Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 173: Hide and Seek

**Tiana's POV**

As I stepped out of the forger's den and back into the dimly lit streets, I realized just then how much the city had changed. Shadowclaw wasn't the place I remembered. The people moved with a sense of urgency, their footsteps quiet on the pavement. They walked with their shoulders hunched as if they were afraid of being watched.

There were more guards patrolling the streets now, their eyes scanning the crowds with a mixture of suspicion and hostility. I knew I had to be careful. I had three days to wait for my papers, and three days to survive without being caught or drawing attention to myself.

But first, I needed a place to stay. The inns were out of the question. No one would rent me a room without asking for my name, and leaving a trail of identification was a surefire way to get myself killed.

I needed somewhere less formal, somewhere people didn't ask too many questions. Somewhere I could blend in and stay hidden. But where?

I knew Shadowclaw had a secret place where people who didn't want to be found could hide. It was for people who were in trouble with the law, or who didn't have anywhere else to go. I had heard about it before when I had visited the tavern. Initially, I didn't pay much attention to it but for some reason now, the conversation of two random people with blurred faces flashes through my mind.

If I could find this secret place, I might be able to hide there for a while. So I made my way through the poorer parts of the city, keeping my head down and trying not to draw attention to myself. The streets smelled bad - like trash and dirty water and it was hard to breathe in any fresh air.

As I walked, I felt a knife poking me in the back. I stopped moving and put my hands up, so whoever was holding the knife would know I wasn't going to fight.

"Lost, little bird?" a voice murmured in my ear.

I didn’t flinch. "I’m looking for shelter."

The pressure of the knife didn’t ease. "Shelter ain’t free."

"I can pay."

A low chuckle. "Then let’s talk business."

The knife disappeared, and I turned to see a man stepping out of the shadows. He was thin, and wiry, with sharp features and eyes that darted constantly, taking in every detail. The kind of man who made his living knowing things he shouldn’t.

"How long?" he asked.

"Three days."

He tapped his fingers against the hilt of his blade, considering. "Food and a place to sleep will cost you."

I held his gaze. "How much?"

"A silver a night. No trouble. No questions."

I didn’t like the price, but I didn’t have a choice. I handed over the coins.

"Follow me," he said.

*+*+*+*+*

The so-called "safe house" was nothing more than a damp, crumbling building with too many people and too little space. But it was quiet, and no one looked at me twice. That was enough.

I spent my first day observing and listening. The city was different, and I needed to understand how much.

Shadowclaw had always been strict, but now the Alpha’s grip was suffocating. Soldiers patrolled in twos and threes, their hands never far from their weapons. People spoke in hushed tones, casting nervous glances over their shoulders.

Rumours whispered of disappearances. Of secret executions. Of rebellion brewing in the shadows.

The palace was tightening its hold. But why?

I needed to be careful.

By the second day, I knew I couldn't hide forever. If I didn't do something, someone would start to notice me. So I found a job. It was just carrying boxes for a tavern near the market. The owner didn't ask me any questions, and I kept to myself. It was a good way for me to listen and hear things I wasn't supposed to.

That's how I found out about the palace. Some women were talking at the tavern, and they said the Alpha was hiring new servants. They said the selection process would be in five days. That was perfect. By the time I got my papers, I would have a way into the palace.

I was excited, but I tried not to show it. I kept my face blank and my fists clenched.

That night, when I left the tavern, I felt like someone was watching me again. I didn't turn around. I just kept walking, trying to stay alert. Then I heard footsteps behind me. They were light and careful, but not careful enough.

I quickly turned into an alley and pressed my back against the wall. I waited for the person to turn the corner, and then I jumped out and held a dagger to their throat.

"Why are you following me?" I whispered.

The man just smiled. "You're quick," he said.

I pressed the dagger harder against his throat. "Answer my question," I said.

He looked at me with a curious expression. "You work too well for an ordinary girl," he said. "Who are you?"

I didn't say anything. I could tell he wasn't just a regular thief or a curious stranger. He was testing me, and that made him dangerous.

I pushed him away and disappeared into the shadows before he could follow me.

But I wasn't safe yet. As I walked deeper into the city, trying to get lost in the streets, I stumbled upon something even worse. A dead body.

A man lay slumped against the wall, blood pooling beneath him.

I barely had time to react before voices shouted behind me.

"There she is!"

I didn't waste any time. I took off running, dashing through the streets, jumping over crates, and weaving past people who looked at me in confusion. I could hear boots pounding the ground behind me, but I was faster. I had to be.

Finally, I stopped to catch my breath in another alley. I had lost the guards, but my relief didn't last long. That's when I saw a piece of paper stuck under a loose brick. I picked it up, and my heart started racing. Three words stared back at me:

I know who you are.