All Chapters of The Binding: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The CageThe blinding pain is the first thing to register as my eyes begin to open. It hits me in crashing waves, something that swallows every other sensation. My vision is a foggy smear of color and shadows. My ears ring so loudly it’s like a fire alarm is screaming from inside my skull. Every inch of me aches–no, it burns–with a pain so sharp it feels like my bones have been broken, shattered, and forced back into place a hundred different ways. And no, I’m not just being dramatic.What the hell is happening to me?My breath catches as the world finally begins to come into focus. Chains, thick metal cuffs clamped tight around my wrists. My arms ache from being suspended for–god knows how long. I can't even tell if it’s day or night. There’s no light peaking in from anywhere, which means no windows. Great. There's just a dim flickering torchlight licking at dirt-covered stone. Fuck.Am I locked in a cage? Is this a dungeon? Wait, why the hell am I arguing with myself about what

The Weight of the UnknownOnly three hours into our eight-hour flight and I’m already completely over it. I shift in my seat for what has to be the hundredth time, trying to find a position that doesn’t make my entire body scream. My body aches, my patience is gone, and the idea of being sealed in this metal tube for five more hours feels like a new form of torture. I never thought I’d long for a layover, but here we are. Still, as much as I’m mentally pacing the aisles, I can’t deny a flicker of anticipation beneath the exhaustion. We’re headed to Norway, my new home, our new home. Gran had lived in Balestrand since she was a little girl, she only came to the states to raise me after… well, after everything. I know part of her has always missed her home. Missed the mountains, the fjords. She said the stillness there always settled something deep inside her soul. If I close my eyes, I can almost picture it. Cobblestone streets, tucked between forest and water. Little cafes with war

The Stranger's EyesDew still clung to the car, beads of silver lining its frame. Morning air curled with a creeping fog, soft and slow, as if the world itself hadn’t quite woken up yet. The distant chirp of birds played like a soft soundtrack as I unloaded the last of our luggage and hauled it towards the porch. I wasn’t ready to face another day-especially not with these new panic attacks crashing into me like rogue waves. Anxiety and stress had never held much sway over me before. But lately, something has shifted. Everything around me just felt off. Like I was walking through a dream that I couldn’t quite shake. I set the final bag down and paused, a deep breath. The air was cold and damp, the fog pressing close to my skin. The eerie stillness of the morning settled over me like a second coat. You’ve made it through worse Saxa, just breathe. Push through. I turned towards the front door just as Gran stepped out. “Saxa,” she called, “The moving company called…apparently, they’v

Magnetic PullKissing Gran’s cheek, I grabbed my jacket and keys and headed next door. Loud. That was the only word I could think of as I stepped into the party; people were milling all over the lawn, laughing, shouting, music thumping through the house like a heartbeat.What am I supposed to do, knock? Oh, fuck it. Walking in, my eyes immediately land on Eirik. I took a few hesitant steps forward but quickly broke our eye contact, scanning the room for any sign of Ingrid among the crowd. As I weaved through the throng of people, the music pulsed around me, making it hard to focus. Finally, I spotted Ingrid near the back sliding glass doors, laughing with a group of friends. Relief settled over me as I made my way towards her, hoping to blend in and catch up. I had only taken a few steps when a hand suddenly wrapped around my arm. Instantly, I knew it was him. My heart skipped a beat as I locked eyes with him, wondering what he wanted from me now. His grip was firm, but not harsh.

Between Light and ShadowThe morning sun streamed through my bedroom windows, casting warm rays across the room. I blinked away the remnants of sleep, last night’s moments swirling in my mind—Eirik’s gentle smile, the way his fingers brushed my hair—like a scene pulled from a dream.I dressed quickly, trying to shake the flutter of nerves. Today was a new day, a chance to claim some footing in this strange town. I needed to explore, pick up things for school, maybe find a few essentials for my room—the movers still hadn’t found our boxes.The scent of cooking drifted up the creaky stairs as I headed downstairs, gran’s familiar presence brought a quiet comfort.“Morning, Saxa,” she called from the kitchen, stirring a pot on the stove. “Breakfast will be ready soon.” I settled at the small kitchen table, the warm room made this place feel a little less foreign. “I’m going out to explore something in town today,” I told her. “Maybe pick up a few things for school and my room, I still ca