Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 215: At Dawn

Tiana's POV

I sat in the cold, damp cell, my wrists bound once again, but this time, it was all part of the plan. My heart was racing in my chest, but I forced myself to appear weak, exhausted and exactly as Rhylen had left me. The room was silent, except for the occasional drip of water from the ceiling and the low, steady breathing of the hidden soldiers. Peter had stationed them carefully, making sure they remained unseen in the shadows.

Peter stood just outside the cell, looking casual but ready to strike the moment Rhylen returned. I could sense his tension, his readiness to pounce.

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours before I finally heard the quiet but sure steps of the man we had lured into our trap. The cell door creaked open, and Rhylen stepped inside, his face twisted with a mixture of urgency and annoyance.

"You're more trouble than you're worth," he muttered, kneeling beside me as he reached for the ropes around my wrists. "I should have gotten rid of you the moment I found out what you were doing."

I swallowed my fear and forced a smirk onto my face. "Took you long enough to figure it out," I said, trying to sound brave but my heart pounded in fear that he would mention Lord Dune while Peter was listening.

Rhylen's eyes darkened, and his hand wrapped around my throat, squeezing just enough to make breathing difficult. "You think this is funny?" he hissed. "You should have stayed out of it, Talia. Now I have to fix this mess."

I tried to struggle, but Rhylen's grip was too tight. I was trapped, at his mercy. But I knew I wasn't alone. Peter and the soldiers were waiting, ready to strike. All I had to do was stall Rhylen and keep him talking until they could intervene.

Just as Rhylen's grip got tighter, Peter's voice rang out. "Let her go, Rhylen."

Rhylen's head jerked up, and he tensed as Peter stepped into view, his sword ready. The hidden soldiers came out of the shadows, their guns pointed at Rhylen.

Rhylen's eyes darted back and forth. "You're making a mistake, Peter," he said, his voice calm but fake. "You don't know what's going on. Talia is not who—"

Peter cut him off before he could complete his statement. "I know exactly what's going on," he said. "And I know what you've done, you're a traitor."

Rhylen looked angry, but he said nothing. He made a sudden move for his dagger, but Peter was too fast. Peter knocked the dagger away and pushed Rhylen against the wall.

"You're finished," Peter said, holding his sword to Rhylen's throat. "You were going to hurt Talia to cover your tracks. But now you're going to face the king."

Rhylen's face twisted with anger, but he knew he was beaten. The guards grabbed him and dragged him away.

I breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. Rhylen was caught, and I was safe. Peter turned to me, his face softening.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded, still feeling a bit shaky. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said.

"+*+*+*+*+*

The king sat on his throne, his face expressionless as he looked at me. The big hall was quiet, with only the soft crackling of the torches on the walls breaking the silence. This was the moment I had been dreading - telling the king what had happened.

"Tell me your story," the king commanded, his voice deep and powerful.

I knelt before him, bowing my head in respect before looking up to meet his gaze.

"Your Majesty, Rhylen is a traitor," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "I suspected something was wrong, so I investigated in secret. I found out that he was behind the recent attack on the palace. When he realized I knew too much, he tried to silence me. He locked me in a cell and planned to kill me."

The room started to murmur, but the king raised his hand, and everyone fell silent again.

"These are serious accusations," the king said slowly. "Do you have proof?"

Peter spoke up. "Rhylen admitted it himself when he came to move Talia. He planned to get rid of her, and when we confronted him, he fought back. He knew he had been caught."

The king looked at me for a long time. "What were you looking for, Talia, that led you to discover this?"

I hesitated. "I was searching for the traitor among us, Your Majesty. I never thought it would be Rhylen."

The king's sharp eyes studied me as if searching for a lie. But then he nodded slowly.

"You have done a great service to our kingdom," he said. "Rhylen will be locked up until we can hold a formal trial. Then, justice will be served."

*+*+*+*+*+**+

The next morning, the entire court gathered in the great hall. The air was thick with anticipation. Lords and nobles filled the space, their faces serious and grim.

The accused, Rhylen, stood in chains before the king. His proud demeanor was gone, replaced by a defeated look.

"Rhylen," the king's voice boomed through the chamber. "You are accused of treason against the crown. You worked with our enemies and attacked the palace. You tried to kill one of my subjects to protect yourself. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Rhylen stood tall, despite the heavy chains. "I have served this kingdom for years," he said. "My loyalty was never questioned until now. Do you really believe the word of a girl over mine?"

Peter stepped forward. "This 'girl' uncovered your lies," he said. "You have no defense because you know the truth is against you."

The king let the silence hang in the air for a long moment before speaking again.

"You have been caught, Rhylen," he said. "There is no excuse for your crimes. And there is only one punishment for treason."

The tension in the hall grew unbearable. Everyone knew what was coming, but the final words still sent a chill down my spine.

"You will be executed at dawn," the king said.