Chapter 26 · Hollowborn - Chapter 26: Follow the Dead Woman's Map

Cole's on his knees when I let go of his face. His chest is heaving like he just ran ten miles and his eyes are still doing that thing where they can't focus on anything.

"What did I do?" he says again. His voice cracks. "Ivy, what the hell did I—"

"You didn't." I grab his shoulder before he can spiral. "Marcus did. He was using you."

Cole's hand shoots up to his chest, right where the silver nail went in all those years ago. His fingers press against the scar through his shirt and his whole body goes rigid.

"The anchor," he whispers. "He used the anchor."

"Yeah." I look around the chamber. The altar's still glowing but the light's flickering now, unstable. The air smells like burnt copper and something else, something rotten. "And he said the Purge is already running. Through you. Through me."

Cole's head snaps up. "Then we need to stop it. Now."

"With what?" I spread my arms. "I don't even know what he did. My mom showed up for like five seconds and told me not to let you walk into the light, and then she was gone."

"Your mother.