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The night was silent except for the sound of my uneven breathing. The curse gnawed at me from the inside, its dark tendrils wrapping tighter around my soul with each passing moment. No matter how much I tried to ignore it, to fight it off, it was always there—looming, taunting, waiting for the perfect moment to consume me completely.

I sat across from Aimee, the one person who still believed in me. She looked at me with those soft eyes, full of love and determination, but I couldn't bring myself to meet her gaze for long. What if she was wrong? What if I wasn't worth saving?

Her voice broke the silence, trembling slightly as she spoke. "James… I won't let this curse take you. We'll find a way. I promise."

I clenched my fists, feeling the familiar surge of anger and despair. The curse had already taken so much from me—my sense of control, my confidence, my hope. How could she possibly think we could defeat it?