I knew that handwriting.
I'd seen it before.
In my mother's journals.
In the margins of old books.
On letters that were never sent.
Elara's handwriting had always been strangely neat.
Like she believed that if she wrote carefully enough, the world would stay organized.
It hadn't.
Athena stared at the photograph.
"Who is 'her'?"
My mother didn't answer.
I already knew.
"You."
Athena looked at me.
"Me?"
I nodded.
My mother picked up the photograph.
"Elara knows about you."
"How?"
"I don't know."
"Mom."
"I said I don't know."
I could hear the frustration in her voice.
That scared me more than anything.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
My mother always had an answer.
Even when the answer was terrible.
This time, she didn't.
Athena stepped closer.
"Could Elara be controlling the Hollow?"
My mother shook her head.
"No."
"Then what is she?"
"Someone caught in the middle."
"Between what?"
"The Hollow and herself."
I frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It means she may still be fighting it."
Athena looked at the photograph.
"Then we need to find her."
"No."
Both Athena and I looked at my mother.
She shook her head.
"You don't find Elara."
"Why?"
"Because if she wants you to find her, she already knows where you are."
Silence.
Athena looked at me.
I knew exactly what she was thinking.
The same thing I was.
If Elara had been watching us—
Then she had seen everything.
The crash.
The necklace.
The Hollow.
The kiss.
My stomach dropped.
Athena must have realized it too.
"She saw us."
My mother looked at her.
"Who?"
"Elara."
My mother didn't answer.
Athena's voice became quieter.
"She saw us kiss."
My mother slowly closed her eyes.
I wanted the floor to open.
Not because I regretted it.
I didn't.
Not even remotely.
But the thought of some ancient vampire watching Athena and me kiss was deeply uncomfortable.
My mother sighed.
"That's not the part you should be worried about."
"What should I be worried about?"
She looked at me.
"The Hollow feeds on attachment."
I felt Athena's hand find mine.
My mother noticed.
"So does fear."
She looked down at our hands.
"And right now, you two are giving it both."
I stared at her.
"What are we supposed to do?"
"Stop choosing each other."
Athena immediately shook her head.
"No."
My mother looked at her.
"You don't understand."
"I understand perfectly."
"Athena—"
"No."
She stepped closer to me.
"I've spent the entire time being told that I need to stay away from Axel."
She looked at my mother.
"By you."
Then at me.
"By them."
Her voice softened.
"And apparently by some ancient nightmare that keeps pretending to be me."
She squeezed my hand.
"And I'm done listening."
My chest tightened.
"Athena."
She looked at me.
"I choose you."
The house went silent.
Then every window shattered at once.
Glass exploded inward.
My mother shouted.
I pulled Athena against me and turned my body toward the windows.
Something moved outside.
Hundreds of shadows.
No.
Not shadows.
People.
Standing perfectly still in the yard.
All of them looking at us.
And every single one of them had Athena's face.
My mother whispered,
"Run."
I didn't.
For the first time in my life, I didn't run.
I pulled Athena closer.
Because if the Hollow wanted to know what I was willing to lose—
It had its answer.