Let them think us lambs, when truly, we are wolves.

Silla has been on the run with her father, moving from town to town and avoiding the attention of the Klaernar. When her father is killed, his last words set Silla on a perilous travel the treacherous Road of Bones–a thousand-mile stretch haunted by warbands, creatures of darkness, and a mysterious murderer–and go to Kopa, where a shield-house awaits her.

After barely surviving the first stretch of road, a desperate Silla sneaks into a supply wagon belonging to the notorious Bloodaxe Crew. To make it to Kopa, she must win over Axe Eyes, the brooding leader of the Crew, while avoiding the Wolf, his distractingly handsome right-hand man. But the queen’s ruthless assassin has other plans and hunts Silla obsessively.

"Malla’s tits. [...] Tell me she did not just apologize to a rock."

This is definitely a case of buying a book because of its cover (and name). Lucky for me, it was a total win and I will be buying the second.

The very beginning of the book almost lost me but I think I just wasn't ready to dive in. That said, I was so happy the pace was quick and continued to remain at a clip. There were times when I thought more time had actually passed in world but it had actually been a few days.

I’ve already lived through my worst nightmare. You cannot frighten me away.

At first glance, Silla is a maiden way in over her head just trying to survive in a world that is set out to kill her. Mysterious men murdered her father on the road in front of her,

Spoiler

she finds out her father isn't actually her blood father,

she finds out the Queen of Íseldur wants her for some unfathomable reason, and she must meet up with some stranger her father contacted in Kopa of all places.

I really admire her spunk. While she definitely picked the wrong wagon with which to hide in, she not only convinces them to take her with them, she eventually weaves herself into the fabric of their motley family.

You've got: Ilías, the charming and sunny dispositioned; Sigrún, the voiceless but deadly with an arrow; Hekla, the maimed but badass who killed the husband that cut off her arm; Gunnar, the fight thirsty; Jonas, the man-slut; Rey, the grumpy.

I can't begin to speak to how much I honestly love this entire band...and Silla's place among them.

"We both know there is safety in secrets. [...] I’m good at keeping the ones that matter."

The more we find out about Silla's history with each new assassination attempt, the more questions we have about just how Silla is going to be able to survive with the found family she has...because secrets are not allowed in the Bloodaxe Crew and Silla's got whoppers.

Highly recommended for those that like happy/gruff pairings and found family, even if they are mercenaries.