Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 155: Life and death (1)

Ophelia got dressed and ate in her chamber, then met with Dante to go down to the dungeon. As excited as she was to see the man she had been hunting in Dante’s absence, Ophelia wanted to leave the castle to see the stranger Dante spoke of.

When Ophelia entered the dungeon, she thought of the last time she came here and how she was the prisoner. Fortunately, with her second visit, she was only a visitor.

"Open it," Dante ordered one of the dungeon guards.

Ophelia looked into the cell before her to find a man tied to a chair. His head was bowed, and his messy hair covered the last of his face.

Luckily, the prisoner looked up after hearing Dante’s voice, but instead of looking at Dante, his gaze went right to Ophelia.

Ophelia stared right back at Remus. She had been waiting long to see him captured.

Dante held onto Ophelia’s hand and led her inside the cell. He peered down upon Remus, who avoided his gaze.

"It’s him," Ophelia confirmed. "He’s the one who put the chain on me and was watching me in the castle. I would say at times you were following me. Why?"

Remus didn’t answer.

"The incident with the chain, I can let go since you were following Lady Cecilia’s orders, but everything that followed cannot be ignored. Why were you following me?" Ophelia asked, looking down on Remus.

Now he wouldn’t meet her eyes.

"Unless you want to lose your tongue so your words can never be understood again, I suggest you answer my wife. For all that you pledged to my family, this is what you do after all of our generosity?" Dante asked, fuming with anger.

"I didn’t betray you," Remus answered. "I am thinking of what is good for this castle and your land."

"When did you become Lord Hastings? Your position isn’t to think of what is good for my land. It is to follow my orders. I didn’t expect this from you. You have always proven to be loyal, so why? Is it my mother’s doing?" Dante inquired.

"Lady Cecilia didn’t have anything to do with it-"

"Yes, she did," Ophelia spoke over Remus. "I saw the way you panicked when her name was mentioned. It was subtle, but I caught it. Were you her spy in the castle? Someone tasked to watch me?"

"Yes," Remus answered, looking up at Ophelia.

Ophelia stared at Remus, and after a fleeting moment, she smiled. "That’s not all you were tasked to do. You didn’t want to speak a moment ago, but now you expect me to believe you are eager to answer? I am not a fool. I wish you could relay this back to her."

Ophelia was done with Remus since it was no use questioning him. "As I said, he won’t answer us truthfully. I believe that he cares for this castle, but his loyalty is not with you. It is with your mother. I would not be against motivation to get him to speak."

Remus’s eyes widened.

"Why so surprised? I’m confident there is much you and others plot concerning my life. Why should I be kind and spare you from torture? Whether you get hurt or not is in your hands. If you speak, you will be spared from pain. If you are wise, you will speak," Ophelia advised Remus.

If Remus kept quiet and Ophelia was harmed, she wouldn’t be against him being killed in the future.

"I am ready to leave. I don’t want to be present to see what methods they will use. If he cherishes his life, Remus will have plenty to say to us before he is tortured," said Ophelia.

Ophelia let go of Dante’s hand and walked out of the cell. She wanted to take the chance to see who else was placed in the dungeon since the last time she was there.

Dante remained in the cell with Remus.

"Your ties to my family are through your parents. They served my parents, and because of it, you were welcomed to the castle during my years. You once spoke of having a debt to repay, but I didn’t know what you meant since you never owed me. That debt must be with my mother," Dante realised.

"Is that debt worth dying over? I hate to kill any of my men who have been at my side for years, but if I find out you were plotting to harm my wife, your life will end here in this dungeon. Whatever debt you have with my mother will be forgotten, and all your parents will think of is your betrayal."

Remus remained silent. He knew the consequences of his actions, and unfortunately for Dante, he had already passed on Cecilia’s plans to the others since he knew he was going to be caught.

In less than a week, Ophelia was set to die.

Remus made peace with the consequences that would follow. He had faith that Cecilia wouldn’t forget everyone who helped her get what she yearned for and who helped free the castle from having a Valthorn in it.

Dante walked out of the cell, angry that Remus didn’t take the opportunity to come clean.

"Torture it out of him," Dante instructed the dungeon guards. "Ophelia," he said, watching as she looked around. "It is time to leave."

Ophelia joined Dante again and didn’t pay any mind to him holding her hand.

Once they were out of the dungeon, Ophelia asked, "He is going to die either way, right?"

"Yes," Dante answered. "If he is willing to go against my orders and listen to my mother, there is nothing I can do with him now." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"It is unfortunate, but at least he didn’t go to the side of one of your enemies. He is just on the wrong side of the Hastings family. There must be others like him around the castle. Surely, your mother didn’t just leave one of her spies here," said Ophelia.

"I know she didn’t. I am going to place another guard at your side," Dante decided.

"I was just getting comfortable with only Thomas, but I understand. A dangerous time is coming up, so I’m sure we will face many dangers then. A time when you are unable to control yourself is the perfect time to attack me. Perhaps send me away to the palace like Alistair wanted," Ophelia said.

"That is why I want to hide you away, but you want to be near to observe me," Dante said, still against the idea.

"How else am I to help you if I am not near? I am staying to find ways to help you," Ophelia said, determined.