In the mystical city of Aethera, where the moon dips into the sea and paints the waves with silver, 22-year-old Zuri Okoye is about to inherit the most powerful magical lineage in the land. As the last descendant of the Lunar Queens, Zuri possesses a rare gift: she can weave moonlight into magic.

But there's a catch - her powers are bound by a centuries-old curse, triggered by her 23rd birthday. To break it, Zuri must marry a "moon-chosen" partner before the full moon cycle ends. The problem? She's never met her moon-chosen, and the eligible bachelors of Aethera are more interested in her title than her heart.

Enter Kiran, a mysterious and seductive stranger with secrets of his own. A shape-shifter with ties to the ancient moon gods, Kiran sweeps into Zuri's life like a dream. As they navigate treacherous magical politics, forbidden attraction, and the curse's deadly clock, Zuri must decide: trust her instincts or lose everything to the moon's whispers.

Will Zuri find love, break the curse, and claim her throne? Or will the shadows of Aethera consume her?

Zuri learned of the curse: marry a moon-chosen before the full moon cycle ends, or lose her powers forever. Kiran's candidacy was sudden but intriguing.


Kiran leaned close. "I have my reasons. And you, Zuri - you feel it too."


Chapter 3 - Moonlit Heiress