"BOUND BY BETRAYAL: WHEN LOVE AND REVENGE BECOME ONE

EPISODE 2: THE SORCERER’S PROPOSITION

Zara walked through the forest just beyond the village, where the shadows grew thick, and the trees loomed like silent sentries. A mist clung to the ground, cool and damp against her skin, mingling with the nervous sweat that dotted her brow. She heard people speaking in hushed tones about this place, warning of strange happenings and unseen forces. The tales were unsettling, but her heart was already set. She would not let fear turn her back now.

At last, she arrived at a clearing where Elimu’s hut stood. It was a crooked, dark structure, draped in vines and half-swallowed by twisted branches. The door was narrow, worn with age, and only partially open. The forest seemed to hold its breath as she stepped forward and, with trembling fingers, knocked on the door.

The creak of the hinges was almost a sigh, and then she saw him—Elimu, the infamous sorcerer, standing tall and slender in the dim light. He was younger than she had expected, with sharp features and piercing dark eyes that held an unnatural gleam. His gaze fell on her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken, as if he could see straight through her skin to the turmoil swirling inside her.

“Welcome, beautiful one,” he murmured, his voice rich and dark as honey. There was a strange awe in his tone, an unsettling warmth that made her shiver.

Zara nodded politely, choosing her words with care. She knew the power of a sorcerer was not to be taken lightly. “Thank you, Elimu. I… I’ve come for your help.”

Elimu took a step closer, his eyes never leaving her face, his expression somewhere between curiosity and longing. “Help, yes. I sensed someone would come to me today. But I didn’t expect it to be someone so beautiful.”

Zara looked away, uncomfortable under his steady gaze. She reminded herself of her purpose here, of the reason that had driven her to seek him out. “Please, I’ve come because I fear I am losing my husband’s love. I need him back… as he once was. Can you give me something that will help?”

The question hung in the air between them, and she saw a flicker of something in his eyes—a spark that hinted at something darker than mere curiosity. He studied her for a long moment, his gaze sweeping over her as if he were weighing her soul.

“What you ask is not easy, nor is it without consequences,” he said slowly, his voice almost a whisper. “But a woman like you deserves a love that is pure, strong, and unwavering. Why seek to win back a man who has turned from you when there are those who would cherish you more fully?”

Zara felt a strange mix of frustration and unease twist in her chest. She had not come here to hear flattery, and she could not understand why he spoke to her this way. His gaze lingered, a softness there that made her wish she had not come alone.

“Elimu, I came here to save my marriage,” she said firmly, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “I love my husband. I would do anything to keep him with me. That’s all I ask of you.”

Elimu’s expression hardened, a trace of bitterness flashing across his face. He looked at her, his eyes almost sad, but the desire there was unmistakable. She had seen such longing in Zulu’s eyes once, but it felt wrong to see it now, in the face of this stranger who held her fate in his hands.

“Very well,” he said, his voice carefully controlled. “If that is what you truly wish.” His tone was edged with something unspoken, a darkness that hinted at his disappointment. Still, he turned and crossed the room, reaching for a small, earthen jar on a dusty shelf. The jar was plain and unremarkable, yet something about it made Zara’s skin prickle.

He held it out to her, his fingers brushing hers as he placed it in her hand. “This powder,” he said, his voice low, “is what you seek. Mix a small pinch into his food, and only his portion. It will bind his heart to you, rekindling the love that you fear has been lost.”

Zara looked down at the jar in her hands, her mind racing. She felt a glimmer of hope stir within her, fragile yet bright, as she realized this could be her salvation. It was small, this jar, yet it felt heavy with possibility, as though it held within it the answer to all her worries and fears.

“Thank you, Elimu,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. But as she turned to leave, she caught the look in his eyes—one of longing, possessiveness, and something darker still. The warning that had echoed in her mind earlier returned, stronger and more insistent. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this was not a man to cross, nor a spell to take lightly.

But she had made her choice. Holding the jar close, she turned and left, the sorcerer’s gaze burning into her back as she stepped out of the dark hut and back into the cool forest air. The mist had thickened, shrouding her path as she made her way back to the village, yet she walked with a resolve she had not felt in weeks. She was willing to pay the price, whatever it might be.

As she walked, her mind drifted to Zulu’s face, remembering the love they had shared and the life they had built together. She would do anything to have that back, and soon, with Elimu’s powder in her possession, she felt closer to her goal than ever before.

That night, Zara lay awake, the jar on her bedside table, close enough to touch. The thought of what she would do in the morning filled her with both excitement and dread, a strange thrill that made her heart race. She was on the precipice of something that felt dangerous, f*******n—and yet, she could not turn back now.