Septimus: The Star-Cursed King’s Bloodborn Prince

Overview

Septimus is a central antagonist in The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King, the second book of Carissa Broadbent’s Crowns of Nyaxia series. He is a prince of the House of Blood (the Bloodborn), driven by a desperate mission to break his family’s two-thousand-year-old curse. His cunning, patience, and willingness to manipulate anyone—including allies—make him a formidable foe. Septimus seeks the god blood of Alarus, hidden by Vincent, hoping it holds the key to saving his dying kingdom. His actions drive much of the plot’s political and personal conflict, forcing Oraya and Raihn into a reluctant alliance against him.

Plot Role and Motivations

Septimus first appears in Chapter 1, arriving with guards at Sivrinaj to cement a fragile alliance with the new Rishan king, Raihn. He quickly reveals his true nature: a master manipulator who uses leverage—especially Oraya’s life—to force cooperation. His primary motivation is revealed in Chapter 34, where he tells Oraya the story of his older brother, who tried to win Nyaxia’s favor to lift the Bloodborn curse. The goddess killed the brother and sent his head back to the House of Blood. Septimus, now the last male heir, describes himself as the family’s last resort. He is willing to do anything to succeed where his brother failed, including allying with former enemies and betraying those he pretends to support.

His desperation is genuine: the Bloodborn curse causes early, undignified deaths, and Septimus fears his kingdom is running out of time. He does not have centuries to play political games like other vampire houses. This urgency makes him ruthless and unpredictable. He admits to Oraya that he respects fear and sees it as a tool (Chapter 34). His character shows how even noble (or princely) intentions can curdle into cruelty when driven by existential threat.

Chronological Arc

Septimus’s presence weaves through the novel:

• Early alliance: After the Kejari, Septimus offers Raihn a deal: Bloodborn troops in exchange for cooperation. He uses Oraya’s life as leverage, as Raihn recalls in Chapter 8. Septimus maintains this uneasy alliance for weeks, providing soldiers while always holding back key forces.
• Suspicion and betrayal: Raihn becomes suspicious of Septimus’s last-minute change of plans regarding troops to Misrada (Chapter 8). Septimus’s hidden hand tremor (seen in Chapter 16) hints at physical strain or illness, possibly linked to the curse. At the wedding, Septimus cuts Oraya’s arm, uses blood magic to freeze her, and hands her over to the Bloodborn attack on the castle (Chapter 37). This betrayal breaks the alliance and forces Oraya and Raihn to flee.
• The god blood hunt: Septimus orders Oraya to find Vincent’s hidden god blood using her blood-key (Chapter 12). When she refuses, he gives her time but remains in the background, orchestrating the search. He later retrieves the moon pendant from Oraya’s room (Chapter 48), controlling access to the god blood.
• Final confrontation preparation: In the climactic battle, Septimus stands in the ballroom, watching through windows as Raihn fights Simon (Chapter 58). He has used the Teeth of the God of Death to create a monstrous weapon in Simon’s chest. The novel ends with Septimus still active, his ultimate goal—breaking the curse—unresolved, leaving threads for future books.

Relationships and Key Interactions

Septimus and Oraya

Septimus treats Oraya with a mix of condescension and feigned respect. He calls her “dove” and attempts to manipulate her into allying with him. In Chapter 34, he offers her the crown of the House of Night in exchange for loyalty, which she refuses. He respects her strength but sees her as a tool—first to control Raihn, then to access the god blood. When he betrays her, he murmurs, “You could have had everything,” showing genuine disappointment that she did not take his deal. Their dynamic is adversarial, but Septimus underestimates Oraya’s growth and cunning.

Septimus and Raihn

Raihn hated Septimus from their first meeting during the Kejari, as detailed in Chapter 8. Septimus discovered Raihn’s identity as the Rishan Heir and used it to pressure him. Raihn views Septimus as a “virus” and a dangerous desperate man. The alliance is coerced, and both know it. Septimus dismisses Raihn as a brutish, Turned king, but Raihn plays along to gather intelligence. Their relationship is a cold war; Septimus eventually betrays Raihn by working with Simon and Cairis, leading to Raihn’s capture and torture.

Septimus and Vincent (indirect)

Septimus seeks Vincent’s hidden god blood, believing Vincent hid something vital in the House of Night. He uses Oraya’s blood as a key to access Vincent’s secrets, revealing that Vincent left a trap for anyone who would follow. Septimus’s pursuit of Vincent’s legacy shows how the dead still control the living.

Septimus and his family

The story of his brother (Chapter 34) humanizes Septimus, showing his deep personal stake. His parents, unusually fertile for vampires, had seven siblings; only one sister survives. He carries the crushing weight of being the last male heir, burdened by a prophecy that his brother could save or end the House of Blood. This familial pressure drives his ruthless quest.

Key Decisions and Consequences

1. Forcing the alliance with Raihn: By threatening Oraya’s life, Septimus secures an alliance but makes a lifelong enemy. This decision gives him military support but sows distrust that later unravels.
2. Betraying Oraya at the wedding: Septimus attacks during the wedding, freezing Oraya and triggering a coup. This tactical move temporarily gives him control of the castle but loses him any chance of Oraya’s cooperation and solidifies her resolve to fight.
3. Creating a monster with god teeth: Septimus uses the Teeth of the God of Death to turn Simon into a powerful, uncontrollable weapon (Chapter 58). This backfires when Raihn and Oraya defeat Simon, but the weapon’s power suggests Septimus has more dangerous plans.
4. Taking the moon pendant: By retrieving the pendant from Oraya’s room (Chapter 48), Septimus gains the key to the god blood. This decision ensures he remains a step ahead, forcing Oraya and Raihn to play catch-up.
5. Offering Oraya the crown: When Oraya refuses his alliance, Septimus loses a potential puppet ruler. This decision shows his desperation—he is willing to give up power if it serves his end goal.

Thematic and Symbolic Connections

Septimus embodies the theme of desperation and sacrifice explored in the book’s love-and-sacrifice thematic page. He sacrifices his honor, alliances, and even his family’s pride for a chance to save his people. This aligns with the love and sacrifice theme, though his version is twisted: love for his cursed family drives him to commit atrocities.

He also represents power and betrayal. Septimus prides himself on only making winning bets, yet his betrayals alienate potential allies. In the power and betrayal context, he shows how raw power without trust is brittle. His manipulation of Raihn and Oraya mirrors the novel’s broader exploration of trust and vulnerability.

The identity and legacy thread is central to Septimus. He is defined by his brother’s failure and the curse of his house. He seeks the god blood of Alarus as a way to rewrite his lineage’s fate. His own identity is subsumed by his role as “last resort,” highlighting how legacy can trap individuals in cycles of self-destruction.

Symbolically, the cigarillo he constantly smokes (Chapter 34, 40) suggests his calm, deliberate facade, hiding a body that may be physically deteriorating from the curse. The hand tremor (Chapter 16) symbolizes his inner weakness and urgency. His use of blood magic to control Oraya positions him as a master of the house’s signature power—blood itself, which is both his tool and his curse.

Questions and Answers

• Why does Septimus want the god blood of Alarus? Septimus believes the god blood can break the curse that afflicts the House of Blood, causing early deaths and decay of his kingdom. He hopes to use it to earn Nyaxia’s favor or wield the power directly to save his people.

• How does Septimus manipulate Raihn into an alliance? Septimus discovers Raihn’s identity as the Rishan Heir (likely through spies) and threatens Oraya’s life. Raihn, desperate to protect her, agrees to an alliance even though he deeply distrusts Septimus (Chapter 8).

• What is the significance of Septimus’s brother’s story? His brother attempted the same mission to find Nyaxia and lift the curse, but the goddess killed him. The story reveals Septimus’s deep-seated fear and determination, as well as the prophecy that a son of the Bloodborn royal house would either save or end the kingdom.

• Why does Septimus betray Oraya at the wedding? Septimus decides Oraya is not useful to him after she refuses his alliance offer (Chapter 34). He then aligns with Simon and Cairis to stage a coup, using Oraya as leverage to defeat Raihn. The betrayal shows he will discard anyone who does not serve his goal.

• Does Septimus succeed in breaking the curse? By the end of The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King, Septimus has obtained the god teeth and the moon pendant but has not yet used them to break the curse. The novel ends with his plans still in motion, setting up conflict for future installments in the series.

For Further Exploration

Read more about the novel’s overall plot in the book overview, delve into ending explained, or test your understanding with our questions and answers page. Septimus’s actions also intersect with themes of freedom vs confinement and identity and legacy.