In most romance novels, the question is: “Will they or won’t they?” In The Conservatory of Thorns, the question is: “If they do, will they survive it?”
I’ve been deep in the editing cave this week (mostly arguing with my manuscript about whether characters are wearing boots or are barefoot—don’t ask), but I wanted to talk about the unique challenge of writing the dynamic between Elara and Varic.
The “Battery” Dynamic We know the tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Grumpy x Sunshine, Forced Proximity. But for this book, I realized I was writing something different. I call it Magical Codependency.
Elara is a Void. She is an empty vessel that incinerates magic. Varic is an Overgrowth. He is a walking generator producing too much magic, slowly calcifying into wood because he can’t burn it off fast enough.
Individually, they are broken. Varic is in constant pain; Elara is in constant hunger. Together, they are a closed circuit.
Intimacy as Survival Writing their scenes has been a balancing act. In a world where plants eat people and the air is full of toxic spores, “romance” isn’t about candlelit dinners. It’s about stabilization.
When they touch, it isn’t just affection. It’s a medical procedure. Elara siphons the excess energy that is killing him; Varic grounds the hunger that is driving her mad.
It makes every touch high-stakes. It makes intimacy dangerous because it creates an addiction. They aren’t just falling in love; they are becoming chemically dependent on the relief they provide each other.
And honestly? That is infinitely more terrifying (and fun to write) than a simple crush.
Status Update: Drafting is nearing the finish line. The continuity errors are being hunted down. The spice is… complicated.
Stay tuned.
— S.B.
