All her life, Fryda has longed to be a shield maiden - an honour reserved for Geatland's mightiest warriors. Though a terrible childhood injury has deemed her unfit for battle, she can secretly feel an uncontrollable force stirring within her..And it's not long before her new-found powers are revealed. For when guests descend to celebrate her uncle King Beowulf's reign, she discovers treachery is afoot. When an enraged Fryda resolves to fight for her people, her powers seem only to grow. But she is not the only one to feel its effects - buried deep in a gilded lair, a dragon is drawn to Fryda's untamed power, and is slowly awakening from a long, cursed sleep...