Roots of Darkness by Demi Winters Summary: A Romantasy Novella of Survival

Last Updated: September 7, 2026

Table of Contents

Introduction

The summary is intended for readers who want to understand what the book contains before committing to it.

The novella sits within the larger Ashen Series, but it functions as a standalone mission for the Bloodaxe Crew.

It is set in a Norse-inspired world filled with political tension, outlawed magic, and a supernatural threat.

Readers looking for a dark, atmospheric fantasy with a focus on survival and personal struggle will find those elements here.

The story does not shy away from violent consequences or emotional weight.

For readers who want to explore more works, you can find summaries here: Demi Winters book summaries.

TL;DR: A Mercenary Mission Turns Into a Fight for a Town’s Soul

The Bloodaxe Crew is sent to protect Istré from a lethal, heart-beating mist that turns people into draugur.
Hekla, the crew’s leader, clashes with the local chieftain who denies the danger.
A secret romance develops between Hekla and Eyvind, the noble sent to command the mission.
The mist is vulnerable to fire and moonlight, making the coming Double Black Moon a night of total slaughter.
Eyvind reveals he is a secret Galdra Ashbringer during the final battle.
The town is burned to the ground to destroy the mist, and Hekla discovers Eyvind is already betrothed.

The novella ends with Hekla hardening her resolve to hunt the source of the darkness in the Western Woods. It sets up a larger confrontation for the series.

Roots of Darkness Summary

SPOILER WARNING: This section recounts the full plot, including the ending.

The story opens one week before the end of Kingdom of Claw. Hekla ‘Rib Smasher’ leads what is left of the Bloodaxe Crew in the town of Istré.

The crew includes Gunnar and Sigrún, both weighed down by grief after a comrade’s death.

Hekla spends a passionate night with a mysterious stranger she calls the Fox. The next morning, she discovers he is Eyvind Hakonsson, the second heir to House Hakon.

He has been sent to take command of the Istré mission.

Eyvind’s orders are to cooperate with Loftur the All-Wise, the chieftain of Istré. Loftur insists the mist is a religious imbalance and plans a week-long Winter Nights festival.

He refuses to let the mercenaries investigate the woods or the first attack site.

Frustrated by the inaction, Hekla enters the Western Woods alone. She follows a trail of ancient Spiral Staves and finds a screaming tree in a vibrant clearing. The mist touches her, but a giant grimwolf and a talking squirrel named Kritka intervene.

Eyvind rescues Hekla from the woods, but then publicly fires her to maintain his cover with Loftur. Hekla believes he is simply following his father’s orders, not understanding his deeper strategy.

Kritka later guides a sleepwalking Hekla to the Hagensson farmstead.

There, she discovers the missing families are not dead but turned into red-eyed draugur.

Loftur has been hiding them, feeding them, and hoping for a cure.

The mist speaks through one of the draugur, revealing its intent to feast on the town. Hekla’s own horse is turned by the mist during this encounter. She is forced to kill the animal in a brutal fight.

Hekla realizes the mist cannot survive fire or moonlight. The coming Double Black Moon will be a night of total darkness, perfect for a mass slaughter. She plans a secret evacuation with Gunnar and Sigrún.

She also discovers that Eyvind has been planning his own evacuation in secret. He only pretended to obey Loftur to lower the chieftain’s guard.

The night of the feast arrives, and the mist attacks. The crew uses pitch and fire to create a barrier, trapping the mist in the town square. Turned bears, wolves, and draugur assault the barrier in waves.

During the battle, Eyvind reveals he is a Galdra Ashbringer. He can manifest fire from his palms. He uses his magic to hold the line while Sigrún prepares barrels of pitch for a final detonation.

Hekla lures the mist’s attention toward herself inside the fire ring. Eyvind shields her with his fireproof cloak.

The pitch barrels explode, vaporizing the mist but also burning the entire town of Istré to the ground.

After the battle, Gunnar proposes to Hekla. She asks for time, not wanting to hurt him while he is still recovering from grief. She goes to find Eyvind, hoping for a fresh start.

Instead, she overhears Eyvind talking to his second, Thrand. She learns he is already betrothed to a woman named Liv. Hekla feels betrayed and foolish for breaking her own rules against soft sentiments.

Kritka reappears and explains that his mistress in the woods sent the Spiral Staves. The mistress believes Hekla is the “Protector.” Hekla resolves to go to the city of Kopa. She will gather reinforcements and prepare for a final confrontation with the dark thing in the woods.

Characters In This Book

Character	Role
Hekla ‘Rib Smasher’	Leader of the Bloodaxe Crew who uses a prosthetic arm with retractable metal claws.
Eyvind Hakonsson (The Fox)	Second heir to House Hakon and a secret Galdra Ashbringer sent to lead the Istré mission.
Gunnar ‘Fire Fist’	Member of the Bloodaxe Crew struggling with grief after the death of his friend Ilías.
Sigrún	Stoic Bloodaxe warrior scarred by fire who communicates primarily through sign language.
Loftur the All-Wise	Chieftain of Istré who hides the transformed citizens and denies the mist’s danger.
Konal	Eyvind’s advisor who prioritizes Jarl Hakon’s orders over the reality of the threat.
Thrand Long Sword	Eyvind’s second-in-command who initially dismisses Hekla but later respects her.
Kritka	Talking squirrel who claims Hekla is a “Protector” and serves a mistress in the woods.
Halldora	Barmaid at the Hungry Blade who is a survivor of abuse and receives help from Hekla.