Forbidden Knots (Shadow Duet #1)

PROLOGUE

J ust under my jaw, on my neck, lies a memory that refuses to fade—a scar that tells a story of my pain. It’s a constant reminder, a promise etched into my skin, that I will be strong and that the horrors of that day will never, ever repeat themselves.

This scar has shaped me in countless ways. It used to whisper to me of my worthlessness, pulling me into a suffocating darkness where I felt like I was dying over and over again. Yet, despite the weight of that despair, I continued to breathe, clinging to the fragile thread of life with relentless battle.

I came to realize that the idea of seeing the light after closing one’s eyes is nothing but a comforting myth. What you truly see are fragments of your life flashing before your eyes: memories that you’ve fought to forget but can’t let go of, faces of strangers you passed on the streets, fleeting moments that seemed insignificant at the time but now haunt you.

They all surround you, watching, encircling, until, eventually, they fade away.