The Sea & the Stag Horn

by H.F. Day

ARRANGED MARRIAGE • FRIENDS-TO-LOVERS • NORSE-INSPIRED ROMANTASY • HAUNTED HALL • MAGIC & GHOSTS

Anya, daughter of Alfheim’s regent king, has spent centuries mastering seidr, politics, and restraint. But when duty binds her to an arranged marriage with her childhood friend Rathuell, the one man who has always stood at her side, everything between them shifts from familiar to dangerous.

To protect the royal line and keep peace between realms, the newlywed pair must travel to Jötunheim to settle a wergild debt owed to Gymir for the death of his son, Beli, slain by the god Freyr. In Gymir’s hall, grief has teeth. Old grudges simmer beneath ritual hospitality, and something unnatural begins to stir along the shore. The dead are restless, the wards are failing, and vengeance is never satisfied by gold alone.

As Anya’s magic strains against a rising supernatural threat and Rathuell’s steady devotion becomes her safest harbor, they must decide what justice truly costs—and what they’re willing to claim for themselves when gods and kings demand their due.

A Norse-inspired romantasy novella set in the world of Leifthasir. Includes open-door romantic scenes.

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 3, 2026

About the author

H.F. Day is an author and illustrator of myth-rich fantasy grounded in the Viking Age. Her debut novel, A Tale of Scorched Ash and Elm, braids the intimacy of family drama with the sweep of legend, drawing closely from the Eddas and Sagas. A lifelong student of Norse history and material culture, H.F. Day cares about getting the small things right: ships and seasonal light, law and longhouses, so the big things feel true. She has traveled widely and credits her inspiration to favorite locations such as Ireland, Spain, Romania, and the Rockies for shaping her eye.

Reviews

[Armando Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an immersive novella, I absolutely loved it! The Sea & The Stag Horn drew me right into its Nordic inspired world, full of atmosphere and quiet tension. The setting felt so vivid that I could practically see the characters moving through it, their emotions rippling just beneath the surface.The story, centered around friends forced to wed, beautifully captured the awkwardness and tenderness that comes with crossing that invisible line between familiarity and something more. The “spice” was handled brilliantly, suggestive enough to stir the imagination but left tastefully for the reader to interpret.I’ll admit, some of the character names were a bit tricky at first, so I really appreciated the pronunciation guide! This was my first time reading a Nordic fantasy, and it turned out to be such a fun and rewarding experience. H.F. Day’s writing style is immersive, detailed, and emotionally honest—definitely an author I’ll be watching for future releases.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an advanced copy from the author.

If you like any tales from The Witcher series, plus a classic romance involving an arranged marriage, you will enjoy this book. My main motivation for this read is because this is a prequel story about my favorite elf couple, first introduced in A Tale of Scorched Ash & Elm. This story was full of juicy marriage drama, intense magic and even some horror. The story is a wonderful and necessary compendium of its predecessor. You can’t not love the main couple in this story. A payoff that’s well worth your time reading!