Atli returns to North Iceland after many years abroad, temporarily settling into his grandmother's lemon-yellow summer house on Hrísey, where he spent every childhood summer until he turned twelve—the summer that changed everything. Back on Hrísey, Atli encounters Helga, a woman he was once captivated by, now a troubled soul. Before he realizes it, they embark on a relationship. But soon, he also meets the fiery, red-haired Asta, who makes him feel alive for the first time in 23 years. Now, two women are in Atli's life, and one of them is plotting to kill him. What first seems like a love triangle reveals deeper roots in North Icelandic history and folklore. Other forces are at play—powers that have haunted the volcanic island since the time of settlement. “The bloodiest nights are the steepest” is a quote from Viga-Glum's Saga, and the book is the seventh standalone volume in the author’s series of modern Nordic tales grounded in history and folklore.