Cursed to Kiss the Enemy

A novel contain 20 chapters

By Rafia

I hope you'll like this story

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*CURSED TO KISS THE ENEMY*

*Chapter 1: The Witch and The Hunter*

The torches went out.

One second I was hiding in the alley of Naya City, the next I was in complete darkness. My magic flickered in my chest like a dying candle.

And then I heard it. Boots. Heavy. Slow. Coming straight for me.

"Come out, witch," a cold voice said. "I can smell your magic."

Captain Zayn. The King's best hunter. The man who had burned 12 witches last month alone.

My heart slammed against my ribs. The law was clear. If a witch was caught, she was executed. No trial. No mercy.

I pressed my back to the cold stone wall. "You have the wrong girl," I called out, trying to make my voice steady. "I'm just a baker's daughter."

The footsteps stopped right in front of me.

A match flared to life.

And there he was.

Tall. Black armor. Dark hair falling over cruel gray eyes. And a sword pointed directly at my throat.

Captain Zayn looked at me like I was dirt under his boot. "Layla Al-Razi," he said my name like a curse. "17 years old. Water magic. Wanted for treason against the crown."

I swallowed. "Must be my evil twin."

His jaw ticked. He wasn't amused. "Don't play games with me. The King gave me 7 days to bring you in. Dead or alive."

He grabbed my wrist. His skin was freezing. Mine was burning. The moment we touched, something inside me snapped.

A searing pain shot through both of us. We gasped at the same time and jumped apart.

What the hell was that?

Zayn stared at his hand like it had betrayed him. There, on both our palms, a mark had appeared. A circle. Split in half. Half silver, half red.

"I... what did you do?" he growled.

"I didn't do anything!"

From the shadows, an old woman's voice cackled. The City Seer. She stepped out, leaning on a cane, eyes milky white.

"Ah," she said. "The ancient curse has awakened."

Zayn pointed his sword at her. "Explain."

The Seer smiled, showing broken teeth. "100 years ago, a witch and a hunter fell in love. The King cursed them. Now the curse lives on." She looked at us. "If the witch and the hunter do not kiss within 7 days... both will die a slow, painful death. The mark will spread. Day by day. Until it reaches your heart."

Silence.

Zayn's face went blank. "That's impossible."

"Day 1 starts now," the Seer said. "Good luck, children." And she vanished into the dark.

I looked down at my hand. The red half of the circle was already crawling up my wrist. Like ink in water.

I looked up at Zayn. He was looking at me too. And for the first time, the great Captain Zayn looked scared.

"Listen to me, witch," he said quietly. "I would rather die than kiss you."

I forced a laugh, even though my hands were shaking. "Good. Because I would rather die than kiss a murderer."

But the mark on my skin pulsed. And it hurt.

7 days.

Him or me.

Or both of us.

*[To be continued...]*