Dawn of the North: The Ashen Series, Book 3
Demi Winters
4.6
Roots of Darkness: An Ashen Series Standalone
by Demi WintersCategory
About this book
Join Hekla and the remnants of the Bloodaxe Crew as they battle the evil, poisonous mist threatening the citizens of Istré—and perhaps all of Íseldur—in a novella following the events of Kingdom of Claw. Traveling the Road of Bones was only the start of Hekla's troubles. The Bloodaxe Crew has arrived at the village of Istré—beleaguered and missing three of their members. They might be down in numbers, but Hekla "Rib Smasher" is determined that they'll complete their job all the same: defeat the monstrous, sentient mist and keep the citizens of Istré safe. What she didn't expect was for Istré's bullheaded chieftain to block her every move. Exasperated, Hekla throws caution to the wind for a single passion-filled night. But to her horror, the mysterious red-cloaked warrior to whom she's spilled her deepest secrets is the Bloodaxe Crew's new temporary leader and ally—Eyvind Hakonsson. Hekla must now learn to play by Eyvind's rules while guarding her heart. But when it becomes clear that his plans align with the chieftain's, Hekla takes matters into her own hands. Nothing will stop her from keeping the innocent people of Istré safe—not even the man who haunts her thoughts. Contains mature content. A complete list of content warnings can be found on the author's website.
Available Formats
Product Bundle: $325.00 Audiobook: $0.00
What readers are saying
KtreadslaterMy favorite novella ever. Hekla is awesome!
"This novella was absolutely perfect! I was really wondering what was going on with the bloodaxe crew, and this was the perfect way to go back to them. Hekla is one hell of an FMC. I love when books are written between flashbacks and present. It always just keeps me so invested and this novella did a great job with that! The story was excellent and the spice was on point! Demi Winters knows how to leave a cliffhanger!!! I never want this world to end I’m just having the best time! ["
March 15, 2026 Verified Purchase
Julie McI devoured this in one sitting!
"⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 from me Roots of Darkness Roots of Darkness by Demi Winters is a dark, atmospheric romantasy novella set in the Viking-inspired (Road of Bones) world of Íseldur. It follows Hekla “Rib Smasher,” a fierce warrior of the Bloodaxe Crew, as she and her companions, Sigrún and Gunnar, arrive in a struggling village plagued by a strange, sentient poisonous mist. While trying to protect the villagers, Hekla must navigate a stubborn chieftan, shifting leadership, and the unexpected pull she feels toward a mysterious red-cloaked warrior, Eyvind. Blending danger, desire, and emotional tension, Roots of Darkness gives Hekla space to step into the spotlight, revealing both her strength and the guarded heart beneath her battle-hardened exterior. This novella was such a satisfying read. I was hooked from the first chapter and reading Hekla’s story in Ístré simply worked all of my emotions. Hekla was such a strong character from Road of Bones, that it was nice to see a little of her softer side…although we certainly saw very little of that. Seeing her come into her own as a leader was captivating. I truly enjoyed watching her inner turmoil, along with the turmoil she caused to the new Bloodaxe Crew leader and the local warriors. The relationship between Eyvind and Hekla was incredibly compelling and I just didn’t want it to end. The two of them together are vey exciting and so funny. I loved that he was exasperated with her almost the entire time, and it was clear that he was smitten with her from almost the beginning. I just want to see more of the two of them in future books and I really hope this is a love story that continues. The cliffhanger at the end almost killed me and when I saw the words, The End, I almost cried. I just wanted the story to continue. I can’t wait to read Dawn of the North, and I really hope I get to see more of Hekla, Eyvind, and the rest of the Bloodaxe Crew. ["
February 13, 2026 Verified Purchase
