Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 229: High-Level Sorcery

Tiana's POV

He smiled again but it was too quick before his face turned impassive, almost like a flash of lightning. Then he turned around and walked away. He walked like a man who had no doubts at all, like someone who had everything figured out. But just a few hours ago, he had been with me, begging for help. He looked lost then.

Now, as I stood there and watched him walk off, my heart pounded loudly in my ears. Something wasn’t right.

He should have been tired. He should have looked shaken or confused. But he didn’t. Instead, he was leading drills like nothing had happened, like everything was totally fine. It was like the fear and pain I had seen in him before had completely disappeared.

There were only two explanations. Either he was hiding what he felt really well or maybe something else that was not him was pretending to be him. It had to be some high level of sorcery.

I couldn’t forget what had happened the night before. I remembered his voice, filled with fear. I remembered the way he leaned close to me like he needed someone like he was desperate for help. I remembered the pain in his eyes.

So why didn’t he remember any of it?

Why did it feel like I was the only one who noticed something was wrong?

I turned and started walking away too, but my thoughts wouldn’t stop racing. I kept thinking about Theo. Something had gotten into him.

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

The whole day felt long. I kept thinking about what Theo had done earlier, and it bothered me deeply. It was stuck in my head like a knot I couldn’t untangle. I kept thinking about that look in his eyes, that strange moment but before I could make sense of it, it vanished. He just acted like nothing happened. He brushed it all off, and that only made me more confused. I needed to know more.

By evening, the sun was starting to go down. The sky was glowing orange, and shadows stretched across the courtyard. Some soldiers were still out there, going through their drills.

Theo stood there like everything was normal. His posture was perfect as he watched the men. He looked calm and in control. It was hard to believe that just last night, he had been falling apart. It was like what happened was burned into my memory.

I didn’t wait. I walked straight to him. He was talking with a few men. His voice was steady and confident like he always sounded. He looked too calm. Too perfect. Like he was trying too hard.

That made my stomach turn. Something wasn’t right. This wasn’t the same Theo.

He turned to me when I approached. “Talia,” he said with a smile. It was polite but cold. He looked at me like we were strangers. Like he hadn’t broken down in front of me the night before. “What can I do for you?” he stepped away from the men he was talking to and moved closer to me.

I swallowed and tried to keep my voice calm. “Evening,” I said. My heart was pounding, but I tried not to show it. “I just wanted to ask if you remembered anything from last night.”

He paused. Just for a second. It was barely noticeable, but I caught it. There was a tiny moment of hesitation and then it was gone. His wall was back up.

“No,” he said smoothly. “Nothing to remember. Everything’s fine.”

I couldn’t speak. My mouth went dry, and the words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat. “Right,” I finally said, though it came out tight and shaky. “I’ll see you later.”

He nodded quickly, looking at me slightly confused. Then he walked away, stiff and perfect, like a machine. I watched him go, and my chest hurt. It felt like something inside me was breaking.

Then I noticed someone else was nearby. It was Peter.

I hadn’t heard him walk up, but somehow, I just knew he was there. He stood next to me, leaning against a wooden beam. His eyes followed Theo too, and I could see the curiosity on his face.

“What was that about?” he asked. His voice was casual, but I could tell he was concerned.

I didn’t want to talk about it yet but Peter knew me too well to let it go.

“It’s nothing,” I said quickly. “Just… something with Theo. You know how it is. Rotating soldiers...”

Peter raised an eyebrow. He looked at me closely. “No, I don’t know. You’ve been acting weird around him. What’s going on?”

I looked at Peter, and the pressure in my chest grew stronger. He was...my friend? I was not entirely sure if I was permitted to call him that, but he was the one I trusted most. But he didn’t understand but I couldn’t lie to him anymore, though.

Without thinking, I grabbed his hand and pulled him with me. We walked behind the barracks, where no one could hear us.

Peter didn’t resist, but I could feel how confused he was. He didn’t say anything as I led him to a quiet spot.

I stood still for a moment, trying to calm my thoughts. Then I finally spoke.

“Peter…” I said. My voice shook, but I tried to make it steady. “Theo’s not okay.”

Peter frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… I think he’s losing himself. I think he’s going mad.”

Peter looked surprised. “Talia, you can’t just say something like that. Drop this thing. You don’t know for sure—

“I do,” I said, cutting him off. “I saw him last night. He wasn’t acting like himself. This isn’t just about being tired or stressed. There’s something else going on. Something is wrong. Something evil maybe."

Peter opened his mouth, but I could see how confused he was. He didn’t know how to respond.

“I thought I told you to let this go,” he said softly. “Theo’s fine.”

“No,” I said again, firmer this time. I stepped closer. “Please, Peter. Let me help. I know I can’t explain everything yet, but something is happening to him. And if we don’t stop it now, it’s only going to get worse.”