Six Scorched Roses
A Crowns of Nyaxia Short Novel, By Carissa Broadbent
Summary Provided by Author
A standalone fantasy romance set in the stunningly epic world of Carissa Broadbent's New York Times bestselling Crowns of Nyaxia series. This short novel is perfect for readers of The Serpent & the Wings of Night and The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King and features beautiful case wrap art!
Six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire who could be her salvation… or her damnation.
Lilith has been dying since the day she was born. But while she long ago came to terms with her own imminent death, the deaths of everyone she loves is an entirely different matter. As her town slowly withers in the clutches of a mysterious god-cursed illness, she takes matters into her own hands.
Desperate to find a cure, Lilith strikes a bargain with the only thing the gods hate even more than her village: a vampire, Vale. She offers him six roses in exchange for six vials of vampire blood—the one hope for her town’s salvation.
But when what begins as a simple transaction gradually becomes something more, Lilith is faced with a terrifying realization: It’s dangerous to wander into the clutches of a vampire…and in a place already suffering a god’s wrath, more dangerous still to fall in love with one.
Review & Thoughts
Trigger warnings: genocide, child murder, sex slaves, rape, revoted consent rape etc…
This was a beautiful short read. It was poetic of sorts, with the theme of cursed gods and their punishments making its way into a more human oriented land. I loved the pace of this story, and the slow burn, forbidden romance between Vale & Lilith. I think the idea of using an immortals blood, such as Vampire Shadow Daddy Vale’s, is a brilliant idea to cure diseases, and gives the overall Crowns of Nyaxia story so much more dimension beyond just political intrigue/ magic / fantasy. It brings in the mix of scientific research, and boldens what humans are truly capable of beyond just being “livestock.” While only 150ish pages, this story felt as thought out as a full sized novel- with dramatic turns left and right. It was recommended to me to read this between The Serpent & The Wings of Night and The Ashes & The Star Cursed King (which I just started, so stay tuned!), so I shall continue that recommendation to you, even as it pained me to pause Oraya & Raihn’s journey.
spoilers ahead….
Like I mentioned above, the scientific element throughout this story- not just the fact that she’s experimenting but how hard she’s working against the clock to save her sister. Especially in a short story, you almost expect the experiment to be easy- she messes around a couple times and “poof” a cure. But no. That’s not the case here, it’s hard work, work she’s dedicated her entire life to. With short stories, it’s so rare to see a real character arc- yet with Vale, we see him go from grumpy, standoffish to literally writing letters multiple times a day to Lilith. Raihn is also the polar opposite in book one of the series, almost hounding Oraya into a friendship and constantly making jokes. Vale used to be one of the generals of the Rishan before Vincent went and overthrew them. Seeing that in action with him absolutely wrecking Lilith’s attackers was delicious. I looove a shadow wielding murderous savior when our lady needs ‘em. I really hope we get to see Vale in Book 2 and that he changes his opinion of Raihn since it’s been ya know, a nice 200 years for them both to grow. I’m almost a little worried for how Raihn is going to react given that he was a slave at the time they knew each other.
Lilith, god I love her. She is such a relatable character. Reading her grow into someone willing to accept love, not because of what they can offer in return but because they are a wonderful person was beautiful. Lilith has worked her entire life, wanting nothing in return other than her sister to live.
Regarding the ending….fuck her dad for making that deal. I know we can never know the loopholes of deals with gods but SERIOUSLY WHAT DID HE EXPECT.
TLDR: I absolutely devoured this, and I am keeeeping my fingers crossed I’ll see Vale again in The Ashes & The Star Cursed King!!
Quotes
“Here’s the thing about the God of Abundance. Abundance wears many faces. The god of plenty is also the god of decay. There can be no life without death, no feast without famine.”
“Death always followed me, you see.”
“It appears,” a deep voice said, “a little mouse has made its way into my home.”
“Do you understand where you are?” he asked. That was a stupid question. Maybe he was used to being cowered at. I did not cower. Why should I? I’d already met death three times now. So far, the fourth was a bit of a disappointment.”
“About two centuries ago, I decided that I would never again do anything I didn’t want to do. And I don’t want to. So no, mouse. That is your answer”
“Why was I working so hard? I was working so hard because none of it would ever be enough. I would continue until I had nothing left to give.”
“After so long, you realize that knowing things doesn’t especially matter very much. Knowledge with no context is meaningless. That’s not the real treasure.”
“Men from upper-class families were welcome to be openly delighted by their craft. It made them interesting and eccentric, committed and passionate. When women did it, it made us vapid.”
“if someone survives it and becomes a vampire, they’re considered… undesirable?” “Part human. Part vampire. Their blood will always hold the taint of humanity.” His nose wrinkled. “Less pure.” “But if they survived such a dangerous thing, doesn’t that make them the strongest among you?” - YOU TELL ‘EM LILITH
““I suppose that once someone has seen my bare ass, we can drop the titles.”"
““Time, Vale,” I said. “Time is the most valuable resource of all, and some of us are perpetually short.”
“You’re an especially nosy mouse today.”
“It’s not a pleasant thing to oversee the loss of a war, mouse,” he said. “You’d move halfway around the world after that, too.”
“I promise I did not eat you.”
““Was robbing me a crime punishable by death?” “Raping you would have been. Killing you would have been.” “They didn’t do either of those things.” “Yet,” he snarled. “I’ve killed others who deserved it far less.” Oh, I believed him.”
“It was strange to see you in such a state, when I found you. And when I brought you back. So… weak.” A wrinkle formed over his forehead, hinting at confusion. And that confusion, in turn, confused me. “Weak?” “You’ve seemed… In the time we’ve known each other, you’ve seemed infallible.”
“
“You’re self-destructive,” he muttered, visibly irritated with me. “I’m busy.” “You’re ill.””““You’re awfully ungrateful of my hospitality,”
“Vale, for all his supposed busyness and his grumpy reluctance, launched into those stories with all the enthusiasm of a man who would rather be nowhere else in the world.”
“They’re refusing to seek better answers because of principle. Because it’s just not done. And every second they waste time waiting for a stupid dream is another lost life. That is someone who is the most important person in the world to another, somewhere.”
““Whatever you need,” he said. “My blood. My books. My knowledge. Anything. It is yours.”"
““Your blood is…” Gods, it was so many things. I settled on, “It could save us.” I was lost there, in that projection, until Vale said, “That’s not true.” I turned back to him. He didn’t look at the blood. Only me. “You,” he said. “You are saving them.”
“Whatever you wish to give me,” he repeated, slowly, like he wanted to make sure I understood. “I’ll have it.”
“You’re injured,” I said softly. His chuckle was low and thick. “Incredible how much better I already feel.”
“You aren’t a stupid man, Vale,” I said quietly, and he winced. “No,” he said. “Just a desperate one.”
“You can feel it in the air, when a god is near. It breaks and shivers, like invisible lightning hanging in your breath, cracking over your skin.”
“I know it wasn’t what you wanted me to do. But I was a general because I was better at giving orders than following them.”