Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 353

Talia’s POV

Leslie went from surprised to angry, remembering every failed batch and sleepless night that always ended the same way. Solon kept his face unreadable. Nolan stared at Camilla, just as stunned as the rest of us.

Now I understood why Jason had been so smug from the start. There was never a way to save my father without killing the Rogue King. Realizing this, I almost wished I hadn’t killed him so quickly.

“Are you certain?” Solon asked.

“Yes,” Camilla replied. “Morgana and I were close before her betrayal. This is all her doing.”

“Why didn’t you stop her when you had the chance?” Solon asked.

“I would have if I could,” Camilla said with a sigh.

“None of this makes sense. Witches and wolves don’t get along. How could she have gotten close enough to get the Rogue King’s blood?” Leslie asked.

“Years ago, Morgana was training to become the leader of the coven. With her new position, she had access to all our resources. She used them in secret to study the dark arts. When I found out, I disciplined her and warned her again and again, thinking I could still save her,” Camilla began.

“Clearly that wasn’t the case,” Leslie muttered. I shot her a glare.

“Don’t scold her. She has every right to be upset,” Camilla said. “You’re right, Healer Leslie. Morgana kept going in secret, and when two of my sisters tried to expose her, she killed them. Normally, she would have been executed, but she had become too powerful. All we could do was banish her from the coven.”

“That doesn’t explain her relationship with the Rogue King,” Leslie pressed.

“Be patient, child. I’m getting there,” Camilla said. “Morgana came back with rogues who attacked anything that moved, friend or enemy. Anyone they bit went mad within an hour. We had no way to fight back. We lost sister after sister before we even knew what we were up against. In the end, we retreated into the Lost Woods and sealed ourselves away.”

“Why didn’t you inform Rudolf? There had to be a way to stop…”

“By the time we figured out what they were, the King was already dead, Alpha Nolan,” Camilla cut in. “We were so weak then that we feared total destruction. Our only goal was survival. I won’t apologize, but I am sorry for what happened to your father too.”

Nolan gave a short nod. I could feel his turmoil through the mate bond, but he stayed silent.

“What did Morgana do to turn rogues mad? How did she use the blood?” Leslie asked.

My stomach dropped. Then I realized who she was.

Morgana.

She was here, inside Silverfang, above us. The wall did nothing to keep her out. That thought frightened me. What if she enchanted the mad rogues? Would she be able to get them through the wall?

‘Calm yourself. Camilla is here. She will have a way to deal with her,’ my wolf reassured me, but I could also hear the tremble in her voice. She was also worried about this new foe. Nolan stepped in front of me defensively.

“You wolves are so easily worked up,” Morgana said as she floated down and landed as lightly as if she were stepping off a stair. She smiled at us like a host greeting late guests. “Allow me, since the children can’t manage it,” she said. “I am Morgana. The greatest witch who has ever lived, no matter what the old woman beside you wants you to believe.”

“You are nothing of the kind,” Camilla said, and her voice had gone cold as deep water.

Morgana’s smile only widened. “It has been such a long time, Camilla. You look exactly the same. I always did admire that about you.”

“Why are you here?” Camilla demanded. “Say what you came to say!”