Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 222: The Night I Died

Tiana's POV

No, it didn't make sense. He and my father had begged for my forgiveness so how then was it possible that they did so? Was all of that begging a show? If it was, then for what purpose?

I sighed, trying not to think too much of it but it was hard not to. It seemed like every single person I had known in my entire life was a betrayer. My family who hated me for no reason but the worst part was that even the ones who acted genuine had eventually betrayed me like Theo and Layla.

"Why are you so concerned about her death though?" Peter asked with a raise of his brows. "Like you're bothered, the investigation yielded nothing."

"No reason in particular,” I lied, plastering a smile on my face but in truth my insides were seriously aggravated. "I just thought Tiana seemed too innocent of a Luna to plan to kill the king. I mean, she stands nothing to gain from his death."

"It is true. Because eventually, her mate will rule," Peter replied. "And he already has a good number of privileges from just being the son of a king. Plus Alpha Romans's health has been deteriorating since that time, it's a miracle he's still alive. If Tiana wanted Theo to take over so fast, she would have just waited and I don't think she would have wanted it."

"Exactly," I sighed. "I don't believe she was given due justice."

"Well, the king ordered Theo to drop the investigation and focus on his new bride Elara."

Elara. That name made anger course through my veins. She had rejected Theo and suddenly when she knew Theo was interested in me, she wrote a letter to the king himself to tell him about their mate bond. A bond that she herself rejected. Her audacity disgusted me. How dare she try to sabotage my relationship with Theo only a few days before the mating ceremony?

And then she and Layla had conspired.

Layla of all people who suddenly became angry I was preoccupied with Theo. She had not even bothered to give me a chance to make things right, rather she had just made conclusions and done that to me.

And what had she meant by she didn't really remember anything and the night was vague to her?

"Talia," Peter called out, cupping my face in his hands. I lifted my eyes to look at him.

"Your eyes are red..." He commented softly.

I blinked twice, trying to get rid of the angry tears threatening to spill from them. "Are they?" My voice came out hoarse and cracked.

"Did you... Know Tiana personally?"

"No," I said hastily, plastering a fake smile on my face.

He nodded, his jaw tightening a bit. "I shall see you later?"

"Sure."

The rest of the night, I couldn't shake off the whispers in my mind. I thought about Layla, Elara, and Viktor. What if Layla's memory loss wasn't natural? What if someone had manipulated her memories?

The thought crept in, spreading like poison. Layla wasn't forgetful. She was calculating, always ready to strike. She remembered everything from insults to favors and secrets. Her mind was sharp.

So, either she was lying, or someone had messed with her memories. And in our kingdom, that was possible. Memory spells were real. There were also brews that could fog your mind, erase memories, or change reality.

These thoughts haunted me, refusing to let me rest.

If it was a spell, then someone powerful had made her forget.

I started thinking about two men: King Roman and King Corvin. King Roman, the Alpha of Shadowclaw and Layla's father. He's a man who likes to win and doesn't care who he hurts. He's very powerful and people respect him. But I know what people don't say out loud. King Roman is dangerous, but not like a wild animal. He's more like a hidden knife. He can hurt you without using magic.

But even King Roman has friends who are not ordinary. That's why I thought of King Corvin. The Lycan King and the real father of Elara. He's also Erika's stepfather. King Corvin knows old magic and does dark things. His court in the North does magic that people in the South are afraid to talk about. Erika's memory of Silverfang flashed through my mind.

If someone could make Layla forget things and leave no evidence, it would be King Corvin. He's the only one I know who might have that kind of power.

But why?

Why erase her memories at all unless they were dangerous?

Unless someone didn’t trust her silence.

Unless someone needed to make sure she never remembered what really happened the night I—Tiana—died.

A chill ran up my spine. I felt like something was missing. To find the missing pieces, I needed someone who had seen what happened that night. Someone who worked in the palace but didn't have a reason to lie. Not a noble, but a servant. Maybe someone from the kitchen.

By mid-morning, I had found my way to the lower estates. I didn't go through official channels because Peter would have asked too many questions. Instead, I asked a soldier I trusted from my unit. He was quiet, reliable, and didn't ask why I wanted the names of surviving palace staff. He gave me one name: Maris. She was a former palace maid who was now elderly and retired. She lived quietly in the east, near the village edge, after the tragedy.

I didn’t go in uniform. Just a long cloak, hood drawn, simple tunic beneath. I didn’t want attention. Least of all from people who might start questioning why a commander of my rank was asking about a dead princess and a wedding that never happened.

I knocked twice on her door.

She opened it slowly.

Maris was smaller than I remembered. She was hunched over with age, and her skin looked like old, worn-out paper. But her eyes were still kind and sharp. For a brief moment, I thought she paused when she saw me. It wasn't recognition, but something deeper. Familiarity.

"Can I help you?" she asked.