal at least peaceful routine.

Then one night after a minor situation with Kellach and Ronan the Over King's 
stepson things again become hectic. Bruic The Badger is kidnapped and 
disappears. He comes back for Kellach and a long journey begins. Many things 
are not what they seem. 

Many questions are answered during the journey, but what will the Fort be like 
when they return? What is Bruic's relationship to the mysterious Elva who all 
of the sudden showed up with his men one day? Where are Bruic's children and 
why is his master holding them prisoner? What plans does the Over King have 
for Kellach and what does he have to do with the curse she had been living 
under these many years? Why does Kellach such a strong obsession of seeing the 
mother she lost so long ago? Can her mother really release her from her 
curse? Last of all will Kellach or Bruic find peace or will pain follow them 
through the rest of their life?

I found this book thoroughly entertaining to the end.