Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 184: A Bold Fool

Tiana's POV

The words rang through the courtyard like a blade striking stone. Silence followed but I could see the agreement in the eyes of everyone present.

The silence was not the kind of silence that was peaceful. This one came with an uneasy feeling that settled into my bones because I knew this could be my end. Maybe I had made a mistake by not holding back, but how else did I want to prove myself?

My blood turned cold, an unnatural chill creeping into my veins. It spread slowly, starting from my fingertips and curling its way up my arms, tightening around my ribs until I could barely breathe.

"You are a spy," Alpha Roman said again with so much conviction in his blood.

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. The word just hung there, echoing off the walls and making me feel like I was staring death in the face. It wrapped around me, squeezing tight, and I could feel my heart racing.

I tried to stay still, not to move or flinch, even though I was scared. I was really scared. My heart was pounding in my throat, and all I wanted to do was run. But I didn't. I stood there, frozen, trying to catch my breath.

The people around me started whispering to each other. It was a low, quiet sound, like a bunch of snakes slithering through the grass. Some of them sounded curious like they were trying to figure out what was going on. Others sounded suspicious like they thought I'd done something wrong.

But some of them... some of them sounded hungry. Like they could smell blood in the air and were waiting for the kill. That's what scared me the most. That's what made my heart pound even harder.

I tried to stay calm, to tell myself that everything would be okay. But it was hard. The whispers were getting louder, the crowd was getting more agitated, and I could feel the fear rising up inside me. I just wanted to get out of there, to run away and hide. But I couldn't. I was stuck, standing there in the middle of the crowd of noble people, waiting for... whatever was going to happen next.

Theo's expression didn't change but Layla, standing beside him, folded her arms, a slow smile spreading across her lips. She looked pleased, satisfied as if she had known this would happen all along.

It was as if she had been waiting for the moment I would be exposed and branded a traitor. Peter didn't say a word, but I could feel his eyes on me, like a weight pressing against my skin. He was searching, testing, trying to find the truth beneath the lies.

Above us, Alpha Roman leaned forward in his seat, the dim torchlight casting shadows across his face. His fingers steepled beneath his chin, the gesture slow and calculated, like a predator studying its prey.

"Fighting like that means you've had training," he said, his voice measured and deliberate. My throat was dry, too dry. I swallowed, the movement almost painful, and lifted my chin.

"I have, Your Majesty," I replied, trying to sound calm. A fresh wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd, but Roman didn't react. He only narrowed his eyes, the darkness in them deepening.

"Where?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.

The pause lasted only a breath. “From my best friend.”

He scoffed, the sound slow, almost amused. "Your best friend?"

"Yes," I said, my voice steady, my heart anything but. "He was a soldier—one of the many who fought and died when the rogues attacked the borders. He taught me everything his mentor taught him."

His mentor being Peter, I wanted to say. But I bit down on the words before they could slip free.

Roman's fingers tapped against the armrest of his chair, a slow and steady beat that echoed in my mind. "You're a servant, a girl, and yet a soldier took the time to train you?" he asked, his voice dripping with skepticism.

I stood up straight, trying to appear confident. "Yes, Your Majesty. We grew up together. He wanted me to be able to defend myself, just in case something happened to him."

Roman's lips curved into a cold smile. "And something did happen to him, didn't it?" he said softly.

"Yes," I replied, pretending that I was trying to keep my emotions in check.

The silence that followed was oppressive, stretching out like a noose around my neck. "And yet, despite your training, you came here to be a palace servant. Why?" Roman asked, his eyes boring into mine.

I forced myself to breathe evenly, trying to come up with a convincing lie. "Because he always said the palace was the safest place to be," I said quickly. "And I knew there were no women in the royal guard. If I had applied to be a soldier, I would have been turned away."

The king made a quiet sound, giving away nothing. "And what do you hope to achieve in the palace?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

I met his gaze head-on, willing my voice to stay strong. "I want to fight, to serve in a way that would honour him. To protect the people within these walls, if Your Majesty will allow it."

Roman didn't react immediately. Every noble in the courtyard seemed to be holding their breath, waiting, watching.

Then, after what felt like forever, he let out a quiet chuckle.

"You're either the boldest fool I've ever met," he said, "or the best liar."

I clenched my hands into fists, my nails biting into my palms. My expression remained neutral, my heart hammering behind my ribs. "I am neither, Your Majesty."

"Then you wouldn't mind proving it."

I exhaled carefully. "Of course not."

Roman studied me for a long, heavy moment. Then, with a flick of his wrist, two guards stepped forward. Their hands clamped around my arms before I could even react, their grips unyielding.

"You will be taken to a room," he said simply. "It’s not a prison cell, but don’t take that as a sign of mercy." His voice was cold, empty of warmth. "You will stay there until I decide what to do with you.”