The Red Moon's Slave

The Red Moon Festival brings pomp and grandeur to the streets of Dawn City, a testament to the power and wealth of the Realm of the Dragon Kings. Amidst the splendor, a dark underbelly trails behind—t he slaves, bound and invisible, with no choice but to follow their masters' opulent parade. One among them is Calista, a seventeen-year-old girl with striking emerald-green eyes, caught in a covenant of endless subjugation. Calista's master, a Senior Minister, has just received a coveted red envelope—an invitation to the inner sanctum of the Sovereign Hall. The city erupts in festivities while hunger gnaws at the lower rungs of society. Inside the palace, the elite flaunt their riches, but the true spectacle awaits in the Grand Arena: the Offering. An ancient tradition of grim entertainment for the nobles, where captives are cast into the arena to be torn apart by Imperial Dragons, fearsome creatures revered as semi-divine. Thrown into this deadly coliseum, Calista stands out not for her beauty alone, but for her unwavering strength. As six dragons circle their prey, the audience braces for another brutal slaughter. But something extraordinary happens. The Black Dragon, known for its bloodthirsty nature, approaches Calista not to destroy her but to protect her. It curls around her in a fortress of scales, bewildering the crowd and captivating the Imperial Princes. Among the astonished is the Third Prince, Thalor, a titanic figure revered as the War God. His perfect synergy with his dragon has earned him countless accolades on the battlefield. Watching Calista, Thalor is struck by something he can't put into words—a mixture of fascination and unease. As tension between the Princes mounts, each speculating on whether Calista is a witch or an anomaly, Thalor's silent command keeps his dragon protective over her. Calista’s fate hangs in the balance, subjected to the mercurial whims of the royal court. Her surreal connection with the Black Dragon turns her from nameless captive to the centerpiece of a burgeoning mystery, stirring intrigue and dark currents in the heart of the Dragon Kingdom. In a world where dominance is everything, Calista's survival may depend on more than her defiance—it could be the key to unraveling an empire. ...