Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 322: Truth or Lies Astrid's POV

I tried to keep my face steady, but her words struck a chord deep inside me. She did know something. Something about the changes I had felt, the darkness I had sensed lurking within me.

The poison. It had been her weapon, and now, I realized it was more than just a means to kill me. She knows something else, something even I hadn't understood.

"You're lying," I hissed, my voice shaking with anger, but also with doubt.

Her grin widened. "Oh, am I? Why do you think the poison didn't kill you? It wasn't meant to. It was meant

to awaken something... darker. Something you won't be able to control. You're a monster, Astrid, and soon enough, everyone you love will see it too."

I shook my head, refusing to believe her. She was trying to manipulate me, to twist my mind just as she always had.

"Shut up," I whispered, but my voice wavered.

"You feel it, don't you?" she pressed, her eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction. "The power inside you, the anger. It's only a matter of time before you lose control completely. You'll never be free of it. Never."

I stepped back, shaking my head. "You're trying to manipulate me, Giselle. It won't work."

She laughed again, the sound harsh and grating. "You don't believe me? If you want proof, go to my room. There's a book there, that will explain what kind of monster you are. Read it. Then you'll see what you really are. What you'll become."

Her words slithered into my mind, planting seeds of doubt, and I hated that part of me did believe her. That part of me was afraid of what was happening inside me. I clenched my fists, refusing to let her see the fear she was feeding.

"You're a liar," I said, my voice rising in anger. "You've always been a liar."

She didn't respond, only smiled that sickening smile, as if she had already won.

me, as if she knew her words would haunt me long

my chest. "Guards!" I called out, my voice firm and steady, though inside

guards stepped inside the dungeon.

twisting into desperation as the guards approached her cell. She fought

voice echoing down the dark

clawed at me, wrapping themselves around my mind like

my back on her, telling myself that she was lying, that she was trying to manipulate me one

block her out, her voice

her. I couldn't believe her. She's

be right - had already planted itself deep inside me, taking root. And no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I couldn't

footsteps behind me snapped me

he crossed the cold stone floor and came to my side, his eyes scanning my face as if searching for something-anything- to

him, but my heart was still racing, my

as the guards dragged Giselle away, her screams growing fainter with each passing

was finally gone, leaving just the two of us behind, the air felt heavy with everything unsaid. He turned to

I froze.

with the same fear

him see the cracks in my armor. Not after everything

it deep inside, where even I could barely

said, forcing a smile that didn't reach my eyes.

in the way his eyes narrowed,

- he could feel that something was wrong. That something was eating at

instead of