LOGINShare
Chapter 94: Where She Lay
Last Updated:
2022-12-01 15:38:47Related chapters
The Returned Luna Chapter 95: Realization
Basil had finished the bottle of whiskey all of an hour after waking up screaming His entire body ached from the day's work but his guilt and confusion woke him. Yet another dream about Laura. How many did that make now? Too many.He got out of bed and went into the antechamber where a fresh bottle of whiskey sat waiting for him. He opened the bottle ignoring the glass beside it and began to drink. The alcohol burned on his way down, but he knew so long as he drank enough of it the burn would dull the other ache in his chest. The bottle was half empty when he decided it was too hot in his room. He left, staggering down the corridor and the stairs. He barely missed falling over himself going to reach the ground floor. Then, he let his feet take him where they always took him after every dream about Laura: the graveyard.The paths had been swept recently. He supposed the graveyard attendants had taken note that he was spending more of his nights here and made sure to clean up fr
Last Updated : 2022-12-01The Returned Luna Chapter 96: Suspicions
Adolph hadn’t expected to run into his son at the graveyard. He had only wanted to see Laurel that night, but he had never imagined that Basil would confirm his suspicions. *“Laura, please… Please. I’m sorry!”*He considered the fact that Basil was drunk based on the way he moved and what he’d been hearing from Henry and the servants, but there was an alertness to his gaze that made him think Basil wasn’t that drunk. Then, there was the way Laurel responded. Cold and sure as if she was Laura. When Basil looked at him, he didn't move from his place, half-cloaked in shadows, but Laurel walked away from Basil with a sure and even gait. Laurel came to stand beside him and he felt his anger ease. She may have been Laura, Basil’s wife, in her last life, but Laurel, his mate, now and that was all that mattered to him.Basil looked at them standing together and couldn't breathe. His mind turned, whirling out of control. His emotions were chaotic and spilling out of his eyes in thick strea
Last Updated : 2022-12-01The Returned Luna Chapter 97: Service To The People
He had been reviewing proposals for several days before Eden's proposal crossed his desk: well thought out, meticulous, and in agreement with his escort requirements. He’d used his foreknowledge of Adolph’s new policies to his advantage. It should have made him relax, but it only made him more suspicious. A vampire descendant in the werewolf kingdom could be harmless, but it was unlikely.The things Eden wanted to import weren't dire necessities, but the lack of them could cause problems for the hospital and several other businesses that were vital to the capital. What could he be trying to gain for asking for such a small contract? It was almost negligible in the face of Eden’s caravan’s capacity for transport and trade. Something didn’t sit right with him and he knew if he set it in front of the ministers to approve they would not ponder such things.A knock sounded on the door and Chasel entered with a scroll."An update," Chasel said as he closed the door behind him. “Go on, tel
Last Updated : 2022-12-01The Returned Luna Chapter 98: Farewell
Delia looked outright devastated at the news. Adolph would say that he didn’t enjoy the look on her face, but it would be a lie. He still hadn’t forgotten about her tearing the gown he’d had made for Laurel or attempting to throw Laurel out of the castle.Delia couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her? Work with Laurel on charity projects? While it would get her out of her long sessions with Helena, it was not complete freedom. She didn't want to run around the city with Laurel, but she held her tongue. Basil's drunken confession echoed in her ears. She had to do something and imitating Laurel for a little while was as good as anything else she'd tried. Could she maybe get him drunk enough to sleep with her? Did alcohol work on his wolf as well as it worked on his human form? They left the castle after Delia's morning session with Helena. She still hadn't managed to walk around the room with the stupid book on her head and she hadn't read many of the books she'd been given. She h
Last Updated : 2022-12-01The Returned Luna Chapter 99: In The Know
If Delia had to mop another dirty floor, she’d scream, pull a nurse’s hair out, and bash her brains in. The nurses and cleaning staff of the hospital were all dull and irritating, never taking the hint that Delia didn’t care about any of the people in the hospital’s well-being. Still, the hospital was better than the orphanage. Being surrounded by all those pathetic children reminded her of her childhood in a way she never wanted to think about. Trying to play nice with Laurel and obeying her orders was going to drive her crazy. She needed another plan to get Basil to think differently about her. “You are slouching,” Helena said primly, cutting into Delia’s thoughts as the book clattered to the floor. “Try again.”She wanted to lunge across the room and tear the woman’s hair out, but knowing that Adolph had hired her stayed her hand. She didn’t need to make an enemy of Adolph. She couldn’t afford to. Eden was gone, but she knew he’d want to see some sort of progress when he got ba
Last Updated : 2022-12-01The Returned Luna Chapter 100: Midnight Ball
Laurel couldn’t sleep that night. She had a decent day, but she couldn’t find a restful position, so she rose from the bed and pulled on her dressing gown. Often, she’d take a walk around the castle in her past life trying to calm her mind and find some peace. She walked through the guest wing and down to the ground floor, passing the gallery that faced the garden just behind the palace before she felt someone in the shadows. Her heart quickened, wondering if it was Laura’s killed. She rounded the corner and grabbed a candelabra before she whirled, setting a fighting stance to defend herself and gasped as Adolph smiled at her. He hadn’t expected her to try and arm herself, but he was impressed. She had truly come far in her training to think to do so or even to notice him. He hadn’t meant to sneak up on her, but his footsteps were light out of habit. “I’m impressed you noticed me.”“Y-Your Majesty, forgive me. I didn’t know you were there….”“No need to apologize,” he said. “I was
Last Updated : 2022-12-01The Returned Luna Chapter 101: Complete
Henry watched Basil swing and nearly miss for what felt like the millionth time today. He was pretty sure that his nephew wasn't going to be able to work much longer like this. What had happened to him?A couple of days ago there had been another change in Basil's behavior. He showed up still stumbling around, picked up an ax, and got to work without saying much of anything, reeking of alcohol and looking exhausted. He looked a little past nauseous today, yet he didn't let up on his clumsy, though decent, pace. Henry wasn't sure what to make of it though he and Raven had spoken about Basil's strange behavior lately. Maybe he was fighting with his wife. Henry knew that anytime he and Raven were at odds it was hard for him to focus, but something told him that that wasn't the case.Basil’s ax skittered across the stone uselessly before falling from his hands, and Henry decided that was enough.“Basil, sit down for a second.”Basil turned blinking at him before obeying sitting on the st
Last Updated : 2022-12-01The Returned Luna Chapter 102 : Theory
The morning of the wedding came faster than she imagined it would. She prepared to leave her room to start the traditions of the day only to find Basil standing outside of her door looking as though he was about to knock.Her eyes narrowed at him in suspicion, “What do you want?”“Laura--”Laurel held up a hand, “I have nothing to say to you.”“But you're--”“Laurel, the king’s mate and luna, and you are the prince, his son.”Basil clenched his jaw, “I can't accept that. Didn't you love me? You can't say that you don't feel anything for me anymore.”Her eyes turned cold as she looked at him unfeeling and unflinching.*“You are nothing.”* Basil’s blood ran cold as the cool breeze of that night whirled around him. *“Though I am glad you have shown your wretched face.”*The look of shock on his face gave her the strength to keep going.“Soon, the kingdom will know that His Majesty *is my mate and the one I will love for the rest of my life*.”“Laura--”“I will be the luna of the kingdom
Last Updated : 2022-12-01
Latest chapter
The Returned Luna Chapter 174: Jack
His stomach churned but he nodded, walking into the room. Fear filled him, but as he entered the room he started to relax. “You’re so beautiful… you take after your father.”Laurel lay among the sheets, dressed in a loose gown and cradling the baby to her chest.At the distance, he could only see a tuft of honey blonde hair in the swaddling blanket. The wetnurses bowed and stepped aside as he approached. Laurel smiled up at him, “Want to meet him?”“Him?”Laurel beamed at him, “Him… Nimue told me before, but I wanted it to still be a surprise for you.”Another boy. Adolph sunk onto the bed beside her, kissing her cheek before looking down into her arms. He had Laurel’s nose and hair pattern though the coloring was all his. Maybe when he grew up he’d take after his grandfathers, but he wouldn’t be able to tell that for a while.“Can I hold him?”Laurel nodded, offering the child to him. He smelled like fresh water and clean skin as Adolph took him, and held him close. He was so smal
The Returned Luna Chapter 173: Defense and Not
Nimue took a deep calming breath as Basil let out a mournful sob. The air began to warm slowly around them as the path between their world and the afterlife closed. She should have known when her first evocation yielded nothing that Olivia was going to be another troublesome spirit.She hoped Basil would be able to recover and accept the truth in time.“No… mother…” Nimue’s heart twisted with grief as she calmed her powers and Basil’s hand tightened on her ankle. “Why? She… She lifted it.”“She was prepared to sacrifice you,” she said solemnly.“She lifted the curse, Nimue! You didn’t have to!”Nimue looked down at him, “She only did so to save her existence, Basil. That was the test. It wasn’t about remorse towards what she’d done to your father… it was about what she did to you.”His eyes welled with tears as she set her staff aside, allowing it to hover in the air. “She was never your mother.”She kneeled beside Basil, placing a glowing hand near the dagger in his chest as he fell
The Returned Luna Chapter 172: Oblivion
Adolph’s voice was sure and even, but Basil couldn’t believe what he was saying. Didn’t he understand that they had no way of knowing how long that would be? A few months? A few days? His father was the strongest man he knew, but he wasn’t indestructible!“But father—”“You’d let Basil be king?” Olivia scoffed and laughed, “You know he’s not ready. He won’t ever be ready!”The twinge of pain that went through him took his breath away. He pushed it aside. This wasn’t the mother he’d imagined his whole life. He expected his father to say those things, not the woman who died giving birth to him. He winced at the thought. She hadn’t died giving birth to him. She’d died giving birth to a curse. There was no other choice to make.“Nimue, end the séance.”Nimue said nothing. Whether that meant she couldn’t or wasn’t going to, he didn’t know.Adolph shook his head, “Your father tried to make that true, but it’s not. Basil isn’t an idiot. He’s young and inexperienced, but that’s fixable. He h
The Returned Luna Chapter 171: Love and Obsession
Adolph narrowed his eyes down at Olivia. She was just as pretty as she had been before, but he saw the wicked light in her eyes. “Shouldn’t you be greeting our son whom you’ve never met?” Adolph asked. She smiled at him, poisonous and vicious, “I would never put anyone before you dear husband.”“You are dead,” Adolph said, “Speak to Basil.”“… very well.”Olivia turned her head and looked at Basil. Adolph was about to retract his statement at the hopeful look on Basil’s face, but it was too late. “You asked them to kill the man who raised you,” Olivia said, “You asked for the death penalty.”“Mother, they—”“Don’t call me that!” Olivia hissed at him. “All of them. Murdered and for what? What of your loyalty to me?”Basil’s eyes widened, “To you…?”“After what your father did to me?” Olivia said, “What is a bit of money?”“You… You knew?” Basil asked. “But—”“I love your father,” she said, her eyes glimmering with tears. “But… that wasn’t good enough. My love was never good enough f
The Returned Luna Chapter 170: Olivia
Laurel didn’t expect Basil to come quickly, so when the door closed, she was grateful that Nimue made herself a cup of tea and smiled at her. “You were once someone else,” Nimue said. “I am glad that the moon saw fit to bring the white wolf back to us.”Laurel blinked and sat across from her, “You’re… not much like Eden.”Nimue chuckled, “Eden and I have different gifts… He is what we would call an elemental Wiccan. Lightning strikes, fire, flashy shows of power that most associate with real magic. I’m a spiritual mage.”Laurel blinked and made herself a cup of tea, “What… does that mean?”“It means I have a connection to the living and the dead. Hence, I know the body you’re in right now is one you were reborn into. I can only guess how you died, but I assume that Basil knew you in your past life.”Laurel winced, “This… isn’t how I expected this conversation to go.”Nimue shrugged, “You make plans and the spirits laugh, but I’m not concerned about your aura. It’s more than healthy a
The Returned Luna Chapter 169: Mates and Fated Pairs
Adolph watched Basil leave. Nimue winced.“I… would like a moment to speak with my wife,” Adolph said slowly. Nimue nodded, “I’ll… go after him.”She left wincing. That had been a fucking disaster if she’d ever seen one. As she exited the room, she followed the trembling confusion, fear, and anger down the hall and around the corner. The thing about magical compatibility between fated matches was that it worked like a homing beacon. She found him in a parlor sitting on the couch with his head in his hand. He lifted his head and shot to his feet as she entered. “You—You can’t just say things like that!” Basil said, “You can’t just accuse her if you—You’re a healer! How would you know something like that anyway?”Nimue watched him, his shoulders heaving as he held himself still. “I am a healer,” she said. “But I am not just a healer. Sit down and calm yourself.”“Look me in the eye and tell me the truth,” Basil said, glaring at her. “Tell me you know for sure my mother did it. Tell
The Returned Luna Chapter 168: Lady Nimue
Basil had tried to keep his mind focused on the path ahead the next morning, no matter how Nimue’s scent had seemed to take over his senses and make him dizzy with need and desire. She smelled like fresh blooming flowers, fresh earth, and a hint of fresh sweet bread. It was a distracting, comforting, and maddening scent. His wolf growled in contentment and want whenever she grew near, so he took to riding further ahead to try and keep his mind clear. *I hate you*, his wolf huffed and growled. *You and your stupid pride and fear and…**Not now*, Basil thought, stubbornly. *Focus on getting back to the capital, okay?*He huffed, *And your need for distraction instead of facing the truth…*Basil sighed, tuning out his wolf’s whining. This wasn’t the time for thinking about such things. Adolph and Laurel were supposed to be staying at the temple until the baby was born. There was no reason they should have called him back unless the baby was early or something had happened to his father
The Returned Luna Chapter 167: Forgiveness
Taliesin sent the message off with a heavy heart. While his judgment was sound and he knew he wasn’t wrong, the likelihood that it would all go to plan was slim. Curses laid by the dying or the dead were harder to get rid of than living curses and he was not an expert in such dark magics. He had no affinity for creating or breaking them. His late brother and twin, Merlin, had no such limitations, but he had gone into Eternal Repose after his wife, Viviane, had been killed in the war against Morrigan. Merlin could not help them.Taliesin couldn’t blame him. The war had taken so much from all of them and raising the barrier had taxed them both greatly. There was little hope that he would ever wake up, and Taliesin had accepted that centuries ago, focusing on raising Merlin’s daughter as if she were his.“Nimue?” Taliesin called as he returned to the meeting hall. She was seated on the old stone bench, looking up through the canopy of the ancient oak trees that were always in bloom. Hi
The Returned Luna Chapter 166: Cursed Last Moments
Laurel woke up, frozen in terror in bed. The last time she’d had a vision of the moon goddess, she’d been pushed off a cliff. She wasn’t sure if hearing that her husband’s late wife put a curse on him was better or worse. How bad was the curse now? How much longer did they have? Could she break it? If she couldn’t, what would happen to him?Her stomach turned as she turned over to see Adolph sleeping peacefully beside her. The days of his insomnia seemed to have caught up with him all at once. The strain of the days seemed to be gone now as he slept.His scent was just as bloody and lovely as ever, but that blood that she had once found just a bit sexy seemed tainted with danger now. It wasn’t just the scent of someone who had seen a great deal of war, but it was affecting his mind. An alpha werewolf like Adolph could be dangerous if they lost control of their strength. She knew that Adolph was much stronger than the average wolf. Was it anything like going rogue? Would it kill him?
