The Fallen and The Kiss of Dusk by Carissa Broadbent

Here is a summary with spoilers for The Fallen and The Kiss of Dusk by Carissa Broadbent

Mische has just betrayed the love of her life but sacrificed herself to save him and those she loves. Her sacrifice supposedly killed her, but she wakes up to find herself with the once-king of the vampires, Vincent. Vincent tells her she needs to get up, find motivation, and start working, as they have much to do.

Asar is devastated, haunted by the memory of Mische’s dead body in his arms. The White Pantheon currently holds him prisoner, and as a test, they trap him in an illusion where he believes Mische is there with him. Once he realizes it is not truly her, he returns to reality and speaks with the weaver Acaeja. She gives him two options. First, she can grant him extra power so he can reclaim his throne from his sister, fulfilling his dreams of power and loyalty—but Mische will remain dead, and her sacrifice will stand. Second, she can tie their lives together, but he must gain enough power to become a god within three weeks. If he fails, millions of souls will be damned. However, Mische will be restored to him and able to help. To achieve this godhood, Asar must wield the three cores of Alarus’s power. Asar quickly chooses the second option, desperate to do anything to bring Mische back.

Meanwhile, Mische is being hunted by Sentinels but survives thanks to Vincent and her loyal dog, Luce, who luckily appears. Vincent tells her she must cross the veil and help Asar ascend, for only she can guide him. If he fails, the underworld will collapse and drag countless mortals down with it. She fights her way toward Asar, and they finally reunite. They are taken to the mortal world, where they embrace, but Asar realizes something is wrong: Mische is not fully human. She is a wraith, and no living thing can touch a wraith. Before he can question her, they are returned to his vampire court, where Mische is stabbed and sent straight back to Vincent, who scolds her to pull herself together and stop dying.

When she returns to the mortal world, she finds herself once again in the vampire court, surrounded by angry vampires. Asar rushes in, claiming that she is his wife and cannot be harmed. To protect her further, Asar must swear fealty to his sister, allowing him access to the castle in search of one of the three relics of Alarus: the mask, the eye, and the heart.

While searching his home, Asar discovers Gideon and is forced to kill him in order to extract glyphs from his mind, which point to the mask’s tomb. With this information, he and Mische plan a heist during a ball. Their plan is interrupted when Raihn appears, demanding to know what has happened to Mische. Not wanting to be distracted, Mische orders him to turn back and not help her, then runs to continue the mission. Against all odds, they succeed in retrieving the mask, though Mische sacrifices herself to a soul eater so Asar can secure it. Asar dons the mask and is overwhelmed by its power. The mask whispers to him, making him forget himself, but seeing Mische allows him to fight back. He saves her and rips the mask off before it consumes him entirely.

When Mische and Asar escape the tunnels, chaos has erupted. Sentinels have invaded the vampire court, and the underworld veil is breaking. They fight to survive, and Mische encounters Raihn again. To protect him, she compels him to leave before he is injured. She and Asar then watch as the House of Shadows, Asar’s home, is destroyed.

Their next task is to break into the Keeper’s stronghold and retrieve the eye (or an axe). They enlist Artius’s help, and the four infiltrate the Keeper’s domain, only to find him already dead. Mische uses her magic to bring him back, only so they can kill him again. After defeating him, they pass into the execution fields, where Srana awaits. A battle erupts, and Mische is dragged into the fire, her strength fading. With Vincent’s help, she holds on long enough to seize the eye, then returns to Asar, who is locked in combat with Srana. She gives him the eye, and he puts on the mask, prepared to kill her, but when Mische is injured, he restrains himself and uses the mask only to get her to safety.

When Mische wakes, she senses Asar has made a deal, as she feels more whole than before. She also finds herself in the same room as Raihn and Oraya, who demand the truth. When Asar returns to her, Mische reveals everything—from their time in the underworld to her death and their mission to protect it. Raihn and Oraya agree to help, as their kingdom is already suffering from the underworld’s collapse. Asar, however, begins to worry, for the mask and the eye whisper to him even when he is not touching them. He decides to keep this to himself.

Mische and Oraya are then attacked. A massive battle breaks out as a crack in the underworld tears through their city. They fight desperately to hold it back, but time is running out. Vale appears, revealed to be Gideon in disguise, and it is all a trap set by the gods. The House of Night is the sacrifice. Sentinels attack, targeting Mische. When all seems lost, Mische realizes Nyaxia herself is arriving. She intends to destroy the House of Night, but Asar intercepts her. Nyaxia is pleased to see him close to fulfilling his mission. She offers to ascend him, with Mische at his side. Asar refuses, instead asking that she spare the House of Night so he may still try to save the underworld. Nyaxia agrees, but demands a price: a heart for a heart. She takes Alarus’s heart and places it into Asar’s chest.

Nyaxia embraces the new god of death, hoping to find traces of her long-lost lover Alarus within him. But Asar, now the god of death, is drawn to a mortal woman—Mische. Before he can reach her, Nyaxia takes him away. Mische is devastated and allows her sister, who has escaped the underworld, to take her.

The god of death is lost within Nyaxia’s grasp, while she prepares for war, eager to unleash her resurrected lover upon the mortal world. But Asar seems distant, and Nyaxia grows impatient. Meanwhile, Mische wakes once again to Vincent. This time, he tells her that she is part god, with the same powers as Asar, though she has not yet ascended. She must find him and take Alarus’s heart from him if they are to save the underworld.

Mische confronts the god of death. Knowing Asar is still inside him, she distracts him long enough to drive a dagger into his chest and cut Alarus’s heart in half. This brings Asar back as a mortal while granting Mische a share of divinity. Nyaxia is furious, but Acaeja intervenes, declaring Mische the Queen of the Underworld. The dead now answer to her and Asar.

Together, Mische and Asar embrace their new roles, working with Raihn and Oraya to repair the damage and prepare for the future. One evening, Asar takes Mische to the underworld, where he has found her sister. Mische is able to speak with her and help her pass on peacefully. Afterwards, Asar and Mische perform an underworld marriage ceremony, beginning their new life together.

In the epilogue, Nyaxia rages, demanding retribution and war. She turns to Septimus for aid. Ten years later, Septimus is still fighting. The war has raged on for a decade, but he senses the end is near—and he has made himself indispensable.