It felt like a knife was twisting in his gut. Here was his chance to smash the dollhouse to pieces and break the curse that the society had set in place. But to do so, he’d have to break Lou too.

If he did nothing, he’d have to watch his sister become a pile of bones.

Jason blinked. He’d lost. His sister needed him, and he’d failed her.

A pair of cold hands clutched his shoulders from behind. Sharp fingers wrenched his skin, spinning him around.

CHAPTER 35

“YOU!” JASON’S VOICE was like a howl, reverberating out into the void.

Marcus stared back at him, his expression blank. Jason leapt to his feet and then shoved at his cousin. Marcus stumbled back but stayed on his feet, holding eye contact. “Look what did you did to us!” Jason cried out. “Where is Connie?”

Marcus gestured vaguely off the path. “The house told me I had to get rid of her.”

Fire flooded through Jason’s veins. He lashed out, beating his fists against Marcus’s face and neck and chest. He hit Marcus again and again—so many times that his knuckles ached. Marcus steadied his stance but did not fight back. His body flinched and flailed, but he remained silent, almost calm, as if he knew he deserved each punch. His lack of response only infuriated Jason more.

Jason shouted out between blows, “I want … you to feel … what Lou feels!”

Marcus stepped aside. Jason missed the mark. His momentum forced him forward, almost off the lighted path. He faced his cousin.

“I can’t feel anything anymore,” said Marcus. His voice was soft, barely there. “I think that’s my biggest problem at the moment.”

“Wrong,” said Jason. “I’m your biggest problem.”

Marcus shook his head. “You still don’t get it. You haven’t seen half of what this place can do. It will take away everything you are. All your hope. All your fear. Scoop out your insides and turn you into a hollow shell.”

Jason’s vision went blurry. He blinked away tears of rage. “Is that what’s happening to Louise right now?” Marcus backed away from the dollhouse, but Jason caught a fistful of his shirt and forced him to peer inside. “Look! That is your cousin! My sister! See what’s happening to her. How could you allow this? What’s wrong with you?”

“I don’t know!” Marcus tried to pull away, but Jason held him in place. “I-I’m scared. I’ve been too scared for too long. I can’t take much more.”

“Jason!” He heard his father’s voice calling out, even though Marcus didn’t seem to notice.