“Luna, I will spank you with that spoon if you don’t get to work, young lady!” a shrill voice tore through the house.

Luna winced as she peeked out of her hammock bed. “Mamaaa,” she whined. “I don’t want to shovel garbage today!”

“Then I’m guessing food and water aren’t for today either? The day has already begun and you’re still in bed. Up now!” Menorah stood with her hands on her hips, a wooden spoon poised like a weapon.

Eighteen years had passed since Menorah had fled the palace with a baby wrapped in fear and moonlight. Their little family was poor—poorer than most—but full of warmth. They sifted through garbage and sold anything valuable to survive. It wasn’t the life Menorah had dreamed of, but it was a life.

The city of Ravenclave was rigidly divided. At the center stood the palace and the Golden Lands—home to royals and the obscenely wealthy. Just beyond that lived the workers and commoners. And farthest of all, hidden in the city’s outskirts, lay the Unwanted: the poorest of the poor, scavengers clinging to survival. That’s where Menorah and Luna lived.

It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than death. And they had each other.

“Luna!” Menorah thundered again.

Mostly love…

“Yes, mother!” Luna jumped down and hurried over. Menorah handed her a basket, and Luna kissed her cheek before dashing off.

Menorah watched her go. If only Alora could see her now. Luna had grown into a striking young woman. Her dark brown curls framed a chiselled tan face. With expressive brown eyes and full lips, she was the envy of the neighborhood girls. But much to Menorah’s chagrin, Luna wasn’t very feminine. She preferred climbing, exploring, and rumbling around with boys. Most of all, she asked too many questions about the palace.

She was obsessed with it. When Menorah shared stories of her days as a palace maid, Luna would listen wide-eyed, absorbing tales of jeweled gowns, golden halls, and armored guards on horseback. But nothing enchanted her more than the dragons.

Each royal was born alongside a dragon egg. They grew together, bonded by something deeper than blood. It was rare, beautiful, and unattainable.

Luna wanted that. She believed—deep in her soul—that she belonged in the sky.

“It’s good to dream,” Menorah had told her once, “but don’t let dreams be all you have, my love.”

No one from the Unwanted entered the Golden Lands. It was forbidden.

Still, Menorah sometimes wished they could escape this city entirely. Go somewhere else. Somewhere free.

Luna dreamed of the same as she sifted through a pile of garbage that afternoon.

“Got your head stuck in the clouds again, Luna?” a familiar voice teased.

“Quiet, Mark!” she scowled. “I just don’t understand why we’re the ones discarded. We’re just as capable as anyone inside those

golden walls.”

“It’s always been like this,” Mark replied with a shrug. “The poor live in the filth of the rich.”

“If I were in power, I’d tear down every wall. Gold doesn’t make someone royal. We’re all human.”

Mark smiled. Luna had dreams—big ones. Dreams of dragons, glory, and changing the world. The odds were impossible. But

Luna never cared about odds.

“What do you think this is?” Mark pointed to a navy-blue, wrinkled sphere nestled in the trash.

“I don’t know... maybe some kind of royal keepsake?” Luna frowned, examining it. The texture was rough and leathery.

“Ew. Keep it,” he said, waving her off. “If you find out what it is, tell me.”

Luna tucked it into her basket and moved on. Later, she left the basket near the animals behind her house and went inside to nap.

“Luna? The king has sent soldiers to see us!” Menorah’s panicked voice rang out.

Luna bolted up and rushed outside.

“This is your daughter?” the soldier asked. He wore black armor—different from the city patrols.

“Yes, sir. Luna is my daughter. I birthed her,” Menorah said, her tone wary.

“I understand, ma’am,” he replied respectfully—strangely so.

“Then why are you here?” Luna asked, frowning. “What do you want from us?”

The soldier blinked, surprised by her boldness.

“Luna!” Menorah hissed.

“He can question us, and we can’t ask anything?” Luna crossed her arms defiantly.

“This is by the king’s order. We’ve had reports of unrest in the city,” he explained.

“And why wouldn’t there be unrest?” Luna snapped. “You’ve locked us away in poverty and built walls so you wouldn’t have to see us!”

The man chuckled and removed his helmet. His long dark hair was tied back, and his storm-gray eyes glinted with amusement—

perhaps even respect.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Luna. I’m Kai. And as for the poverty... the king will help.” He smiled, then turned and walked away.

“He was handsome,” Menorah murmured.

Luna nudged her, cheeks flushed.

All thoughts of sleep forgotten, Luna went to check on the animals—and the strange object. To her surprise, it was even more wrinkled now. She brushed off the hay and sat with it on her lap.

“Some kind of container?” she wondered aloud.

She tried prying it open with her fingers, then with the small knife she always carried. Nothing happened.

“Maybe fire?” she muttered.

She struck flint and lit a small pile of hay, holding the object close to the flame.

To her shock, the sphere began to glow red—and move.

“A dragon egg?” she breathed. “It’s a dragon egg!”

The sphere pulsed, then exploded in her hands.

Luna flew back, coughing, her face smeared in sticky goo.

“What the hell...?” she gasped.

Where the shell lay shattered, a tiny creature emerged. It looked like a lizard, but with delicate wings. It crawled toward the

embers.

“You want the fire?” Luna whispered, blowing gently to stoke the flames.

The creature curled near the heat, eyes fluttering shut.

Her breath caught in her throat.

A dragon.

She had a dragon.

She had her own dragon.