Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 171: In control (2)

"Thomas!" Alice called as she ran toward him. "I have done all that Lady Hastings tasked me with. The guests will not step out of their chambers until Lady Hastings allows it, and I sent the guards to help with Lord Hastings."

"Good, but why are you telling me this? Shouldn’t you tell her that you have done what she asked for?"

Alice frowned, confused by the response Thomas gave. "I thought she was with you. I sent the guards to the doctor to protect her, but they came back and said she wasn’t there. I thought she came to the dungeon, so I am here."

"I just came out of the cell. Lady Hastings is not inside. I thought her injuries were serious, so she was still with the doctor. Alice," Thomas said, grabbing Alice by her shoulder. "When did you last see Lady Hastings?"

"When she came out of Lord Hastings chamber with a bloody hand. She said she was going to find the doctor, asked for guards, and sent me off. I went to look for her, but Eliza is not in her study. She must be coming to look at Lord Hastings," Alice said, not wanting to believe Ophelia was missing.

"I’ve been at Lord Hastings’ side. Eliza hasn’t come to look at him. Lady Hastings is missing," Thomas whispered.

"But, she went to the doctor. Eliza knows the consequences," Alice said, certain that Eliza couldn’t be so foolish.

"Remus knew the consequences, too. Lady Hastings was right. There were more spies, and we should have lured them out. I need you to go to Lady Hastings’ brother. Stay by his side until I return to you," Thomas ordered Alice.

"But-"

"If someone has taken Lady Hastings, I assure you that they will go after her brother and mother next to get rid of the Valthorns. I will find Lady Hastings, and when I do, she will be delighted to know her brother is safe. We don’t have time to argue," Thomas said, needing Alice to obey.

"Walk, don’t run to his chamber. I will find guards I can trust and send them to you to protect you both. I won’t ask them to open your door. Remember, don’t open the door. Now go," Thomas gave Alice a push.

Alice flinched when she heard a loud growl from inside the dungeon. Lord Hastings was in pain, and she knew it was going to be mixed with anger once he found out Ophelia was missing.

Alice turned around to run to Theo, but she remembered Thomas’s order and started to walk.

Along with worrying about Ophelia, Alice worried about her safety. Would she be targeting since she was loyal to Ophelia?

Thomas watched Alice walk away before heading to the knight’s quarters to find men he could trust to help search for Ophelia.

’I need to close all the gates,’ Thomas thought.

As long as Ophelia didn’t leave the castle, she had a good chance of not being harmed.

Thomas had one person in mind behind Opehlia’s disappearance. Giselle wasn’t behind this since Lord Valthorn wouldn’t have enough spies to pull it off, even though the timing was too coincidental.

Thomas leaned more toward Cecilia being the mastermind behind it because of Remus, and she was the only one Eliza could betray Dante for. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Thomas gritted his teeth, angry that Cecilia would allow this now when they should all be focused on Dante.

For the sake of everyone in the castle, Thomas needed to find Ophelia, and there couldn’t be one single strand misplaced on her head.

Thomas ran to find the knights, but inside the dungeon, Ophelia laid on the cold floor of a cell.

The throbbing pain in her hand was what Ophelia awoke to first, followed by soreness in her arms and legs.

Ophelia groaned as she shifted her body, trying to place herself in a more comfortable position. It was as though she had been dragged for hours.

Ophelia opened her eyes to darkness. She was confused at first, but then the memory of Eliza’s actions came rushing back to her.

Ophelia sat up and made the mistake of pressing down on her injured hand. She cried out, but as soon as she did, a loud, terrifying noise followed her. It was unlike any noise she ever heard.

Ophelia sat still, alone and afraid of what surrounded her. It sounded like a large animal in pain.

"Dante," Ophelia muttered.

All doubt about Dante actually being a beast was forgotten. No human could make that noise.

"I must be near the dungeon," Ophelia realised as the sound seemed to be coming from somewhere closeby.

Ophelia tried to stand up, but her attention was brought to the cold metal chain around her feet. The floor was cold, and with her focus being on the pain in her hand, Ophelia hadn’t noticed she was back in chains once again.

"I’m going to kill her," Ophelia repeated, keeping herself motivated.

"You should focus on yourself," Eliza’s voice came as the door opened. "You should beg for mercy," she advised Ophelia as she threw a torch into the room to add light.

Eliza looked away from Ophelia, her eyes filled with fear and panic as cries surrounded her. Freeing Dante was no easy task, and all around her, men were falling. Luckily, Dante was heading in the right direction.

As long as Ophelia died, then the sacrifices would not all be in vain.

Eliza ran away from the door, hoping to get out of the dungeon before Dante came closer.

Ophelia reached for the torch, not wanting the fire to go out, but the chain around her foot wouldn’t allow her to go further.

Ophelia shifted her attention to freeing her foot from the chain, even if she had to wound herself to do so.

Ophelia never took her eyes off the chain, even when the guards’ calls to leave echoed throughout the dungeon.

"Come on, come on, come on," Ophelia repeated as she struggled to make progress.

Tears finally spilt as she endured fresh pain from her injured hand.

Eliza had not been merciful in tending to her injury.

Ophelia moved her gaze from the chains when she noticed guards outside her cell with their swords drawn. Her eyes widened when she saw the dark frame of a creature lunging towards the guards.

Ophelia sat still, trying not to make a sound to draw attention to herself since she hadn’t freed her foot yet.

Her heart pounded against her chest when the creature turned its interest away from the guards to her. She heard it sniff and looked down at her bleeding hand.

Ophelia looked back at the open door where the beast slowly entered as though stalking her. There wasn’t a trace of Dante’s human side visible, but she trusted that he was fighting to be in control.

"I believe you can fight this, Dante. Don’t give up," Ophelia spoke softly, trying to encourage Dante. "I’m here to help you, but you have to help yourself by fighting it. I trust you can overcome it."

Ophelia was clueless about what to do to help Dante while he was in this form, and to make matters worse, the flame on the torch was dimming against the cold floor.

Ophelia’s eyes widened when she noticed Dante take a stance as though he was about to charge at her, and her guess seemed to be right when he started coming towards her.

"Dante, stop!" Ophelia yelled and lifted her hands out to shield herself. She closed her eyes, waiting for the impact.