Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 214: Game of 50/50

Tiana's POV

I had no idea where I was going, but I knew I had to get as far away from Commander Rhylen as possible. He had made it clear that he wasn't done with me yet, and the only way to survive this was to stay one step ahead of him.

The palace was enormous, a confusing maze of corridors, hidden chambers, and narrow passageways. But I knew it better than anyone. I had spent enough time here to find my way around, even in the dark.

I just had to keep moving. I had to find a way out of the palace and into the city beyond. And then, I could disappear.

I didn't stop running. My lungs burned, and my legs ached, but I pushed forward. I had no idea where I was going - just away. Away from Rhylen. Away from the palace walls that had suddenly become a prison.

I turned a sharp corner, and before I could react, I slammed into someone. Strong hands grabbed my shoulders, steadying me before I could hit the ground.

For a moment, I just stared up at the person who had caught me. I couldn't see his face clearly, but I could sense their surprise. And something else that looked almost like concern.

"Talia?" Peter's voice was sharp with concern. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded, his eyes scanning my face.

His gaze dropped to the frayed ropes dangling from my wrists, and his whole body tensed. "What happened?" he asked, his eyes wide with panic.

I tried to catch my breath, shaking my head frantically. "You don't know?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Peter frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Know what? Rhylen told me you blacked out. He said he was taking you to the infirmary." His grip on my shoulders tightened. "I wanted to go with him, but he told me the king sent for me. I just finished with the king, and I was heading to see you."

I felt my stomach twist painfully as I realized the truth. So Rhylen had planned it all perfectly. Separating Peter from me, making sure I had no one to turn to. He had every intention of moving me somewhere else before anyone could notice. The palace was only temporary because people would be watching.

"Peter," I gasped, gripping his forearm. "Rhylen lied to you. He locked me in a cell." My voice broke as the memories came flooding back. "He tied me up. He wasn't taking me to the infirmary, he was waiting for the right time to move me. If I hadn't escaped..."

I couldn't finish the sentence, but Peter's face told me he understood. His expression went blank, completely void of emotion. But I knew him. That wasn't the look of someone who didn't care. It was the look of someone barely holding back fury. His eyes seemed to burn with a fierce intensity, and I knew that he was fighting to keep his anger in check.

“He what?” His voice was dangerously quiet.

“He locked me up,” I repeated, tightening my grip on his arm. “I don’t know who he’s working for, but it’s not the king. I'd been snooping around and overheard him talking to some men about how the mission wasn't successful," that part of it was a lie, but I needed to give Peter a believable story as to why Commander Rhylen would single me out. "And that next time they had to succeed against the king."

Peter took a step back, shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe what I was saying. “That doesn’t make sense. Rhylen has been fighting with us and—” He stopped, jaw clenching. “Are you sure?”

I gave him a sharp look. “You think I would make this up? Oh, so I would just single-handedly decide to tie myself up, to give myself bruises? What do I even stand to gain by lying against him?"

Peter let out a harsh breath and ran a hand through his hair. "No, I just..." He stopped himself again, pacing a few steps away before turning back to me. "He's been by my side for years. How could I have missed this?"

"Because he didn't want you to," I said, my voice bitter. "He played you, Peter. He played all of us."

Peter stared at me, and I could see the conflict raging behind his eyes. Trust versus doubt. Loyalty versus truth. But then, something shifted in his expression. Resolve.

"We're going back," he said, his voice firm.

I jerked back, shocked. "What? No! I just got out of there, I'm not going back..."

He grabbed my wrist, not hard, but firm. "Listen to me. If we go back, if I tie you up again and make it look like you never left, we can trap him."

I gaped at him, incredulous. "Are you insane? I barely made it out once! What if he moves me before you can do anything?"

Peter's voice dropped lower, his eyes locked on mine. "I won't be alone. I'll have men with me, hidden and waiting. The second he comes back for you, we'll ambush him."

My breath came fast, my mind racing. It was a crazy plan, full of risks. But if we pulled it off...

"What if he doesn't come back?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Peter's eyes darkened. "He will. If he's planning to move you, it'll be soon. He won't risk leaving you there too long. We just have to make sure we're ready."

I hesitated, my heart pounding in my chest. It was a gamble, a huge risk. But if we succeeded...

"Fine," I whispered. "But you better be fast, Peter."

Peter's lips curled into a small, fierce smile. "You just focus on acting helpless. Let me handle the rest."

I swallowed hard as he turned toward the palace. I had barely escaped that cell, and now I was willingly walking back into it. This was either the smartest thing we'd ever done or the last.