I didn't like the way Seraphine looked at me.
Not because she was frightening.
Because she looked like she understood me.
That was worse.
"What happens if it gets inside my memories?"
Seraphine didn't answer.
"Seraphine."
"It won't just take them."
"Then what?"
"It will change them."
I felt cold.
"Change them how?"
"It will make you doubt what was real."
Axel stepped closer.
"Can it make her forget me?"
Seraphine looked at them.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"Yes."
Axel's face went pale.
"Can it make her hate me?"
"Yes."
"Can it make her think she never loved me?"
Seraphine hesitated.
"Yes."
I squeezed Axel's hand.
"Then we don't let it."
Seraphine shook her head.
"You still don't understand."
"Then explain it."
"The Hollow doesn't need permission."
She pointed toward my chest.
"It already has a piece of you."
My heart stopped.
"What?"
"The connection."
I looked at Axel.
Seraphine continued.
"You think the necklace protected you."
She shook her head.
"It only made the connection easier to control."
I looked down.
The broken silver chain was still around Axel's wrist.
"Then why did it break?"
"Because you chose them."
I frowned.
"That doesn't make sense."
"It does to the Hollow."
Seraphine stepped closer.
"The moment you chose Axel without being forced, the connection changed."
"How?"
"It became yours."
I stared at her.
"And that matters because?"
"Because the Hollow can manipulate fear."
She looked between us.
"But it cannot understand a choice it didn't create."
Axel's eyes narrowed.
"So we can fight it."
Seraphine nodded.
"For a while."
"That's all?"
"For now."
She turned toward the woods.
"It will come tonight."
Athena's stomach twisted.
"How do you know?"
Seraphine looked back.
"Because it knows I'm here."
The trees began to shake.
Not from wind.
Something was moving through them.
Seraphine's expression changed.
"It's early."
Axel moved in front of me.
"How early?"
She looked at us.
"Much earlier than it should be."
A voice whispered from the trees.
Athena.
Then another.
Axel.
Then dozens more.
All of them speaking at once.
"Choose."
Seraphine stepped backward.
And for the first time, she looked genuinely terrified.
"It's here."