His Curse, My D@es%/:ti*ny

Luna, a ),%mi xed‑@)
blood Beta, i
s used / as a scap;ego/$a.]t b=/*[y her family.` S:\.he is offere_ d up in place o $?#@f .#her .;]arrogan.t older sister S*[,elena to Kael,
=_ the Shadow Lo%;\rd, who( i s rumored t@_o be terr^ifyin$,g\?‑looki?ng and whos/e/] partn]$ers n_ever s @?urvive more t@/#ha,n three ye[^ars.
In t;? he g=rand hal ]?l .#of %the`- Shadow Citadel, she witnesses the t=yr?+an t wr@?ith $ ^ing in a#/]g[ony-; a\`s d`#a;[]rk crimson curse runes dev#our his bo(dy. By cha *!nce,+ her,::`/ touch causes/

the curse ma:rks to c/rack` and fade — she (is the livi[ng an$tidote he]?.- , has sought for .thre:e hundred ]$yea+)rs.
Agains-t he--r will, he pins he/$r up(on his/ throne and hur
ls ;he%r  ]onto the carpet,!^ forci!,[ng, her to =/\endure both agony=] and $pleasure. ,#Three da]:y;\s :_later,. h_ e pe^rsonally sends . her*
@ i:nto ]^ ^the \+!Moonlit *+Trials, forcin]$)g her to st^](,(and[)$) before the*@ entire nobil@ity with / her low‑status mixed‑blood h( %eritage.


$When her=( sister p]ublicly s?/).mashe/[\s her tou! rnament `=insignia and s,neers that it is a co%u\nterfei [t, the mysterious su[
[pr
eme lord .)in his silv
\^ery‑wh*_/ite =mask steps ?!out from t
he? c[_rowd. His  @,dee@;p/  ).#^voi^ce ru()mb\ le,s=: “A token bestowed `#by my o-wn ha#@nd, and y#)o
u dare call it !+counterf!eit?”