Chapter 1
It was a dark, breathless night—one of those nights when storms struck the village of Raven-Wood long before the thunder found its voice.
The moon hung low and ghostly above the rooftops, casting a pale glow over trembling homes.
Every villager felt a cold fear crawling down their spine, for this was no ordinary night.
It was the night of the Blood Moon—a moon that rose only once in a thousand years.
Legends whispered that on this night, a child would be born carrying the blood of the fallen queen, Lady Caterina II, the queen whose wrath had once drowned kingdoms in fire.
A scream shattered the silence.
Luna Rave was crying out in agony, her voice echoing through the narrow streets as she fought the unbearable pain of childbirth. Neighbors crowded around her small cottage, desperately trying to help.
From the look in their eyes, many feared she would not survive the night.
But at last, the child was born.
With trembling hands, Luna gathered the baby into her arms. Love and relief softened her exhausted face.
The child was striking—lips red as blood, hair black as coal, skin pale and smooth as winter snow.
But the moment the baby opened her eyes, every expression in the room collapsed into horror.
Her irises glowed a deep, ruby red—the unmistakable mark of the Blood-Fallen Queen. And on the side of her neck, a birthmark curled like an ink-black serpent crawling against her skin.
Whispers rippled through the room. Fear spread.
Yet Luna held her daughter close, refusing to look away.
She did not care what shape, color, or omen surrounded the child.
She was hers.
Because of her dark, haunting beauty, Luna named her Lunette Rave.
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As Lunette grew, the villagers kept their distance.
Witches and wizards, terrified of ancient prophecies, longed to kill her—believing she was cursed.
One evening, Lunette was returning from the small farm that was her mother's only livelihood. Her father had died in the Kingdom War before she was even born, leaving the farm as their only source of income.
She was halfway across the field when a wizard stepped into her path.
"Caught you," he rasped.
Before she could scream, he pulled out a sharp knife that glinted with a promise of death. His eyes narrowed at her crimson irises.
"Let's pluck those out first," he hissed, laughing cruelly.
But as the blade touched Lunette's skin, the birthmark on her neck flared with light—burning bright as living fire.
The wizard stiffened, a scream locked in his throat. He collapsed, writhing, as if his bones twisted and his flesh burned from within.
Terrified, Lunette ran—faster than she had ever run in her life.
When she reached home, she found Luna crying. Her mother rushed toward her, relief flooding her face.
"Where have you been?" she sobbed.
Lunette told her everything. Every strange, terrifying detail.
For a heartbeat, Luna's face tightened with fear. Then she pulled Lunette inside and shut the door.
Questions stormed Lunette's mind, but her mother refused to answer even one of them.
The birthmark continued to glow unexpectedly—always when danger crept close.
What is hidden inside this mark?
The question haunted her every night.
One evening, as she gazed out the wooden window at the silver moon, she saw something dart across the forest edge. Something—or someone.
"Mother? Is that you?" she called.
No answer.
Her birthmark ignited with a sudden glow. Lunette quickly covered it with her collar and slammed the window shut.
After that night, Luna made a desperate decision: they would leave Raven-Wood at once.
"It's for your safety," she insisted.
But as Lunette looked toward the darkened forest one last time, a single thought echoed inside her heart:
Will running away truly save me?