“That’s bullshit,” I tell him. “Your mother is the sea, Cole. Willa Culver is the sea. She’s deep and she’s dark. And she’s so fucking cold. She’s the thing that’s haunting you. The thing that’s pulling you under.” Cole is looking at me, but there’s something in his eyes that’s already gone. “But listen to me.” I’m pleading with him now. “You can fight her. The way you’ve always fought the whispering. The way we’ve always fought it.” I stop and swallow back my rising terror. “She doesn’t have to win.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Cole tells me. “This is real. All the rest of it is smoke and mirrors. Over and over.” He kisses me again. It’s fast and desperate. And it leaves me gasping for air. “But you and me? This is real. Every fucking time. You remember that.” He squeezes both my hands. “You fight like hell to remember that. Next time. Okay?”

I nod, and the fog blows away. Just for a second.

Cole and I are standing at the edge of the cliff. Right on the edge of all that nothing.

There’s a noise behind me. I turn around, and Willa is running in my direction. Hands stretched out in front of her.

And that’s when Cole shoves me hard. Sideways. I go sprawling across the ground, and Cole steps into my place just as Willa’s hands make contact with his chest.

I watch in slow motion as they both go over the cliff.

Willa’s eyes go wide. She clutches at the air.

But Cole is peaceful.

And his eyes manage to find mine one last time.

I watch them fall like stars and disappear below the black surface of the sea.

I stare for a minute. I’m hypnotized by all that churning water.

But then I turn and run.

So many people are filling the Culver yard now. They all stand there and watch the house burn, drawn by the glow of the flames. The smoke and the sirens. I see George pushing his way through the crowd. And Brody. He’s standing there with this stunned look on his face while the embers of his perfect life fall around him like fiery snow.

I wonder if he knew. About the bargain his wife made. Or if he at least suspected.

I catch sight of Lex’s red hair. He sees me, too. And he shouts my name. Elbows his way through the crowd. He’s sobbing. Reaching for me. “I thought you were in there,” he shouts. But I can’t stop. Not even for Lex.

I’m sliding down the path toward the beach.

I don’t even pause to look at the upright stones.

New dirt.

Fresh flowers.

I can’t stop. Not until I get to the beach.