Spinel

In a society rigidly stratified between masters known as Pels and slaves called Spinels, young Duke Rowell stands as an anomaly. Having lost his parents to their crusade for Spinel rights, he steadfastly rejects the oppressive norms of his world, refusing to ever buy or sell another human being. His principled existence is abruptly upended when Dev, a desperate runaway Spinel, steals a treasured family heirloom pendant from him. Rather than simply fleeing, Dev leverages the theft to blackmail Rowell into officially purchasing his servitude. Dev’s true motive extends far beyond mere survival; he intends to exploit Rowell’s considerable wealth and aristocratic influence to track down his own missing family. To achieve this, he aggressively maneuvers to control and dominate the inherently compassionate duke. Bound together by coercion and conflicting agendas, the two are forced into an uneasy partnership that defies the strict boundaries of their world. As generations of deep-seated animosity between Pels and Spinels loom over them, Rowell and Dev must navigate a perilous dynamic. Whether they can look past the societal labels defining them—or if the chasm between master and slave will ultimately prove insurmountable—remains to be seen.