12. Pacts with Shadows

The man Shadow calls his father has an overwhelming presence, like every fiber of the air tenses around him. Though his disheveled appearance suggests neglect, his golden eyes reveal something primal, almost feral. I can’t look away, even though every part of me screams to run in the opposite direction.

“Are you going to introduce me?” he asks with a smile that never reaches his eyes.

Shadow doesn’t flinch.

“Her name is Amelia, and I didn’t come here to talk about her.”

“Oh, of course not. You never come just to talk, do you?” The man crosses his arms and leans against the doorframe. “What do you want, son?”

The word son drips with disdain, and though Shadow doesn’t react physically, I can feel the tension building in him.

“Caleb is tracking us. We need a safe place—and your help.”

“My help?” The man laughs, a coarse sound that makes me shiver. “Now that’s new. The proud pup asking help from his old man.”

“Are you going to keep mocking me, or will you listen?” Shadow raises his voice, and there’s a restrained anger in it that surprises me.

“Easy, pup.” The man straightens and takes a step closer. His eyes settle on me. “Do you even know what you’ve gotten yourself into, Amelia?”

I don’t answer. My throat is dry, and words refuse to come.

“Enough, Father.” Shadow steps forward, placing his body between us. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“Oh, really?” The man sneers. “Then why is she here?”

Shadow looks like he’s about to respond, but I stop him by placing a hand on his arm.

“I’m here because I want to be,” I say, my voice shaking but resolute. “And if that means facing whatever comes, then so be it.”

The man studies me, and something shifts in his expression. For a moment, he looks amused, like my bravery is some kind of private joke.

“You’ve got guts, human. But that’s not enough to survive in our world.” He turns back to Shadow. “Are you sure you want to drag her into this?”

“It’s not your decision,” Shadow replies firmly. “Will you help us or not?”

The man sighs, as if weighing his options. Finally, he nods toward the house.

“Come in. But I warn you—this won’t be free.”

The inside of the house is just as deteriorated as the outside. The walls are scarred with what look like claw marks, and the air smells of dampness and something metallic I can’t identify.

“What kind of help are you looking for?” the man asks as he leads us into a dim room.

Shadow doesn’t respond right away. I can see on his face how hard this is for him. But finally, he says:

“Caleb won’t stop. I need a place to keep her safe while I deal with him.”

“Keep her safe?” the man laughs again—a dry, mocking sound. “And who’s going to keep you safe, pup?”

“I didn’t come here asking for protection for myself,” Shadow replies, his voice low but steady.

“That much is obvious.” The man sinks into a battered armchair, eyeing us like pieces on a chessboard. “But I won’t help without something in return.”

“What do you want?” Shadow asks cautiously.

“A vow.”

The words fall like a stone into water, sending ripples of tension through the room.

“No.” Shadow stands abruptly, furious. “You know I won’t do that.”

“Then there’s no deal.” The man shrugs, seemingly indifferent. “You can face Caleb on your own. But you already know how that ends.”

Shadow turns to me, and for the first time, I see a flicker of desperation in his eyes.

“Amelia…”

“What does a vow mean?” I ask, turning to the man.

“It means he’d be bound to me,” he replies with a predator’s smile. “A vow of loyalty. Of obedience.”

“You can’t ask me for that,” Shadow says, his voice shaking with rage. “That’s too high a price.”

“Too high?” The man leans forward, his golden eyes gleaming with malice. “Then tell me, son—what is her life worth to you?”

The silence that follows is unbearable. Shadow seems caught between two impossible choices, his gaze shifting between his father and me.

“Don’t do it,” I say finally, my voice a whisper. “I don’t want you to give up your freedom for me.”

“It’s not just my freedom,” Shadow says quietly. “If I don’t do this, Caleb will find you. And I won’t let that happen.”

“Shadow…”

“I’ve made my decision.”

He turns to the man, his eyes burning with determination.

“I accept.”

The man’s smile is nearly triumphant. He stands and holds out his hand to Shadow.

“Then seal the vow.”

Shadow hesitates for just a moment before taking his father’s hand. A current of energy pulses through the room, and a chill runs down my spine.

“It’s done,” the man says, releasing him. “Now get ready. Caleb won’t be far behind.”

That night, as Shadow and I sit alone in a small room inside the house, I search for the right words to tell him how I feel.

“You shouldn’t have done it,” I finally say, my voice barely a whisper in the dark.

“It was the only option,” he replies, his tone tired.

“I don’t want you to lose yourself because of me.”

Shadow turns toward me, his eyes finding mine in the dim light.

“I was already lost the day I met you, Amelia. But I don’t regret it.”

His words hit me like a storm, and before I realize it, I’m in his arms. The world outside disappears as we cling to each other like we’re the only things left standing in the middle of the chaos.

I know what we have is doomed—but right now, it doesn’t matter.

Right now, it's just us.