Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 220: The Body Of Traitor's

Tiana's POV

For a moment, Lord Dune's eyes seemed warmer, and he looked at me with a rare kindness. "I know you'll do well," he said. "And I have to say, Talia, I'm really proud of how far you've come. Getting that commander position was a big accomplishment."

I smiled slightly, feeling the weight of his praise on my shoulders. It was nice to hear someone tell me they were proud even though our relationship did not start off on plain and friendly terms. Hellz it had started on the premise of blackmail but he was still proud of me. A part of my heart broke as I remembered my home in Moonstone pack. No one had ever been proud of me. Not my father, not my brother, not Selene... None of my siblings.

I looked up at lord dune again, but there was something else in his eyes, something more serious. "Thank you," I said quietly.

Lord Dune held my gaze for a moment, sighed and then stepped back and gave me space. "You've earned your rest," he said. "You can go. When there are matters of importance, I shall let you know where to look. For now, just be observant."

I turned to leave, but I hesitated as I reached for the door handle. "Lord Dune..." I started to say, but I wasn't sure if I should say what was on my mind.

He glanced over his shoulder, waiting. “Yes?”

“I’ll make sure Peter doesn’t stand in my way. I know where my loyalty lies,” I said, almost as if reassuring myself.

Lord Dune’s smile was cold, his eyes calculating. “Good. Keep it that way.”

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

I left Lord Dune's chambers feeling uneasy. Even though I needed to prove myself to him, I couldn't stop thinking about Peter. My body still remembered the way Peter's kiss felt, and the way his hands touched my skin. But I had a job to do, and I couldn't let my feelings or rather Erika's feelings get in the way. Peter was just another person I needed to use to get what I wanted, just like Lord Dune.

Later that day, I was walking down the palace halls when I overheard some soldiers whispering. They were talking about me, and what they said made my muscles tense up. "She thinks she can just take over? She's not even one of us," one of them said. "And have you heard? She's sleeping with Lord Dune. I saw her come out of his chambers."

I stopped walking and turned the corner, where I saw Theo leaning against the wall, smirking at me.

“They don't like you,” he said, as if reading my thoughts. “But that’s the game, isn’t it? Let them talk.”

I didn't say anything, but something inside me changed. Seeing Theo there was somehow comforting. But then I remembered what Lord Dune had said: "What matters in this game is loyalty, not desire." I needed to stay focused.

The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: no matter how many rumors or doubts I faced, I wouldn't give up my position. Not to anyone. And especially not to Peter. I had to keep my priorities straight and remember what was at stake.

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

The day had been exhausting. Training the soldiers was a slow and frustrating process. Most of them didn't like me and looked at me with disdain. Some followed my orders because they had to, while others were just waiting for me to make a mistake. None of them trusted me yet.

By the time I got back to my quarters, my body was sore from all the physical activity, and my mind was tired from the stress. I was too exhausted to think, but when I opened the door, I was surprised to see Peter sitting on the edge of my desk, waiting for me.

For a moment, I just stood there, surprised. Peter looked relaxed, with one leg propped up and his dark hair a bit messy like he'd just finished training. There was something annoyingly easy about the way he carried himself. While I had spent the day struggling to get through every conversation, he could walk into a room and command everyone's attention without saying a word.

"You look exhausted," Peter said with a smirk. I ignored him and stepped inside, closing the door behind me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

Peter stretched, his muscles flexing under his shirt. "I thought I'd check in on you. You've had a busy day, haven't you?"

I scoffed. “You could say that.”

Peter looked at me carefully, then pointed to the pitcher of water on my table. "Drink something before you pass out," he said. I hesitated, but eventually poured myself a cup. The cool water helped soothe my dry throat.

For a while, neither of us said anything. It was rare for me to have moments like this with Peter, where we weren't in the middle of a battle or trying to keep our hands off each other. But that didn't mean I could let my guard down.

I swirled the remaining water in my cup before setting it down. Then, without thinking much, I asked, "What happens to the bodies of traitors?"

Peter looked at me, his face expressionless. "Why do you want to know?"

I shrugged. "I'm just curious."

Peter sighed, leaning back against the desk. "Usually, they're burned. That way, no one can use them for bad purposes."

I nodded slowly, my fingers tapping against the wooden surface of my chair. “So Rhylen’s body was burned?”

Peter didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

An empty feeling settled in my chest. It wasn't sadness, because Rhylen had betrayed us and his death was necessary. But there was something about his body being burned that didn't feel right.

"What about Tiana?" I asked. This time, Peter hesitated. It was a small movement, just a slight change in his posture, but I noticed it.

"No," he said after a pause. "Theo made sure her body was treated differently."