The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King
Love is a sacrifice at the altar of power.
In the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.
The House of Night, too, is surrounded by enemies. Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. And the House of Blood digs their claws into the kingdom, threatening to tear it apart from the inside.
When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom–and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. But to do so, she’ll need to harness a devastating ancient power, intertwined with her father’s greatest secrets.
But with enemies closing in on all sides, nothing is as it seems. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power – and the devastating love that could be her downfall.
Full of heartbreak, redemption, bloody intrigue, and heart-pounding action, The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King is the gutting second installment of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, and the conclusion of the Nightborn Duet – perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.
Readers also enjoyed
Carissa Broadbent
Carissa Broadbent writes stories that blend the extraordinary with the intimately personal, taking readers on journeys where magic is woven into the fabric of everyday life. Known for her immersive world-building and deeply emotional character arcs, Carissa's work transports readers to fantastical realms where romance and high-stakes adventure collide.
Before becoming a full-time author, Carissa was immersed in the world of cybersecurity marketing by day and crafting her own stories by night. This dual life—one grounded in technology, the other in imagination—fueled her ability to create worlds that feel both vibrant and lived-in, where the stakes are as high as the emotions. Her debut series, Crowns of Nyaxia, made waves in the fantasy community, particularly her first book, The Serpent and the Wings of Night. Blending romance, dark magic, and complex moral dilemmas, it quickly gained a dedicated following, especially among fans of emotionally charged fantasy.
Crowns of Nyaxia
In the dark, dangerous world of Nyaxia, power is everything. The Crowns of Nyaxia series immerses readers in a land where gods walk among mortals, vampire politics are a deadly game, and love is a luxury that could get you killed. The series follows Oraya, a human thrust into a deadly tournament held by the goddess of death, forced to compete against vampires in a contest that will determine her fate. But as the lines between enemy and ally blur, she finds herself caught in an uneasy alliance with Raihn, a vampire prince whose motives are as shadowed as the world they inhabit.
Crowns of Nyaxia consists of four primary books, and includes two additional books that complement the series but are not considered mandatory reads and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of two more books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
