A Fate Inked in Blood: Characters, spice, quotes, gods & powers
Welcome to your A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen book & character guide!
In this post, I’m breaking down the A Fate Inked in Blood synopsis and book characters, pinpointing all the spicy chapters whether you want to avoid them or head straight there.
Plus, I’ve rated the spice levels per chapter, highlighted my favourite quotes because MMC, Bjorn comes out with amazing gems. Then, I’ve tabled all the Norse gods, their divine children and their children’s powers/abilities. And finally, I’ve flagged trigger and content warnings.
Do I have too much time on my hands? Maybe. But I hope you get something valuable out of it ;)
Enjoy. And happy reading, as always!
A Fate Inked in Blood synopsis.
A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
Get A Fate Inked in Blood here.
A Fate Inked in Blood book characters.
A Fate Inked in Blood is narrated from a first person point of view, from Freya’s perspective. The secondary main character and love interest is Bjorn, a handsome Norse warrior.
Here is a breakdown of our two main characters, Freya and Bjorn, followed by a list of all A Fate Inked in Blood characters we meet in book one of Saga of the Unfated series.
Main characters.
Freya.
The story begins with twenty-year-old Freya, who is bound in an unwanted marriage, and spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband, Vragi’s back.
Freya is loyal to a fault, resilient, strong, cunning and compassionate. She’s spent her entire life hiding her divine power and ancestry.
Bjorn.
Bjorn is Jarl Snorri’s son, ordered to protect Freya from Snorri’s enemies. Freya describes him as “alarmingly attractive” with black hair shaved on the sides and the rest pulled back in a short tail behind his tattooed head, all high cheekbones and chiselled lines, with eyes a shade of green like the first leaves of spring.
He is the child of the god, Tyr, and has the ability to wield divine fire via a flaming axe he can summon at will.
Supporting characters.
Here’s a list of all the characters in A Fate Inked in Blood who aren't Freya or Bjorn including on-page characters, off-page mentions, and a few Norse children of gods for good measure. Danielle L. Jensen included sound clips of how to pronounce their names, if you’re looking for a pronunciation guide.
Jarl Snorri
Ylva (Snorri’s wife)
Harald
Vragi
Jarl Bodil
Leif (Bjorn’s half brother)
Steinunn
Geir (Freya’s brother)
Ingrid
Tora
Gnut
Liv
Saga (Bjorn’s mother)
Kelda (Freya’s mother)
Skade
Erik (Freya’s father, mentioned)
Ragnar
Gods mentioned in A Fate Inked in Blood, their children and their powers.
The magic system in A Fate Inked in Blood is based on Norse gods and goddesses and their gifts to children who possess a drop of their blood.
Heads up: the table below contains major spoilers if you haven’t read the book yet. But if you’re already knee-deep in the story or just love a good divine family tree, it’s a handy way to keep track of which character is the child of which god, because there are a lot of them.
So your choice… Spoiler warning though!
| God/Goddess | Child of God/Goddess | Association/Ability |
| Njord | Vragi | Njord is the god of the wind and of the sea and its riches, patron of sailors and fishermen. Vragi uses his powers to provide fish for his village. |
| Hlin | Freya | Hlin stands as a lesser-known goddess, yet her presence is no less essential, as she gifts Freya with the powers of protection, paving the path for her to become a shield maiden. |
| Tyr | Bjorn | Tyr was the Norse god of war and bloodshed, as well as a bringer of order and justice. He bequeaths Bjorn exceptional fighting skills and the ability to summon and wield an axe of divine fire. |
| Thor | Tora | Thor is the hammer-wielding god of thunder, lightning and storms. He grants Tora and his children the ability to wield lightning. |
| Hoenir | Ragnhild | Hoenir is the Norse god of honor, mystery, prophecy and silence. Ragnhild can communicate mentally with those bearing her tokens. She has no tongue, and Harald holds her only token—a dried tongue on a cord—making him the only person she can speak to. |
| Ullr | Skade | Ullr is the god of hunting, justice, and winter. He grants Skade perfect aim with arrows that never miss their target. |
| Bragi | Steinunn | Bragi is the god of poetry, often depicted with a harp. He grants Steinunn magical storytelling abilities through music—she can only share truths. |
| Hel | Freya | Hel is the goddess of death and the underworld. She grants Freya powers associated with curses and the ability to send souls to Helheim. |
| Forseti | Jarl Bodil | Forseti is the god of justice, mediation, and fair judgment. Bodil can discern truth from lies. |
| Eir | Liv | Eir is the goddess of healing, medical skill, and midwifery. She gifts Liv and her children healing magic. |
| Odin | N/A | The “All-Father,” Odin is the chief of the Norse gods, associated with wisdom, magic, poetry, prophecy, victory, and death. |
| Baldur | N/A | Baldur is a son of Odin, possessing beauty, strength, and invulnerability. |
| Sigyn | N/A | Sigyn is the goddess of compassion, faithfulness, and mercy, and the devoted wife of Loki. |
| Freyja | N/A | Freyja is the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, war, death, and sex. |
| Fenrir | N/A | Not technically a god, but a monstrous wolf of Norse mythology—son of Loki and the giantess Angerboda. |
| Frigg | N/A | Frigg is the goddess of marriage and fertility, and wife to Odin. |
| Snotra | N/A | Snotra is the goddess of prudence, self-discipline, and wisdom. |
| Norns | N/A | The Norns are goddesses of fate, represented as three sisters who weave the destinies of gods and men. |
| Loki | N/A | Loki is the god of mischief, trickery, and deception. |
A Fate Inked in Blood quotes.
Look I’ll be real. While Freya is the narrator, Bjorn has some of the most memorable A Fate Inked in Blood quotes, that range from heart melting to hilarious. Here are some of my favourites below:
“I will be at your back until I cross the threshold to Valhalla, Born-in-Fire, whether you want me there or not.” - Bjorn
“You are mine, Born-in-Fire. Even if only the two of us know it.” - Bjorn
“It is hard to keep one's wits when faced with a woman as beautiful as the sight of shore to a man who has been lost at sea.” - Bjorn
“I wanted you the moment I first set eyes on you. I wanted you in Fjalltindr. I want you now, and tomorrow, and all the tomorrows, Freya.” - Bjorn
“Come out and fight like your balls didn’t rot off decades ago!” - Bjorn
FAQs.
SPOILER ALERT:
Some answers may spoil the book if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution.
What series does A Fate Inked in Blood belong to?
A Fate Inked in Blood is book one in the Saga of the Unfated series.
What is A Fate Inked in Blood series order?
A Fate inked in Blood is a duology and this is the series order to read the books in:
Book one: A Fate Inked in Blood
Book two: A Curse Carved in Bone
When will A Curse Carved in Bone, book 2 in the Saga of the Unfated series come out?
A Curse Carved in Bone, the sequel to A Fate Inked in Blood is out now at all your usual outlets! Get it here.
What are the content and trigger warnings?
Explicit sexual content
Abusive relationship
Violence
War
Blood
Death
Death of parent
Injury and injury details
Murder
Suicidal thoughts
Gore
Alcohol use
Torture
Grief
Cursing
Toxic family relationships
Coercive marriage
What is the age rating for AFIIB?
AFIIB is classified as adult, so ages 18+, due to adult themes and sexual content. Please also see the trigger and content warnings listed above.
How many chapters are in A Fate Inked in Blood?
There are 36 chapters.
What are the tropes?
These are the tropes you can expect in A Fate Inked in Blood:
Forbidden romance
Forced proximity
Bodyguard
One horse
What is the A Fate Inked in Blood spice level?
Is A Fate Inked in Blood spicy? Yep, sure is. Chapter one is the flirty meet cute between Freya and Bjorn. From there, it simmers with flirty and steamy moments and then in the latter half gets more hot and spicy!
Spice level: 🌶🌶
2.5/5, moderate spice, with plenty of steamy and romantic moments.
What are the A Fate Inked in Blood spicy chapters?
Whether you’re spice-averse, spice-curious, or fully committed to reading with a fire extinguisher nearby, I’ve mapped out A Fate Inked in Blood spicy chapters for you.
I’ve used a subjective spice scale, ranging from capsicum for mild, to chilli for hot and more explicit. There is a lot of attraction, tension and build up, so I’ve marked those chapters with a capsicum for example, whereas more explicit scenes than just kissing will get at least a chilli.
Chapter 10: 🫑
Chapter 14: 🫑
Chapter 19: 🌶 (solo session)
Chapter 20: 🌶
Chapter 24: 🫑
Chapter 26: 🌶🌶
Chapter 33: 🌶🌶🌶
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