Book overview Crowns of Nyaxia, Book 2 Carissa Broadbent

The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk – Book Guide

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Quick Facts

Field Value
Author Carissa Broadbent
Series Crowns of Nyaxia (Book 2)
Publication Year 2025
Genre Dark Fantasy Romance
Setting Underworld, mortal realms, vampire Houses (Shadow, Night, Blood)
Narrators Third‑person limited, alternating between Mische Iliae and Asar Voldari
Page URL /books/the-fallen-and-the-kiss-of-dusk/

Short Summary

After killing the god Atroxus, former priestess Mische Iliae awakens as a wraith in a collapsing underworld. The dead king Vincent guides her to find Asar Voldari, the Shadowborn prince who carries a dormant seed of the god Alarus. Asar, freed from the White Pantheon’s prison, learns from the fate‑goddess Acaeja that he must retrieve three relics of Alarus—the Mask of Vathysia, the Eye of Alarus, and the Heart of Alarus—to become the God of Death and repair the veil between worlds. Bound by a red thread of fate, Mische and Asar journey through the Houses of Shadow and Blood, recover the relics, and face armies of gods, souleaters, and Sentinels. Asar ultimately trades his mortal heart for Alarus’s divinity, sacrificing his memories to halt the underworld’s decay. Reunited in the ruins of Morthryn, Mische cuts out the divine half of Asar’s heart, sharing godhood with him. They restore the underworld, heal old wounds, and forge a soul‑bond wedding, but a greater war with Nyaxia and the White Pantheon looms.

Full Summary

Part One: Death and the Underworld

Mische dies after killing Atroxus and finds herself in the underworld, where the ghost of King Vincent explains that her incomplete resurrection of Alarus has shattered the relics that kept the underworld stable. Souleaters pour through cracks in the veil. Vincent convinces Mische that the imprisoned Asar—now carrying a fragment of Alarus’s divinity—is the only one who can repair the damage. Reluctantly, Mische agrees to travel with Vincent toward the veil.

Meanwhile, Asar is held in Ysria by the goddess Shiket. He uses the isolation to harden his resolve, reliving Mische’s death. A goddess Acaeja secretly offers him a choice: sever his bond with Mische and become king, or tighten the bond and ascend to godhood by retrieving Alarus’s three relics. Asar chooses Mische. Acaeja weaves fate threads and sends him into the underworld.

When Mische and Asar finally meet on a ruined staircase that bridges the underworld to the mortal realm, Mische shatters the veil. Asar grabs her hand, but she is still a wraith; feeding her his god‑touched blood keeps her from fading. They emerge in the decaying manor of Morthryn.

Part Two: The Quest for the Relics

Mische and Asar steal the Mask of Vathysia from the House of Shadow during the Melume festival, which thins the barrier between the living and the dead. Asar tortures his old mentor Gideon for the mask’s key, then uses necromancy to command the dead. The ritual tears open the veil, and a souleater nearly consumes Mische. Asar dons the mask and becomes the Heir of the Underworld, saving her.

The pair escape the burning House of Shadow palace with help from Raihn and a bargain with Septimus of the House of Blood. In the House of Blood they gain a guide, Atrius, and the seer Sylina. They travel to the deadlands, find the Keeper murdered, and Mische performs a necromantic ritual to resurrect him. The group descends into the ruins of a god‑destroyed world. At the forge of the goddess Srana, Mische claims the Eye of Alarus—a divine eye forged into an axe. Asar uses the axe and mask to jump through the spira (the web between worlds) and land at the Nightborn palace.

Part Three: Betrayals and the War of Gods

In the House of Night, Mische finally confesses to Raihn and Oraya that she shattered the sun and that the underworld’s collapse threatens the mortal realm. Asar prepares a god‑level ritual to find Alarus’s heart. A monstrous creature—a fused souleater, guardian, and wraith—bursts from a rift, confirming the underworld’s instability. Mische’s soul begins to smoke; she is fading.

Gideon, thought dead, reveals an elaborate betrayal: he planted a glyph in Asar’s mind years ago, used Asar to reach the relics, and then crushes a vial of blood that attracts the attention of all gods. Shiket’s Sentinels attack the Nightborn palace. A Sentinel captures Mische and drags her to the Citadel in Vostis, where she is to be executed as a “fallen one.” Asar retrieves the mask and eye and follows through the spira.

At the Citadel, the Shadowborn army—hidden under an illusion—descends, slaughtering humans. Mische discovers the Sentinel is actually her sister Saescha, transformed into a near‑mindless agent of Shiket. Saescha attacks her, driven by rage over Mische’s past betrayals.

Part Four: Ascension and the Choice to Live

Asar arrives on the battlefield, but Queen Egrette ambushes him and offers him, the mask, and the eye to Nyaxia. Nyaxia reveals she consumed Alarus’s heart long ago. She offers to make Asar a god and destroy their enemies if he trades his mortal heart for Alarus’s. Asar cuts out his own heart, receives Alarus’s, and channels his power into repairing the underworld. His memories fade as he becomes the new God of Death.

Mische watches from the sea as Asar—now indifferent and unrecognizable—takes Nyaxia’s hand and leaves her behind. She falls into the underworld, where the ghosts of people she once helped catch her. They give her a reforged sword with a phoenix hilt, and she receives an Heir Mark from the underworld itself. Vincent’s ghost urges her to take divinity for herself, but she refuses. She begins walking the crumbling Descent, healing its wounds with Alarus’s power.

The God of Death wanders the underworld, guided by Nyaxia, but cannot shake faint memories—a burnt‑cinnamon smell, a piano, a field of dead poppies. Nyaxia orders him to summon the dead for her conquest, but the dead instead answer Mische at Morthryn. Asar confronts the masked intruder and pins her against a piano. Ghostly music restores his memories. Mische stabs him through the heart, cutting the divine shard in two. She returns his mortal heart to his chest, and his mask falls.

Asar awakens, fully restored. Mische now carries half of Alarus’s heart. They reunite, and the underworld stabilizes. Nyaxia arrives in fury, demanding Asar raise the dead. He refuses. The White Pantheon tears through the sky. Acaeja intervenes, declaring the Houses of Night and Death under her protection.

Part Five: Healing and a New War

Mische meets Vincent one last time; he departs into the mists, leaving a letter for Oraya. She returns to Asar in Morthryn, embracing her mortality. Asar fears ruling, but Mische insists daily choices matter more than martyrdom. Their friends arrive: Raihn, Oraya, Vale, and Esme. A war council reviews threats from Nyaxia, the Shadowborn, the Bloodborn, and the humans.

Mische finds closure with her sister Saescha in the underworld—Saescha appears whole and at peace, and they forgive each other. Asar then leads Mische to a poppy field, where he has prepared a Vathysian wedding ritual circle. They perform a necromantic soul‑binding ceremony, giving each other body, breath, psyche, secrets, and soul. They vow to share pain and hearts, and plan a larger celebration with friends.

The epilogue reveals that ten years later, Septimus has made himself indispensable to Nyaxia, feigning loyalty while nursing a plan to strike her with a sword gifted by a goddess of justice. Queen Egrette kneels beside Nyaxia as she orders the conquest of all human nations under eternal night. The stage is set for the next book.

Main Characters

Character Role
Mische Iliae Former priestess who becomes a wraith, then a demi‑goddess. She bears an Heir Mark from the underworld and carries half of Alarus’s heart.
Asar Voldari Shadowborn prince who ascends to God of Death by sacrificing his mortal heart. He later reclaims his humanity through Mische’s love.
Vincent Deceased vampire king who guides Mische in the underworld, manipulating events to push her toward her destiny.
Raihn Nightborn king who defies his allies to rescue Mische, then fights alongside her against the White Pantheon.
Oraya Nightborn queen who aids Mische and Asar by distilling god blood, then confronts Asar after his divine transformation.
Nyaxia Goddess of night who manipulates Asar into taking Alarus’s heart and wages war against the White Pantheon.
Saescha Mische’s sister, turned into a Sentinel of Shiket. She seeks justice for Mische’s past betrayals and later finds peace in the underworld.

For deeper profiles, visit the character pages.

Themes

  • Sacrifice: Characters give up life, heart, and memories to save loved ones or restore cosmic balance. Asar trades his mortal heart for divinity; Mische offers herself as bait.
  • Love vs. Duty: Personal devotion clashes with obligations to rule and repair the underworld. Asar struggles between his vow to Mische and Nyaxia’s demands.
  • Redemption: Mische and Saescha seek forgiveness for past betrayals. Healing comes through understanding and self‑acceptance.
  • Divinity and Mortality: Godhood costs human sensation and memory. The story values choosing mortal love over divine power.
  • Underworld Collapse: The decay of the underworld drives the plot. Repairing the veil becomes the central goal.

See the full themes breakdown.

Symbols

  • Mask of Vathysia: A copper mask that grants control over the dead. It is the first relic of Alarus and key to Asar’s ascension.
  • Eye of Alarus: A divine eye forged into an axe that gives god‑like perception and command of the dead.
  • Poppies: Dead poppies in the underworld symbolise decay and fragile renewal. A single red poppy offers hope and solace.
  • Firefinch: A burning bird that appears in visions, representing resurrection, hope, and the possibility of rising from destruction.

Learn more about symbols.

Ending Overview

  • Asar and Mische restore the underworld and share Alarus’s divinity.
  • Mische finds closure with Saescha, who departs in peace.
  • They perform a Vathysian soul‑binding wedding, vowing to share pain and hearts.
  • A war council reveals ongoing threats from Nyaxia, the Shadowborn, the Bloodborn, and humans.
  • The epilogue shows Septimus manoeuvring to strike Nyaxia ten years later, setting up the next book.

Read the full ending explained.

Chapter‑by‑Chapter Summary Table

Chapter Digest
Prologue A young vampire prince accepts a mentor’s offer of power, not realising the true sacrifice will be losing the love of his life.
1 Mische dies, awakens in the underworld, and Vincent convinces her to find Asar.
2 Asar, in a dark cell, relives Mische’s death.
3 Asar is brought before the White Pantheon and steals a shard of the sun.
4 Acaeja offers Asar the choice to become king or god. He chooses Mische.
5 Mische and Vincent travel through the underworld as a cataclysm begins.
6 Asar uses Acaeja’s gift to leap into the spira.
7 Mische is chained in a tower; a Sentinel admits she is bait for Asar.
8 Asar tears open the veil to reach Mische.
9 Mische shatters the veil and falls into Asar’s arms.
10 Asar realises Mische is a wraith; he feeds her his blood.
11 Mische drinks Asar’s blood; he loses consciousness.
12 Asar recovers; they journey to Morthryn.
13 Morthryn is ruined; Asar collapses and Mische is stabbed.
14 Vincent warns Mische in a vision; Queen Egrette prepares to execute Asar.
15 Asar rescues Mische and swears an oath to the Shadowborn queen.
16 Mische and Asar plan to steal the Mask during the Melume festival.
17 Asar negotiates with Egrette to visit Ryvenhaal.
18 At Ryvenhaal, Gideon tests Mische’s compulsion resistance.
19 Asar tortures Gideon for the mask’s key combination.
20 Asar and Mische share an intimate moment on a piano.
21 Mische meets Septimus, who offers a guide to the deadlands.
22 The Melume begins; Raihn appears.
23 Raihn tries to rescue Mische; she runs toward the mask’s chamber.
24 Egrette confronts Asar about the attack on Gideon.
25 Asar kills Elias by opening the veil.
26 Mische unlocks the mask; a souleater separates them.
27 Asar dons the mask, becomes Heir of the Underworld, and saves Mische.
28 They flee as Sentinels attack.
29 Mische opens the Dusk Window, releasing wraiths.
30 Egrette vows revenge; they escape a souleater.
31 Mische compels Raihn to leave; Septimus gives them a boat.
32 Asar and Mische share intimacy; she reclaims her power.
33 Oraya, Atrius, and Sylina join the group.
34 They enter the deadlands; Asar distrusts fate.
35 They find the Keeper dead; Asar attempts necromancy.
36 Mische leads the resurrection ritual.
37 Asar the Keeper is healed; the group falls into the deadlands.
38 Mische questions faith; they approach the execution site.
39 Asar helps a wraith child pass into the underworld.
40 At Alarus’s death site, the goddess Srana appears.
41 Srana reveals her god‑forged army; Mische falls into flames.
42 Mische grabs the Eye‑Axe and hears Alarus’s voice.
43 Asar struggles with Srana as the forge erupts.
44 Mische gains god‑like vision and chooses empathy.
45 Asar uses the axe to escape the forge via the spira.
46 Mische wakes in the Nightborn palace to Raihn and Oraya.
47 Raihn is furious; Mische insists on seeing imprisoned Asar.
48 Asar chooses to stay in his cell; their bond strengthens.
49 They make love; Mische still feels death clinging to her.
50 Mische summons Vincent to discuss the anchor spell.
51 Mische confesses the truth to Raihn and Oraya.
52 Raihn confronts Mische; they begin to heal their trust.
53 Asar prepares the ritual, struggling with the artifacts’ voices.
54 Oraya offers Mische a place in the Nightborn court; a monster attacks.
55 The monster is defeated, but Mische’s soul begins to dissipate.
56 Asar and Mische share a vision of a future child and make love.
57 Asar cannot sleep; Vale arrives.
58 Vale is revealed to be Gideon in illusion.
59 Gideon crushes the vial of god‑summoning blood.
60 Sentinels attack; Mische is captured and taken into the sky.
61 Mische is chained in the Citadel; the Shadowborn illusion drops.
62 Asar retrieves the relics and follows through the spira.
63 Mische compels a guard and witnesses the massacre of humans.
64 Mische crash‑lands; the Sentinel is revealed as Saescha.
65 Egrette ambushes Asar; Nyaxia descends and claims him.
66 Asar trades his heart for Alarus’s, sacrificing his memories.
67 Asar becomes the God of Death; he does not recognise Oraya.
68 Mische falls into the sea; a firefinch rises from the forest.
69 The dead guide Mische; she receives an Heir Mark and a phoenix‑hilted sword.
70 The God of Death and Nyaxia arrive at the ruined House of Night.
71 The White Pantheon confronts Nyaxia; Acaeja shows prophetic visions.
72 Mische heals the underworld, deciding she is simply Mische.
73 The God of Death wanders the ruined underworld and revives a poppy.
74 Mische finds a single red poppy in the field.
75 The God of Death pours power into a dead guardian’s skull, restoring blood flow.
76 Mische places a glowing bird skull over her face, gaining strength.
77 The God of Death chooses conquest over memory at Morthryn.
78 Mische meets Saescha; she kisses the throat wound, freeing her sister’s soul.
79 Mische finds a young Asar in the library and receives his mortal heart.
80 The God of Death hunts the masked intruder at Morthryn; Mische stabs him.
81 Mische cuts the heart in two; she returns his mortal heart to his chest.
82 Asar awakens and worships Mische; Morthryn plays music.
83 Nyaxia arrives; the White Pantheon tears through the sky.
84 Acaeja protects the Houses of Night and Death, provoking war.
85 Vincent departs; Mische awakens and embraces mortal sensations.
86 Asar fears ruling; Mische tells him daily choices matter.
87 A dead guard with black rot suggests Egrette’s magical experiments.
88 Mische reunites with Raihn and Oraya; war council meets.
89 Mische finds peace with Saescha in the underworld.
90 Asar and Mische perform a Vathysian soul‑binding wedding.
91 (Epilogue) Septimus feigns loyalty to Nyaxia, planning to strike her with a goddess‑gifted sword.
92 (Author’s Note) Broadbent reflects on writing Mische and Asar’s story: two people learning to want life for themselves.

For individual summaries, see each chapter page.

Common Questions

1. Does the book have a happy ending?
Mische and Asar reunite, restore the underworld, and marry. However, a war with Nyaxia and the White Pantheon is beginning.

2. What happens to Mische at the end?
She becomes a demi‑goddess, bearing half of Alarus’s heart and an Heir Mark. She finds closure with her sister Saescha and marries Asar in a necromantic ceremony.

3. Does Asar become the God of Death?
Yes. He trades his mortal heart for Alarus’s heart and sacrifices his memories. Mische later returns his mortal heart, restoring his humanity while still carrying divinity.

4. What is the significance of the poppies?
Dead poppies in the underworld symbolise decay and fragile renewal. A single red poppy offers hope and solace; the field becomes the site of Mische and Asar’s wedding.

5. Who are the White Pantheon?
The eleven major gods led by Vitarus. They imprison Asar, attack the House of Night, and are later confronted by Nyaxia and Acaeja.

6. What is the spira?
The glowing web between worlds that gods use to travel. Asar and Mische use it to move between the underworld, the Houses, and the battlefield.

7. How does Mische save Asar at Morthryn?
She stabs him through the heart, cutting the divine shard in two. She returns his mortal heart to his chest, and ghostly music restores his memories.

8. Will there be another book?
The epilogue sets up Septimus’s plot against Nyaxia, and the Author’s Note teases future projects. The series continues.

For more, see the questions and answers page.

Deeper Dives

  • Chapter summaries – full list of every chapter
  • Characters – in‑depth profiles of Mische, Asar, Vincent, Raihn, Oraya, Nyaxia
  • Themes – sacrifice, love vs. duty, redemption, divinity and mortality, underworld collapse
  • Symbols – the Mask of Vathysia, Eye of Alarus, poppies, firefinch
  • Ending explained
  • Quiz
  • Essay prompts