I found Athena.
Or at least, I thought I did.
She ran toward me.
I caught her.
For one second, everything was normal.
Then I realized something was wrong.
She wasn't breathing.
I pulled back.
"Athena?"
She smiled.
"I'm fine."
"No."
Her expression changed.
"What?"
"You're not real."
She stared at me.
Then smiled again.
"You're learning."
The world cracked.
Athena's face shattered like glass.
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Behind it was the Hollow.
I stepped backward.
"What do you want?"
It didn't answer.
Instead, the entire forest changed.
I saw Athena.
Hundreds of versions of her.
Childhood Athena.
Angry Athena.
Crying Athena.
Laughing Athena.
Athena from the hospital.
Athena from the crash.
Athena looking at me like a lovesick moron.
Each one looked at me.
Each one whispered my name.
I covered my ears.
"Stop."
The Hollow spoke through all of them.
"You have spent years protecting her."
"Yes."
"You lied to her."
"Yes."
"You hid yourself."
"Yes."
"You watched her suffer."
I clenched my fists.
"Yes."
"And still she chose you."
I didn't answer.
The Hollow stepped closer.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain it."
"You think your bond is love."
I stared at it.
"It isn't."
"Then what is it?"
"An anchor."
The word echoed through the forest.
"You have connected yourself to her so completely that you have created a door."
My stomach dropped.
"A door to what?"
"To the human world."
I looked at the copies of Athena.
The Hollow continued.
"Humans forget."
"Vampires remember."
"That is why you are useful."
I understood.
It wasn't feeding on Athena.
It was feeding on what I remembered about her.
Every memory.
Every emotion.
Every moment I had spent loving her.
It had been learning her through me.
"You've been using me."
"Yes."
"And if I sever the connection?"
The Hollow smiled.
"You lose her."
I froze.
"What?"
"Every memory she has of you."
The forest disappeared.
I was standing in Athena's bedroom.
She was sitting on the bed.
Looking at me.
Confused.
"Who are you?"
My heart broke.
I stepped toward her.
"Athena."
She moved away.
"I don't know you."
The Hollow whispered,
"That is what happens when you choose yourself."
I stared at her.
Then I understood.
It wasn't asking me to kill Athena.
It was asking me to sacrifice us.
I closed my eyes.
"No."
The Hollow laughed.
"You don't get to say no."
I opened my eyes.
"I just did."
The forest returned.
The Hollow screamed.
And somewhere far away, I heard Athena.
Not a copy.
Not an imitation.
Her.
"Axel!"
I ran toward her voice.