The Serpent & the Wings of Night

An Instant New York Times and USA Today Bestseller

The Hunger Games meets vampires in this heart-wrenching, epic fantasy romance of dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue from bestselling author Carissa Broadbent.

For humans and vampires, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent & the Wings of Night is the first book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series.

This edition features a detailed map of the Obitraes.

Crowns of Nyaxia Reading Order:
The Serpent & the Wings of Night
The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone
The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk

Crowns of Nyaxia Standalones
Six Scorched Roses (short novel)
Slaying the Vampire Conqueror

I've been concerning teachers and parents with mercilessly grim tales since I was roughly nine years old. Since then, my stories have gotten (slightly) less depressing and (hopefully a lot?) more readable. Today, I write fantasy novels with a heaping dose of badass ladies and a big pinch of romance.

I work as a cybersecurity marketing professional during the harsh light of day, and am also a visual artist. I live with my fiance, one very well behaved rabbit, one very poorly behaved rabbit, and one perpetually skeptical cat in Rhode Island.

To keep up with my work, join my mailing list at www.carissabroadbentbooks.com!

Praise for the Crowns of Nyaxia series:

"Majorly addicting." - Marie Claire on The Serpent & the Wings of Night on The Serpent & the Wings of Night

“Fans of dark romantasy won’t want to miss this.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review

“[A] haunting, action-packed political fantasy with a doomed romance at its center, full of heartbreak and intrigue.”– Library Journal, starred review

"This fast-paced romantasy... [is] perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and the Vampire Diaries series by L. J. Smith." – Booklist, on The Serpent & the Wings of Night

“Vampire romance lovers will drink this series down to the last drop.”– POPSUGAR, "The 18 Best Fantasy Romance Books"

“Danger, intrigue and a hell of a lot of blood are splashed across the pages of Carissa Broadbent’s gripping fantasy romance” – Bookpage

"A heart-pounding, ultra-slow-burn romance." – Bustle

"Slow burn that pays off" – Vulture, "12 Romantasy Authors to Know"

"Carissa Broadbent's The Serpent and the Wings of Night has all the fun of A Court of Thorns and Roses, but it will also appeal to Twilight fans." – Insider

"This suspenseful, unputdownable novel is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games ― with a fantastical vampire twist!" – Woman's World

"If you are a fan of dangerous fantasy worlds, bloodthirsty vampires, swoon worthy romance and a completely terrifying deadly competition, The Serpent and the Wings of Night is going to be a book you will love." – Book Briefs

"Unputdownable!" – FIRST for Women

The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent is a dark fantasy romance about survival, power, love, and the dangerous cost of wanting to belong. The story follows Oraya, a human woman raised in a brutal vampire world. She was adopted as a child by Vincent, the powerful vampire king of the House of Night, after he found her alone during a massacre. Vincent took her in and raised her as his daughter, but his love was never soft or simple. He trained her to be strong, suspicious, and deadly because, in his world, weakness means death. Oraya grows up surrounded by vampires who see humans as food, and she learns that every moment of survival depends on control, caution, and never forgetting what she is.

Oraya lives in a world ruled by different vampire houses, each tied to gods and old conflicts. Though she is the king’s adopted daughter, she is still human, and that makes her vulnerable. She cannot fully belong among vampires, no matter how skilled she becomes. She trains as a warrior, studies her enemies, and hides her fear behind discipline. Vincent cares for her in his own cold way, but he also keeps her at a distance and teaches her that trust is dangerous. Oraya loves him because he saved and raised her, yet she also knows that he has shaped her into a weapon. Their relationship is one of the emotional centers of the novel, full of loyalty, fear, gratitude, and unanswered questions.

The main plot begins when Oraya enters the Kejari, a legendary tournament held by the goddess Nyaxia. The Kejari is a deadly competition where vampires fight through several trials, and the winner is granted one wish by the goddess. For Oraya, winning is almost impossible because she is human, but she enters anyway because she wants power and freedom. She knows that as long as she remains human in a vampire kingdom, she will always be at risk. Her wish could change her future and give her a chance to control her own life. The tournament is terrifying, filled with violence, betrayal, and competitors who are stronger and faster than she is.

During the Kejari, Oraya meets Raihn, a mysterious vampire from the rival House of Blood. Raihn is charming, dangerous, and difficult to read. At first, Oraya sees him only as a threat. He is everything Vincent warned her about: powerful, clever, and not to be trusted. But Raihn is also different from many of the vampires around them. He shows humor, warmth, and a strange kind of kindness. He saves Oraya when he does not have to, and he seems to understand what it means to be trapped by power. Because the tournament is so dangerous, Oraya and Raihn form an alliance, though both know that only one person can win in the end.

Their alliance slowly grows into something more complicated. Oraya has spent her whole life believing that love and trust are weaknesses, but Raihn challenges that belief. He treats her as capable, not fragile. He respects her strength and does not look at her as merely human prey. Their bond develops through shared danger, quiet conversations, and moments when they choose to protect each other despite the risks. Still, the romance is never simple. Raihn has secrets, and Oraya knows that in the Kejari, feelings can become weapons. The closer she gets to him, the more frightened she becomes, because trusting the wrong person could destroy her.

As the trials continue, Oraya faces not only physical danger but also painful truths about her world. She sees the cruelty of vampire politics and the way power is built on bloodshed. She also begins to question Vincent more deeply. For most of her life, she has believed that Vincent is the only person who truly protects her. But the tournament forces her to see that his protection has always come with control. Vincent loves Oraya, but he has also lied to her and hidden important truths. Oraya’s journey is not just about surviving the Kejari; it is about learning to separate love from possession and safety from captivity.

Raihn’s past is also revealed gradually. He is not simply a rival vampire looking for power. He was once enslaved and brutalized, and his desire to win the Kejari is tied to rebellion and revenge. He wants to overthrow Vincent and change the balance of power in the vampire world. This creates a painful conflict because Oraya’s loyalty to Vincent clashes with her growing love for Raihn. Raihn represents freedom, truth, and a possible future, but he is also an enemy of the only family Oraya has ever known. The novel builds tension around this impossible choice: the father who raised her or the man who sees her as she truly is.

The final stages of the Kejari are brutal and emotionally devastating. Oraya proves again and again that she is more than a weak human. Her intelligence, training, and determination allow her to survive against creatures far stronger than herself. But survival comes at a cost. In the end, Raihn wins the tournament and makes his wish. His victory leads to Vincent’s death and a major shift in power. Oraya is shattered by this betrayal and loss. Even though she had begun to question Vincent, he was still her father, and his death breaks something inside her. Raihn’s actions are both understandable and unforgivable from Oraya’s point of view, which makes the ending especially painful.

After Vincent’s death, Raihn becomes king, and Oraya is left trapped in a new reality. She has lost the person who raised her, discovered that much of her life was built on secrets, and been betrayed by the person she allowed herself to love. Yet the ending also reveals that Oraya is not powerless. She learns that Vincent’s blood runs in her in a way she did not understand, and her identity is more complicated than she believed. This discovery suggests that her story is far from over and that she may have a greater role in the vampire world than anyone expected.

The Serpent & the Wings of Night is a story about a woman fighting to survive in a world designed to destroy her. It combines deadly trials, vampire politics, romance, betrayal, and emotional conflict. Oraya’s journey is powerful because she begins as someone who believes survival means trusting no one, but she is forced to confront love, grief, and the truth about power. The novel ends with heartbreak and uncertainty, leaving Oraya changed forever and setting the stage for an even larger struggle ahead.