"I have to get this to Evelyn."
"Be careful, lass," Murphy warned."If this Cornelius is as dangerous as ye think, and if this potion works as intended...well, justice isn't always pretty."
"I understand," Uma said.All she knew was that a terrified ghost needed help, and she finally had something that might provide it.
Uma slipped out of the pub and headed out, carrying a flask of liquid starlight and the hope that magic might be enough to save a soul in desperate need of protection.
Chapter 15
Official Damage Control
The interior of Cauldron Falls Town Hall felt appropriately official for the gravity of their report.Mayor Leahnora Loveridge sat behind her ornate desk, her ceremonial purple robes lending weight to the proceedings as Sean and Roam settled into the chairs across from her.
The office itself reflected generations of civic responsibility—portraits of previous mayors lined the walls, ancient ledgers filled bookcases that reached to the vaulted ceiling, and magical artifacts from the town's founding era were displayed with the reverence due to historical treasures.
"Right then," Leahnora said, pulling out an official ledger and a quill that wrote with iridescent ink."Let's start from the beginning.When were the loopholes first discovered?"
Sean consulted his notes, his professional demeanor masking his underlying tension."Butcher discovered the cemetery mark this morning at approximately 7:30 AM.The town square site was identified during cleanup operations around 8:15 AM."
His documentation was thorough and precise, following procedures that had been developed over centuries.Every detail would be scrutinized by higher authorities, making accuracy essential for his continued employment.
"Both sites have been treated with standard Spectral Enforcement loophole sealant," Roam added."Applied according to sanctioned practices."
Leahnora made careful notes, her quill scratching across the parchment with bureaucratic precision."And you're confident the breaches have been contained?"
"Completely," Sean replied."The sealant creates a permanent barrier against inter-dimensional travel.According to my equipment readings, both sites are now showing normal spectral stability."
"Cause of the initial breach?"Leahnora did not look up.
Sean and Roam exchanged glances."Still under investigation," Sean said carefully."We have reason to believe three ghosts from the convention were involved, but we haven't completed their interviews yet."
"Priority level?"Leahnora asked.
"Low," Sean answered with growing confidence."Since the breaches have been sealed, this is now a matter of documentation and follow-up rather than active crisis management."
Leahnora nodded approvingly as she filled out the official forms."Spectral Enforcement response time?"
"Immediate," Roam replied."Detective McLeary was on-site within hours of the initial incident."
"Threat to resident population?"She raised an eyebrow.
"Minimal," Sean said."The breach resulted in property rearrangement—essentially an elaborate prank.No injuries, no permanent damage, no ongoing danger to residents."
Roam suppressed a smile."Just...redecorating."
"Exactly," Sean agreed."Rather polite ghosts, all things considered."
As Leahnora completed the local documentation, Sean pulled out his own set of forms—official Spectral Enforcement paperwork that would be forwarded up the divine chain of command.
"I'll need to file this with the Department of Inter-dimensional Security," he said, his pen hovering over the incident classification section."Roam, what would you say—Level 2 breach?Contained and resolved?"
"Sounds right to me," Roam agreed."Quick response, effective solution, minimal impact."
Sean began filling out the forms with mechanical precision, though Roam noticed the slight tremor in his hands as he wrote.
"You mentioned yesterday that you hoped never to meet your boss," Roam said quietly."Still concerned about that?"
Sean paused in his writing, his green eyes clouding with worry."Any incident report gets flagged for high-level review.Even successful resolutions draw attention from...well, from supervisors you'd rather avoid."
