Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 174: Severing ties (2)

Dante got dressed in clothes prepared for him by the knights. He saw Ophelia leave with Thomas to be taken to another doctor so her hand could finally be treated.

The guilt of being the one to harm her had not worn off, but Dante had bigger matters to focus on at the moment.

For the first time in his life, Dante was happy not to have completely gotten rid of the beast since it made it easier to track Eliza’s scent.

Dante was calm as the men around him ran ahead searching for the traitors. He made his way down to the wine cellars, followed by four knights.

"You must send word to her of our position," Dante overheard whispers from the other side of the door.

"Open it," Dante instructed the knights behind him. He reserved his strength for Cecilia.

Dante waited back, letting the knights go forward to break open the door.

Dante removed a torch from the walls and used it to offer light into the wine cellar, which was rarely used.

After breaking open the door, the knights stepped aside to allow Dante to enter.

Inside the cellar, Eliza stood with her back against the cold wall. With the gates closed, Eliza was forced to hide in the castle, so the cellar felt like a good place to hide until Cecilia arrived. She always met with her peers here, so she considered it a safe space.

Some of the men Eliza worked with to move Ophelia to the dungeon had fallen after the beast attacked them, so she was only left with two men.

"What are you two fools doing?" Eliza yelled as the men beside her threw their swords onto the floor and placed their hands in the air. "The fight is not lost."

"Lord Hastings."

Eliza’s head whipped around after hearing the dreadful name. It couldn’t be Lord Hastings standing before them.

"No," Eliza whispered, her eyes wide with horror as the fire from the torch revealed Dante’s face. "This can’t be."

Dante was meant to be killing Ophelia, not standing around in his normal form.

Eliza had seen the beast with her own eyes to confirm the full moon had played its role.

"I welcomed you into my castle and gave you freedom when it came to studying medicine. All you needed for work was given to you, and in return, you would give me your loyalty. In the end, you repay me by setting up my wife. Kill those two," Dante motioned to the men beside Eliza.

Cries for forgiveness filled the cellar, and with them, Cecilia’s plans were exposed in a last moment plea for a second chance.

Eliza squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head to the right, trying not to witness the deaths. She tried gripping the walls as the knights came forward to slice the necks of her peers with their swords.

"Please spare me," Eliza pleaded, desperate to live. "I was doing what your mother asked. She wanted to save the castle."

"You were to listen to Lady Hastings just as I have. While I would love to lock this door and set this cellar on fire with you in it, my wife has a request. A little promise, she says she wants to fulfill so I will allow her to decide your fate. Drag her out," Dante commanded the others as he turned around.

"Lord Hastings," Eliza cried out as she dropped to her knees. "We were only doing what was best for the Hastings family. Your mother fears that- Lord Hastings!" Eliza called as Dante walked away from her.

He didn’t spare her a moment to plead her case.

Dante handed the torch to one of the knights. He didn’t need to listen to Eliza’s reasons for her betrayal. Her actions spoke louder than her words.

"Prepare a horse for me," Dante instructed a knight.

The only person Dante wanted to speak to was his mother.

***

Away from the Hastings castle, Cecilia sat by her window, looking onward in the direction of the Hastings castle. She was too far away to tell if there was trouble in the castle or if her plans were going as she wanted.

Cecilia could only wait out the night and hope that in the morning, she would hear news of Ophelia’s death.

Cecilia knew Dante was going to hate her for acting without speaking to him first, but it was either killing Ophelia or sending her to the palace. The latter was far worse than death, so she had done Ophelia a favour.

Cecilia stood up from her chair as she couldn’t spend another second waiting for news to come.

Between Victoria’s failed attempts to leave the mansion and the plans Cecilia laid out to kill Ophelia, Cecilia had a headache.

Luckily, it was all going back to normal soon.

Cecilia walked to her bed, ready to go to sleep. She set her glass of wine down beside her bed and laid down, wanting morning to come sooner.

Not long after, Cecilia was awoken by the sound of someone yelling.

Cecilia sprang up, afraid her home was being attacked.

Cecilia screamed when the door opened and readied herself for the attacker despite not having the slightest clue how to defend herself.

"Guards! Dante?" Cecilia questioned his appearance. She was not relieved to see Dante. "Why are you here? You know you must be caged when there is a full moon. Do you want to kill everyone around you?"

Cecilia slid over to the other side of the bed, fearing that Dante could change at any moment.

It was reckless on Dante’s part to come to her now.

Dante noticed the almost empty glass of wine sitting at the side of the bed.

"I was caged in the dungeon, and here you are enjoying yourself. Or, are you going to claim that you’re so stressed you needed to have wine? Or, is it that you are celebrating the idea of me killing my wife? What is it, mother?" Dante asked, his voice sharp with anger.

With her plans exposed, Cecilia’s composure slipped.

Despite this, Cecilia laughed. "I want her dead, but I would never use you, son. We should save this talk for later when you are better. You should have the men chain somewhere away from my home. Go back to the castle."

"Did you ever love my father? I know you hold some love for him, but have you loved him as much as you claimed to?"

"Dante, don’t be-"

"Answer me," Dante demanded, wanting only honesty. "Did you love him or did you fear him?"

"I loved your father with every bone in my body. He turned into a beast more times than I liked. How was I not to be afraid of him? Despite my fear, I stood by his side and helped to raise you, only to be left with an ungrateful son!" Cecilia yelled, frustrated that her love was being questioned.

How many women could be in her shoes as long as she was?

"Do you love me?" Dante asked, clenching his hand. "Do you love me even when I was the beast?"

"If I didn’t love you, I would have long abandoned you," Cecilia answered with confidence. "It is not my love you must question, son. It is that woman’s love."

"I have all the proof I need when it comes to Ophelia’s love, yet I have trouble believing you. Admit it, mother. You fear me," Dante said, wanting to hear it.