N.E. Davenport pivots dramatically from her science fiction-infused Blood Gift Duology to deliver a pure fantasy romance that trades dystopian trials for fae courts dripping with political machinations and primal desire. Our Vicious Oaths introduces readers to a world where power isn’t just seized—it’s branded onto skin, bound by blood, and consecrated through oaths that carry consequences far beyond the bedroom.
The premise alone crackles with tension: Kadeesha Mercier, archprincess of the Aether Dominion and general of an elite squadron of winged serpent riders, has spent her life preparing for everything except actually wanting the marriage her father arranged. When her wedding day transforms into a bloodbath orchestrated by Malachi, the vengeful Apollyon king, she becomes both hostage and co-conspirator in a game where the stakes are nothing less than the future of their entire world.
A Heroine Who Commands the Sky
What immediately distinguishes Kadeesha from the overcrowded field of fantasy heroines is her refusal to be diminished by circumstance. Davenport crafts a protagonist who leads the Nkita, an all-female warrior sisterhood bonded to kongamatos—massive serpentine creatures that are part dragon, part avian predator. These aren’t mere plot devices; Kadeesha’s relationship with her kongamato, Zahzah, provides some of the novel’s most tender moments, a counterbalance to the relentless political scheming.
The author demonstrates considerable skill in portraying Kadeesha’s internal conflict without making her frustratingly indecisive. She’s a warrior who understands violence, a strategist who recognizes when to negotiate, and a woman who refuses to surrender her agency even when circumstances seem designed to strip it away. Her journey from reluctant bride-to-be to active player in reshaping kingdoms feels organic rather than contrived, rooted in character growth rather than plot necessity.
However, Kadeesha’s occasional inability to see through relatively obvious manipulations can strain credibility. For a character positioned as tactically brilliant, some of her blind spots feel manufactured to serve the plot rather than emerging naturally from her characterization. This inconsistency doesn’t derail the narrative but does create moments where readers might find themselves a step ahead of the protagonist.
The Shadow King’s Complexity
Malachi arrives on the page as precisely the kind of morally ambiguous male lead that contemporary fantasy romance has made its signature, but Davenport invests considerable effort in exploring what drives his darkness. His vendetta isn’t mere villainy—it’s rooted in childhood trauma, the brutal murder of his parents, and the weight of ruling a kingdom that survived attempted genocide. The author walks a delicate line, asking readers to understand Malachi’s motivations without necessarily condoning his methods.
The tension between his capacity for tenderness toward those he considers his own and his ruthlessness toward everyone else creates compelling moral ambiguity. Malachi’s Cadre—his inner circle of warriors—serves as evidence that he’s capable of loyalty and even affection, yet his willingness to massacre innocents in pursuit of vengeance remains a legitimate concern that the narrative doesn’t shy away from addressing.
What works particularly well is how Davenport refuses to smooth Malachi’s edges for the sake of romance. His relationship with Kadeesha forces both characters to confront uncomfortable truths about power, justice, and the cost of revenge. Their dynamic crackles not just with physical chemistry but with genuine ideological conflict that extends beyond superficial disagreements.
A World Built on Magic and Politics
Davenport constructs a richly textured fantasy realm where different courts wield distinct magical abilities:
Aether fae command the fifth element that binds all matter together, manifesting as purple flames that can both create and destroy
Apollyon fae draw power from the moon and the Void itself, wielding shadows and ice with devastating effect
Hyperion and elemental courts bring solar magic and classical elements (fire, water, wind, stone) to the political chessboard
The magic system feels purposeful rather than decorative, directly influencing political alliances, combat strategies, and even the intimate moments between characters. The concept of “Markings”—bite marks that create magical bonds with unpredictable consequences—adds both romantic and strategic complexity to the narrative.
The kongamatos deserve special mention as one of the book’s most successful creations. These war serpents aren’t simply transportation or weapons; they’re sentient beings with distinct personalities, capable of communication with their bonded riders. Zahzah’s relationship with Kadeesha provides emotional grounding and humor that prevent the narrative from drowning in its own darkness.
The Romance: Enemies to Allies to Something More
The central relationship evolves through several distinct phases, each handled with varying degrees of success. The enemies-to-lovers progression feels earned, built on grudging respect that transforms into something more complex as circumstances force cooperation. Davenport understands that genuine chemistry requires more than physical attraction—it demands characters who challenge each other intellectually and emotionally.
Our Vicious Oaths doesn’t shy away from explicit content, and readers should come prepared for multiple detailed intimate scenes that range from intensely passionate to emotionally vulnerable. These moments serve the relationship development rather than feeling gratuitous, though their frequency might overwhelm readers seeking a more balanced ratio of plot to passion.
Where the romance occasionally stumbles is in moments when the magical “Marking” bond feels like a convenient excuse to rush emotional development. The characters’ attraction is palpable and well-established, which makes it frustrating when the narrative seems to credit their connection to magical compulsion rather than genuine compatibility. This tension between magical influence and authentic feeling becomes a central question the characters themselves grapple with, which adds interesting complexity even as it occasionally muddles the emotional arc.
Political Intrigue Meets Prophecy
The novel’s political framework—vassal kings bound to serve a high king, prophecies that determine succession, and the delicate balance between different fae courts—provides substantial narrative weight beyond the central romance. Davenport excels at depicting the chess game of alliances, where every conversation carries multiple layers of meaning and trust is a luxury few can afford.
The prophecy element, while familiar to fantasy readers, receives thoughtful treatment. Rather than feeling like predetermined destiny, the prophecy becomes a tool that various factions interpret and manipulate to serve their own ends. This approach allows for genuine tension about the future while avoiding the sense that characters are merely puppets dancing to fate’s tune.
The pregnancy plot thread adds both political significance and personal stakes, though it risks reinforcing problematic tropes about women’s value being tied to their ability to produce heirs. To Davenport’s credit, she gives Kadeesha agency in this situation and explores the complicated emotions surrounding an unplanned pregnancy within an already complex political landscape.
Prose That Burns and Shadows
Davenport’s writing style has matured considerably since her science fiction debut. Her prose in Our Vicious Oaths leans into lush, sensory description without tipping into purple excess. Combat sequences pulse with kinetic energy, political negotiations crackle with subtext, and intimate scenes balance raw passion with emotional vulnerability.
The pacing occasionally falters in the middle section, where political maneuvering threatens to bog down narrative momentum. Some scenes of court intrigue could have been trimmed without losing essential information. However, the author demonstrates skill in balancing multiple plot threads—the romance, the revenge plot, the prophetic implications, and various court intrigues—without losing sight of the central emotional journey.
What Works and What Doesn’t
Strengths that elevate the narrative:
A heroine who maintains her agency and complexity throughout
Richly developed magical systems that feel integral to the world
Political intrigue that adds genuine stakes beyond personal relationships
Supporting characters, particularly the Nkita sisters, who feel fully realized
Elements that create friction:
Pacing inconsistencies, particularly in the middle act
Occasional plot conveniences that strain credibility
The high frequency of explicit scenes may overwhelm some readers
Some moral complexities feel unresolved, though this may be intentional
Recommended for Readers Who Enjoy
If you found yourself captivated by Our Vicious Oaths, consider exploring these similar titles:
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout – Features a fierce heroine, politically complex worldbuilding, and an enemies-to-lovers dynamic with similar heat levels
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – Offers fae politics, morally gray love interests, and lush fantasy romance
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black – Provides darker fae courts, political machinations, and a heroine who refuses to be underestimated
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin – Delivers enemies-to-lovers with religious/political intrigue and characters forced into proximity
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas – Combines urban and high fantasy with complex worldbuilding and steamy romance
The Verdict
Our Vicious Oaths represents N.E. Davenport’s confident entry into epic fantasy romance territory. While it carries the hallmarks of its subgenre—morally gray male lead, fierce heroine, prophecy, and abundant steam—the author invests genuine effort in exploring themes of power, revenge, agency, and the cost of violence that elevate it beyond simple romance. The novel doesn’t always succeed in balancing its various ambitions, and some readers will find Malachi’s brutality difficult to reconcile with his role as romantic lead, but the strong characterization and richly developed world make for a compelling read.
Our Vicious Oaths is fantasy romance that isn’t afraid to be dark, to ask uncomfortable questions about justice and vengeance, or to let its characters make genuinely questionable choices. Davenport has crafted a world readers will want to return to, with a central relationship complex enough to sustain interest through inevitable sequels. For readers who appreciate their fantasy with sharp edges and their romance with genuine emotional stakes, Our Vicious Oaths delivers a satisfying—if occasionally uneven—journey through courts where oaths bind tighter than chains and love proves as dangerous as any weapon.