A Curse Love: Bound by Shadow

Chapter 7: Trust and Betrayal

The days blur together after that night with Luca, each one heavier than the last, like a slow descent into something I can't fully understand. I feel the curse's pull more intensely now, a constant, throbbing reminder that I’m entangled in something dark, old, and inescapable.

I try to shake it off, telling myself that I’m imagining things, but every time I’m around Luca, the feeling tightens, like invisible chains binding me to him. The more I think about it, the more desperate I feel to understand what this curse truly means for us—and if there's any way out.

---

That afternoon, I find myself at the Blackwood Tavern, the only place in town that feels remotely alive with energy. Jared’s behind the bar, wiping down glasses, his smile warming as he notices me approaching. He’s always been friendly, a comforting presence amidst the chaos. And right now, I need that comfort more than anything.

“Hey, stranger,” he greets me, sliding a drink across the counter. “You look like you could use this.”

I take the drink with a grateful nod, clutching it in both hands. “Thanks, Jared. You have no idea.”

He raises an eyebrow, studying me with a concern that makes my chest ache. “Everything okay?”

I hesitate, my fingers tightening around the glass. I haven’t told Jared much about the curse, not really, but something inside me is screaming to get this out, to share this weight. I can’t keep pretending everything’s fine, not when I feel like I’m unraveling from the inside out.

“It’s... complicated,” I say finally, setting the glass down and meeting his gaze. “Have you ever heard of... something called a binding curse?”

Jared’s expression flickers, his smile fading slightly. He leans in closer, lowering his voice. “That’s not just something people talk about around here, Amelia. Binding curses... they’re dark magic. Dangerous. Why are you asking?”

I take a shaky breath, wondering how much to tell him. But the words come pouring out before I can stop them. “I think I’m part of one. With Luca.”

Jared’s face twists in surprise, followed by something else—something that looks almost like anger. He glances around to make sure no one’s listening, then lowers his voice to a tense whisper. “Amelia, you don’t want to get mixed up with someone like Luca. He’s... he’s dangerous. You know that, right?”

I shake my head, feeling the frustration boiling up inside me. “He’s not what people think he is, Jared. There’s more to him than just... that. I know there’s good in him, somewhere beneath all the darkness.”

Jared lets out a sigh, looking away. “Sometimes, it doesn’t matter if there’s good in someone. Sometimes the darkness is stronger. And I don’t want to see you get hurt because of it.”

“I don’t have a choice,” I murmur, barely able to meet his gaze. “This curse, it’s... it’s like it’s alive. It’s pulling us together, forcing us into something neither of us can control. I can feel it, Jared. And I don’t know how to make it stop.”

He reaches across the bar, covering my hand with his. “Maybe... maybe you should consider walking away from him. Before it’s too late.”

The words hang between us, heavy and painful, and I realize that he’s not just giving advice—he’s asking me to choose. To choose him. But as much as I care about Jared, as much as I want to pretend that I could just walk away from this, I know deep down that I can’t. I’m bound to Luca, in ways I can’t even explain.

Before I can respond, the door swings open, and Hannah walks in, her gaze instantly finding me. She’s been distant lately, watching from the shadows, but now she strides toward me with purpose, her expression unreadable.

“Amelia,” she says, her voice low and urgent. “Can we talk?”

I nod, standing up and following her out of the tavern, leaving Jared’s conflicted gaze burning into my back. Outside, the air is cool, carrying a faint hint of rain. I follow Hannah down the street, and she leads me into a small, dimly lit alleyway, her eyes darting around as if to make sure no one’s listening.

“Hannah, what’s going on?” I ask, trying to read the expression on her face.

“There’s something you need to know,” she says quietly, her gaze serious. “About the curse. About Luca. And... about Damon.”

Damon. His name sends a chill down my spine. I’d met him only briefly, but there was something unsettling about him, something that felt too close to the curse itself.

“What about him?” I ask, my heart pounding.

Hannah takes a deep breath, glancing around once more before speaking. “Damon is part of a society that believes in breaking the curse—by any means necessary.”

I frown, struggling to process her words. “Breaking it? How?”

She hesitates, her gaze dropping to the ground. “By sacrifice, Amelia. They believe that one of you has to betray the other for the curse to break. It’s... it’s how it’s always been.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless. Betrayal. Sacrifice. I knew the curse was dark, but I never imagined it would demand something like this.

“So you’re saying... Damon wants me to betray Luca?” I whisper, barely able to voice the words.

Hannah nods, her expression grim. “He’s going to try to manipulate you, to make you think it’s for your own good. But you have to be careful, Amelia. Damon... he’s dangerous. And he has his own motives.”

A shiver runs through me as her words sink in. Damon isn’t just a friend. He’s part of something much darker, something that’s been manipulating this curse for generations.

“Why are you telling me this?” I ask, my voice trembling.

Hannah’s gaze softens, a flicker of sympathy in her eyes. “Because I know what it’s like to be trapped, Amelia. To feel like you’re bound to something you can’t escape. And I don’t want to see you make a mistake that you’ll regret.”

I nod, swallowing hard. “Thank you, Hannah.”

She gives me a small, sad smile before turning and walking away, leaving me alone in the alley with my thoughts.