Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 240: Outskirt Beaumont City

Tiana's POV

I nodded. “I know.”

I turned and looked back at all of them. They were watching me, but not with the same suspicion as before. Calen gave me a small nod. I nodded back.

Then I turned my horse and crossed the border alone. No one followed me. I didn’t hear anything except the wind and the sound of hooves on dirt.

I didn’t look back.

By the time I saw the cottage— almost after two hours, I thought I was imagining it. There was this sense of relief that I could not explain.

It was quiet where it stood, hidden behind the tall pine trees that moved gently in the wind. I smiled at the familiarity of the cottage which almost felt like the building belonged there, like it had been a part of the forest for a long time. The walls were made of stone, covered in moss and tangled vines. One side of the roof looked like it was starting to sink in. A thin line of smoke drifted up from the chimney, curling softly.

I stopped walking and just stared at it. I didn’t move for a few seconds. My boots were soaked through from the wet ground. My fingers were so cold I couldn’t feel them anymore. My legs felt like they were gone completely.

But I made it. I was really here.

I walked up to the porch and raised my hand to knock on the door.

But I didn’t get the chance.

The door creaked open by itself. And right there, standing in front of me, was Erika’s grandmother.

She looked exactly like I remembered her. Her hair was all grey, pulled tightly back into a bun that looked like it hadn’t moved all day. Her robe was plain but neat, and she had a small bag over her shoulder like she had been about to leave. Then she saw me.

She frowned a little and tilted her head.

“Oh,” she said calmly. “It’s you.”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

She gave me a long look, not angry, just very focused like she was figuring me out.

Then she said, “Tiana, what did you do to your hair? Or should I say, my granddaughter's hair?" She laughed a little and shook my hair. "You look... Ridiculous."

Even though I was exhausted, that made me smile, just a little. “I had to go through Silverfang,” I explained, pushing my hair back. “They know what Erika looks like. I couldn’t let them recognize me. I had to look different, so I dyed it.”

She squinted at me. “Too light,” she said. “It makes you look pale. Like a ghost."

I didn’t say anything back.

She gave a small sigh, like she was already tired of standing there, and turned around to go back inside. She didn’t close the door, just walked in and said, “Well, come in then, girl. Don’t leave the door wide open. The heat will escape.”

I followed her without a word. I didn’t know what would happen next, but something about stepping inside made me feel like I had gone back in time. The inside of the cottage looked like it hadn’t changed. There were books on wooden shelves, carefully arranged. The rugs were old and worn from the sun. It smelled like dried herbs and firewood. Everything felt quiet and safe.

She pointed for me to sit, though she didn’t sit down herself. Instead, she set her bag on a table, shut the door behind us, and crossed her arms.

“Why are you here?” she asked. “Did you finish what you were supposed to do?”

I shook my head. “No. Not yet.”

She raised one eyebrow but didn’t say anything right away.

“I came because… there are things I can’t figure out on my own,” I said. “Things I don’t understand. I have questions. I need help. That’s why I came to you.”

She didn’t answer right away. She looked at me, her eyes narrowing just a little.

“Before I help you,” she said, stepping a little closer, “you’ll have to tell me everything you know. Not what you guessed. Not what other people told you to make you feel better. What you know."

"Where do I start from?"

"I don't know. Start where you feel is alright."

"I'm a commander of the army—"

"I beg your pardon, what?" She looked utterly surprised by it but in the best way possible.

"Yes," I said with a hearty smile. "I un—"

"Don't tell me in a boring way. You are a woman, do you not know about gossip?"

I smiled, forgetting the playful side of Cecilia.

"How did you even get into the palace? Let alone begin a commander? You've not spent up to a year Tiana," she said.

"Well when I got to the border, I had someone to help— from you of course," I began with a smile. "Then I went into town."

"Go on," she urged, rolling her eyes.

"Met a man who introduced me to Garrik. Had no choice but to trade the dagger you gave me to get a false identity."

"To hell with sentimental value," she smoked wryly.

"Got my papers. Somehow got tangled up in a murder accusation and then I met Lord Dune."

"I know who he is," she mumbled. "A man who always believes justice must be served even if it means getting it in an unjust manner."

I smiled, knowing that it was true. Lord Dune had in fact made someone take a fall for a murder he wasn't guilty of, but only because that person had been guilty of murder in the past. I narrated this to Cecilia who listened intently. "So yeah, he helped me to clear my name."

"What did he ask for in return?"

"Intel on whatever Roman was planning."

"Were you able to?" She asked.

"Nothing significant that would matter to him."

"I hear a but coming. Nothing significant to him, but significant enough to you?"

"Yes, Theo has gone mad.”