Share

Chapter 72| Viper

Author: Bella Hemsworth
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

DANIEL

I sat in my studio, surrounded by half finished canvasses and paint splattered easels. I stared down at my current piece, a vibrant landscape that seemed to lock me with its serenity.

My mind was a jumble of thoughts and emotions, all centered around Lillie's return. I couldn't ignore the feeling that she was hiding something. That her innocent look was a faux persona she put up to make everyone believe she was telling the truth.

I dipped my brush into a vibrant shade of blue which was going to brush into a sky and thought about my brothers who seemed to have swallowed Lillie's story, hook, line and sinker.

Didn't they see the deceit in her eyes? Didn't they hear the insincerity she so tried to conceal in her voice?

My frustration intensified with each passing moment, the canvas taking the brunt of it as my brush strokes became more aggressive.

I slapped the brush against the canvas just as I got on the edge of a spiral, watching as the paint flew of
Locked Chapter
Continue to read this book on the APP

Related chapters

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 73| A new strength

    DARWIN The cool afternoon wind and the birds chirping in trees did nothing to soothe my raging nerves and the worry that marred my thoughts. I paced from one end of the garden, dialling Sarah's number over and over again and listening to it get directed to her voicemail. I didn't want to believe what Lillie said. I didn't want to believe that she was truly plotting against me and my brothers. "C'mon, pick up," I muttered through gritted teeth, barely able to hold back the frustration that came with trying to reach her. Lillie was right. I brought my hand to my head and ran my fingers through strands of my hair before dropping into the stone seat behind me. I trusted Sarah. I really did. She wasn't just a maid to me. She was someone I found trustworthy so why did she do this? How did she even muster enough courage to plot against us? Wasn't she supposed to be innocent? I blamed it all on a little naivety on my own end. I should have maintained a

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 74| The call

    Darwin's POV: I hurried down the hall, pushing past servants and guards. David and Daniel were probably out and my study was quite far. The call ended and when I called back, it was unavailable. I paced around the hall, waiting for whoever called to call again, and when they did, I broke into a short run down the hall, bringing the phone to my ear. As soon as I got to the solar, I picked up the call and looked around to make sure there was no one lurking in the shadows. These days, it was almost impossible to tell who was for you and who wasn't. I wasn't ready to take that risk. Not anymore. I wasn't sure we could stand another group of people rising up against us and making things riskier than it already was. My attention was snapped back to the phone once I heard who it was on the phone. "Prince Darwin?" Sarah's distinct voice came, snapping me out of my thoughts. Surprise rippled through me and straightened. "Sarah? Is that you, Sarah? Where the f

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 75| The tour

    Darwin: The call went dead in my ear and I stood there, frozen in shock as my thoughts went into conflict. Pacing from one end of the hall to the other, I placed a hand on my head and stared out into the horizon, watching as the afternoon sun slowly coloured the lands golden. It only made me feel gloomy. What the hell just happened in the space of the past few minutes? Jace? He was alive and out there? Quite confident too, owing to the statement he made about Sarah meaning what she said. I had no idea what to do. I made a move towards the first floor so I could speak to my brothers about it but I stopped myself, remembering how hurt Sarah had sounded. How she had broken down into tears as she confessed her reason for everything they did. I stood, transfixed in one place, knowing it wasn't the right thing to do if I told them. They were going to act out on their anger and cause more disaster. And I didn't want that. So I decided to go back to Lillie. S

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 76| An angry crowd

    Lillie: Silence prevailed for a while as we silently walked down the tarred roads flanked by trees. The air smelled clean and the cool, evening breeze kissed my skin, softly whipping my hair on my face. I wondered why Darwin asked me that question or what exactly he was waiting to hear from me, and I also noticed how weird he'd been acting since he received that call. And although, it was none of my business, I was genuinely curious as to why it had him acting this way. I gave his outfit a good look. Fair. It was enough to keep him hidden from the crowd. It would blend him in, but I wasn't sure the aura he gave off would go unnoticed. He walked like he had everything handed to him on a platter of gold. Like he had seen nothing but better days, which was a contrast to that of the people from the street with shoulders that sagged according to how heavy their burden was or how tired of life they were. They walked like they had no reason to live. I couldn't say the same

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 77| Rescue

    Darwin: I was worried. Seeing Lillie heading towards the danger she warned me to stay away from kept me on my toes. And I couldn't go after her because she warned me not to. She probably knew what to do, but it did not eliminate the worry building up from my insides. I backed away from the crowd, taking the shed under a closed stall as she screamed at the people to stop. And they did. Much to my surprise. Relief washed over me and I was thankful that they didn't do the opposite. I would have gone after her to save her, which to be honest, would have made everything a lot worse than intended. "This is wrong!" She yelled as loud as she could, her voice echoing around the perimeter. "No one deserves to be beaten up this way. It isn't right and there are other ways to handle things like this. Several other ways!" "Other ways?" Someone, a man, yelled from the crowd, his voice strained and laced with anger. "She's a thief!" "And what did she steal?" Lillie aske

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 78| Stuck with you

    Darwin: It was a tumultuous journey to the nearest motel. Lillie and I had to cut corners and even hide under stalls to avoid the rain that kept changing from heavy to light, like it was fashioned against us tonight. Thankfully, we found a motel with a neon sign midtown and rushed into the building, drenched in rain. I wiped the water from my hair, wincing when the taste of hair products seeped into my mouth and ruined my taste buds. Lillie quickly wiped her hair and made her way over to the receptionist's table. I followed behind her, slipping my cap back on and not minding if it was going to get wet and probably smelly later on. Hiding my identity was far more important than anything else right now. The receptionist, a middle aged man, looked up from his monitor. "How may I help you?" "I-we and to book two room for tonight." She replied politely. "There's only one room left." The receptionist replied. Lillie ignored the tone he used in replying her. "Just on

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 79

    Lillie's POV: Time seemed to have frozen. The sound of rain hitting the roof above us did nothing to quell the kiss we shared. I found myself deepening the kiss. My body and my mind were at war. While it was logical to end this kiss right now before it graduated to something else, my body didn't want that. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, and when his hand cupped the back of my neck, I melted into him. I let him take over, surrendering my body to him like a living sacrifice. Maybe it was the weather. Maybe it was the fact that we spent most part of tonight doing everything that mentally stimulated us. But right now, none of that mattered to me. I was in his arms, kissing him like my life depended on it. His hands caressed my body, like they were mapping every part of me, taking note of the scars and blemishes, like he was learning me and unlearning the misconceptions I had of him. It was the same for me. I yearned to touch him, I yearned to feel the warm

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 80

    Darwin's POV: My fingers stroked her hair and I relished in the softness of her breathing as she slept in my arms. It was peaceful, even more peaceful than I'd expected. But inside my head, thoughts raged and it kept me awake. Most of these thoughts were pleasant, taking me back to the moments I shared with Lillie before she fell asleep. We had gone from kissing and caressing each other softly to being outrightly bold and dominant. Lillie showed me a part of her I'd never seen before, a part I wanted her to continue showing. Guilt settled in. It was directed at making me feel awful for doing this with Lillie, knowing fully well what relationship she had with David. But a part of me didn't care. And that part of me was the part that had enjoyed it. The part that wanted to continue this without having to sneak around. There was a bond I felt when I was with her. I couldn't really place it but I fucking loved how she made me feel. I'd never felt this way in my lif

Latest chapter

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Dearest gentle reader,

    This has been an emotional roller coaster for me. This story began in January, and since then, a lot of things have happened. I’ve been sick, I’ve had countless visits to the hospital, gotten an operation, entered final year in medical school, a lot of things actually. And finally, after nine months, I get to say goodbye to the beautiful Morris family, and everyone involved in their story. It wasn’t easy, but you all stood by me. I hope you enjoyed this story as much I almost enjoyed writing it. And I hope to see you again in my next project coming in OCTOBER, and my debut billionaire romance novel. Thank you all. Xoxo, Bella Hemsworth.

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Epilogue

    SEVEN MONTHS LATER AUTHOR The sound of the door closing had everyone up on their feet. Daniel, Darwin, Lillie who had been fidgeting on her seat, Queen Sophia, even little Emilia. The doctor blinked twice, fairly surprised by how fast they had all stood. All the set of eyes that peered at her caused her to clear her throat. She couldn’t blame them for being anxious. Princess Darla had been in the labor room for over eight hours. “How’s everything? How’s she? How’s…?” Lillie moved to the front, and the doctor smiled at her. “Everything is fine, your highness. Princess Darla has just delivered two beautiful and handsome children.” Silence hung in the air for three brief seconds. Yes. The doctor had counted. “Does this mean…?” Lillie asked with wide eyes. “Yes.” The tall lady replied. “Twins.” “Oh my God!” Lillie screamed, tears in her eyes as she watched everyone else rush into the room. They were supposed to have gone in one by one, but even the doctor knew better than to tr

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 105

    Lillie’s POV *THREE WEEKS LATER* I stood outside Darla’s room, taking a deep breath before knocking softly. No response, but I knew she was in there. I could hear her crying from where I stood. Even her large twin doors had done nothing to mask the sound of her sorry. I turned mine into a ball in my throat and swallowed hard to push it down to my stomach. It couldn’t come out, not today. I reached for her door knob, opened the door and found her sitting on the edge of her bed, her face pale, her eyes swollen from crying. The black dress Darwin had gotten for her lay untouched in a rumpled mess beside her."Darla, you need to get ready," I said gently, stepping inside. "It’s time."She shook her head, her hands trembling as they gripped the sheets. "I can’t," she whispered. "If I get dressed… if I go downstairs… it means he’s really gone. That Logan is really gone, and I’ll never see him again. The love of my life, Lillie… the father of my child." Her voice cracked, her should

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 104

    David’s POV Blood. All over the room. Dripping from every wound in my body. I didn’t need to see my reflection in the mirror to know I had been beaten up real good. Yet, when I saw it, a bitter chuckle forced its way out of my throat. I had managed to kill them all even in my state. The fuckers must have known they wouldn’t be able to stand a chance, hence why they had to poison me. In those last minutes of my life, the faces of my brothers flashed in my mind as I sat on my bed. My brothers, my sisters, my darling mother who had seen so much loss in her time. I never thought I’d see them again. I thought that, by the time they reached the hospital, I’d be long gone. When the rogues came, I was sure it was over. They had knives, weapons—I barely had the strength to lift my arms, but something inside me, something primal, wouldn’t let me give up. Not yet. Not before seeing my family one last time. If they could get to me, that is. There was no guarantee they had been able to make it

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 103

    Darwin’s POV Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but there wasn’t a crown on my head. However, I knew I had stepped into David’s shoes the moment he was hospitalized. It suddenly made sense why he had been so stoic and protective of everyone. For the first time in a long time, I could feel what he felt. The weight of the world resting on my shoulders. My world, and that of Dark Moon at large. Even as I ripped Jace’s head from his neck, the reality of what had just happened sank deeper as I looked at him—the cousin who once laughed with us as children, now reduced to this: A lifeless head in my hands. Who would have thought I would be the one to end his life? Who would have thought that he’ll be the one to turn our lives around? To hurt my brothers, to betray the only family he could call his? His eyes, once filled with arrogance and ambition, were now vacant, staring up at the sky even in his death. But now, he would be unable to see any fucking thing. His life had ended.

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 102

    Darwin: The battle was far more brutal than expected. Dead bodies lay across the ground, a mix of our own people, rogues and rebel soldiers. Daniel and I were yet to turn as we were preserving our energy to fight our common enemy. A wolf lunged at me and I caught it by its collar and snapped its next in one move. It dropped to the ground, slowly shifting back to its human form as it took its last breath. Another one came and I sank my claws into it, twisting and tearing its guts out so it lay on the floor in a disgusting pile. I only one had one intention as I made my way towards the Palace. And that was to make sure Lillie and my family members were safe. After I'd confirmed that they were, I would return here and find Jace. The hall was empty. Void of anyone, so I knew they had all been carted away to safety to the Palace's secret basement. I heard a familar sob and hurried towards the corner leading to the underground building. Lillie was crouched beside Logan w

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 101

    Lillie's POV: Tonight was a wedding and the whole Palace was bright with the hustle and bustle of activities. A decorating team had been employed to decorate the area and it had gone on for about two days. Tonight, they were finishing up the rest of the decorations as guests began to arrive. I heard the Queen's voice from where I stood in Darla's room. She was yelling at the decorating team for their slow pace and we all laughed when she asked one of the ladies to get out of her sight. "It's not mother's wedding and yet, she yells like it's hers." Emilia said from where she stood, our beautiful flower girl, getting dressed by some of the maids. Darla chuckled from where she sat in front of her vanity table. "Mother can be a control freak at times. Don't tell her I said this, or she's going to serve my body to the guests." Emilia grinned in mischief and I instantly knew she was going to use emotional blackmail now that she had power over Darla. "Wh

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 100

    Lillie's POV: Things were going smoothly. More than I expected. I banished the thoughts of something ruining the good time everyone was having and decided to, for once in my life, be happy that things were going the way I wanted. Queen Sofia was forced to interceed on Logan's behalf and the embargo of being a slave was taken off him. Darla made it a point of duty to remind her every waking moment of the day until the Queen decided to have rites held on Logan's behalf. And now, they were seen always having little cute moments around the palace. Logan and Darla were always found in each other's arm and I always saw the look on the Queen's face. Even after taking the banishment off Logan's head, she still wasn't in approval of their relationship. But as time went on, she became busy with other things and paid them no heed until I found her one day, smiling at Darla and Logan as they sat at the porch. Darla had her head on Logan's lap as he read her a book. It was such a

  • Once Banished, Now A Luna    Chapter 99

    Lillie's POV: I paced from one end of the room to the other, trying to come up with words to say to my brother. Logan stood, head bowed low, at the other end of the room. I could tell he was feeling extremely bad, but not guilty. He finally stood tall, steeling his expression as he stared right at me. "What are you going to do? Judge me for following my heart? Call that a mistake also?" I honestly had nothing to say to him if I was being honest. I was just surprised that Logan and Darla were ever a thing. I wasn't angry or judgemental. I just didn't like how it had been hidden from me. Did Logan not trust me? Or hadn't I been a good enough elder sister for him to talk to? These were the thoughts that plagued my mind. I turned to him and sighed. "When did you start Dating Darla?" "We're not... dating," He replied. "Though we really like each other a lot." "So when did all these start?" He scoffed. "Do I have to tell you all the details?" "Yes. I have to know." I

DMCA.com Protection Status