Chapter 14: Captive Bargains

Elena's pulse pounded as Lord Castillo's soldiers closed in. The leader, a broad-shouldered man with a jagged scar across his cheek, signaled for his men to dismount. The horses snorted, their hooves kicking up mist and dirt as the soldiers advanced.

"Bind their hands," the scarred soldier ordered.

Tobias took a step back, his fingers inching toward the dagger at his hip, but Elena shot him a warning glance. Fighting would only make things worse. They were outnumbered, exhausted, and had nowhere to run.

Reluctantly, Tobias and Rafael raised their hands, allowing the soldiers to tie their wrists with coarse rope. When a soldier reached for Elena, she stiffened but didn't resist as her hands were bound tightly in front of her.

"This is a mistake," Rafael said, his voice steady despite the tension in his body. "We're not thieves."

The scarred soldier sneered. "Then why were you skulking around a cursed ruin in the dead of night?"

Elena gritted her teeth. "We were looking for answers, not treasure."

The soldier chuckled darkly. "That's exactly what a thief would say." He turned to his men. "Lord Castillo will want to see them himself. Move."

With little choice, they were forced forward, the soldiers flanking them on all sides. The moonlit valley stretched out into a dense forest, the path winding toward the distant glow of torches. Castillo's camp was nearby.

Elena shot Rafael a sidelong glance. "Any brilliant ideas?" she whispered.

"Still working on it," he muttered.

Tobias, walking beside them, kept his eyes on the soldiers. "If we can't talk our way out of this, we're going to have to fight."

"Not until we know what Castillo wants," Elena replied. "We need information first."

Minutes later, the trees thinned, revealing a sprawling encampment nestled between rocky hills. Tents stood in orderly rows, banners bearing Castillo's crest fluttering in the cold night air. A large pavilion dominated the center of the camp, its entrance guarded by two armored men.

They were shoved toward the pavilion without ceremony. The scarred soldier pulled back the tent flap and motioned them inside.

"Lord Castillo is expecting you."

Elena took a steadying breath and stepped forward.

Inside, the tent was warm, lit by lanterns casting flickering shadows across richly woven carpets. At a heavy wooden table sat Lord Castillo himself. He was a man in his late fifties, dressed in a deep crimson coat lined with gold embroidery. His dark eyes assessed them coolly as he swirled a goblet of wine in his hand.

"So," he said, setting the goblet down. "The infamous explorers who have stirred up quite the legend."

Elena met his gaze, refusing to show fear. "We're not legends. We're survivors."

Castillo raised an eyebrow. "Survivors of what, exactly?"

"The cursed tomb," Rafael answered. "Where your treasure lies."

At that, Castillo leaned forward, interest sparking in his eyes. "Ah. So you did find it."

Elena hesitated. She knew the wrong answer could seal their fate. "We found something," she admitted carefully. "But nothing worth stealing."

Castillo chuckled, shaking his head. "You expect me to believe that? You risked life and limb for nothing?"

Rafael took a calculated step forward, ignoring the way the guards tensed. "What if I told you the treasure is real, but it comes at a cost?"

Castillo studied him. "Go on."

"There's a curse," Rafael said, lowering his voice. "A guardian bound to the gold. Anyone who tries to take it awakens something that should remain buried."

For the first time, Castillo's expression darkened. He glanced toward one of his advisors—a wiry man with deep-set eyes—who nodded grimly.

"There have been… rumors," the advisor murmured. "Tales of men vanishing near the ruins. Strange occurrences."

Castillo tapped his fingers against the table, considering. Then he smirked. "And yet, you're still alive."

"For now," Tobias muttered.

Castillo leaned back. "Tell me the truth—can the curse be broken?"

Elena hesitated. "Maybe. But if we fail, we risk unleashing something worse."

Castillo stroked his beard, deep in thought. Then, to their surprise, he smiled. "Then you'll break it for me."

Elena's blood ran cold. "What?"

"You're valuable," Castillo said. "You've seen what lies beyond those ruins, and you lived to tell the tale. That makes you useful. And I don't waste useful people."

Tobias scowled. "And if we refuse?"

Castillo's smile didn't waver. "Then I find other ways to make you… cooperative."

The guards stepped closer.

Elena swallowed hard. They had escaped Aurelian's grasp only to land in the clutches of a man who was just as dangerous.

One way or another, their fight wasn't over.

It was just beginning.