Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 177: Severing ties (5)

Inside the bedchamber, Victoria felt relieved to hear a familiar voice. She heard shouting long before the knock and assumed Cecilia was scolding the servants again.

Victoria ran to the door and pounded her hands on it, hoping the person who sounded like Dante wouldn’t leave her behind.

"It is locked. She had the door changed so I could not unlock it," Victoria explained, her heart beating fast as her escape was near.

Victoria rested her head against the door, taking the moment to celebrate someone noticing that she was trapped in Cecilia’s home. "Is it you, Dante?"

"It is," Dante answered. He looked down at the doorknob, which was locked from his side as well.

Victoria returned to her bed and waited for the door to open. She didn’t have the slightest clue what was happening for Dante to be present, but she dared not question it. She yearned to get far away from Cecilia.

Victoria worried about Cecilia coming to stop him and having to spend another night trapped like a prisoner.

"I have never been so happy to see you," Victoria said, welcoming the chance to have someone to speak to. Cecilia placed her to be alone so she could think over her recent actions.

Impatient, Victoria approached the door, but didn’t get too close as Dante started to use a sword to force his way inside.

Victoria smiled, but then confusion set in. She looked back at her window.

"How are you here?" Victoria whispered, puzzled by what she was seeing now. It couldn’t be real.

Victoria had been concerned about Dante after seeing the full moon. She had hoped he was doing better than her.

Victoria backed away from the door, believing this was all in her head.

Victoria palmed her face as she tried to make sense of the position she was in.

Was she dreaming?

Victoria shook with fear as Dante’s frame became clearer. She cried, fearing that the medicine Cecilia sent to calm her was messing with her head. She didn’t put it past Cecilia to turn her into a madwoman.

"Victoria," Dante spoke softly as he entered the chamber. He noticed her behaviour and decided on a soft approach. "It is me. The curse has been broken."

"Is it really you?" Victoria asked, slowly lowering her hands. She didn’t want to turn into a madwoman. "How did you end the curse?"

"Ophelia," Dante gave a simple answer. "What happened to you?" He asked, yet to get too close to Victoria.

"Your mother locked me here. After I tried to escape, she brought medicine here and said I needed to take it if I knew what was good for me. I don’t like the way I feel. I cannot tell if this is real," Victoria said, still believing it was an illusion.

Dante suspected Eliza was the one to supply Cecilia with the medicine.

Dante offered his hand to Victoria. "What you see is real. The curse has been broken. That is why I stand before you as I do now. The beast already showed itself and left."

Victoria trusted Dante. "How do you know your mother imprisoned me? I tried to bribe a maid, but she gave the letter to Cecilia."

"I am not here because I knew you were imprisoned. I came because I have to imprison my mother. She tried to kill Ophelia," Dante revealed.

Victoria wasn’t surprised. She avoided Dante’s gaze as she thought of how Cecilia was acting.

Victoria didn’t want to make the same mistake, so she said, "I do not have evidence of who she has been speaking to, but I know she has been plotting something. I suspect it is with my uncle. She might have wanted to work with him to get rid of Ophelia and then kill him so I could get back to my home. I didn’t want any part of it," she promised.

"I have been looking around for evidence, but she hides it well. Then, when I spoke up about wanting to leave, she forbade me from leaving. She cannot accept that I want to move on to marry someone else, but it is partly my fault," Victoria confessed, taking some of the blame.

"When her behaviour benefited me, I turned a blind eye to what she did to others. Now she has turned that behaviour towards me. I deserve it," Victoria believed.

"You don’t deserve to be held against your will here. My mother has gone too far with her plans. At least one of you has realised your mistakes. This is hope for you, but I cannot say the same for my mother. Come with me," Dante said, still waiting for Victoria to accept his hand. "I will take you to the castle."

"Lady Hastings," Victoria said, worried about Ophelia’s reaction.

"She is kind. Knowing that you were held here and given medicine to be calm, she will pity you. Ophelia has never been your enemy. You made her out to be your enemy. I must take my mother to the dungeon right now. Either you join me, or you stay here," Dante gave Victoria options.

Victoria wiped her tears with her hands and answered, "I will join you in the castle for the night, but I will go to a friend in the morning. I must distance myself from you and the rumours I created if I am to find a husband. I want to be the person I once was when my father was alive."

"I’ll respect your wishes. You may want to consider where you go. My mother’s home will be empty for quite some time. While she is imprisoned, her home will be empty. You can have ownership of it until you get back your childhood home," Dante offered.

"Thank you, but the loneliness would get to me. Thank you for rescuing me," Victoria said, walking to Dante to place her hand on his. "I am lucky to still have you as a friend. If you would allow me, I must search for my maid. Cecilia didn’t allow her to tend to me. I have to see that she is well."

"I shall set aside time for you to find her. You must hurry since I cannot be away from the castle for too long," said Dante.

Victoria nodded as she moved her hand away from Dante’s and left the bedchamber to start her search for Nora.

Dante switched his attention to looking for letters in hopes she hadn’t destroyed them all.

If Cecilia were in fact speaking with Alistiar in hopes of kidnapping Ophelia, then it would add to her crimes. It also gave reason to send for Alistair to come to the castle to imprison him.

Dante returned to his mother’s chamber and searched for letters, but found nothing. She had been wise to burn them, but it didn’t matter.

Dante knew how to lure out the traitors. It would only take a fake letter from his mother offering to help Alistair kidnap Ophelia.