“You can reveal yourself,” Amethyst said.
“We’re right—oh shit!” My heart rate spiked, and I gripped the armrests of my chair as a ghost appeared in the wing-backed seat across from me.
Eva’s gaze followed mine, and she released a loud yip.
Amethyst, however, didn’t look surprised at all. She simply dashed over and took the seat next to the ghost. “Thank you for meeting us here. And for making yourself visible. It will help them.” She gestured to Eva and me.
I cleared my throat. “So, who’s your friend?”
Amethyst crossed her legs, and the one on top began bouncing up and down. “This is Ronald Percy, intermittent ghost of Spellcasters. He just returned from a little vacation to . . . Where did you go again, Ron?”
“Scotland. I like the autumn months there.”
“Right. The highlands. Ronald here, unlike the more permanent ghost residents of the academy, is a talker. And he’s not afraid to talk about the ghost that you-know-whated me.”
Amethyst gave us a pointed look. “Anyway, he’s been back for a week and heard that I’d been trying to connect with a spirit. The ghosts here are a little cliquey with each other, and he wanted someone to talk to, so he found me. Which was lucky, because Ron has a lot of superb information. Would you mind telling them what you told me?” She grinned at the ghost next to her.
Ronald tipped his pageboy hat at Amethyst. “Of course, my dear friend.” The ghost turned to Eva and me. His pale white eyes, which were even whiter around his irises, bore through us.
I gulped. I’d never imagined what it would be like to be a spiritwalker or talker before, but sitting in front of Ronald made me glad that I didn’t seem to have that gift. It was too eerie, and I didn’t like to think that they could pop into whatever room I was in for a word.
“You’re the one the malevolent ghost is preying upon,” Ronald pointed a thin finger at me.
I sighed. “If you’re talking about the one that Amethyst is well acquainted with, then, yeah, probably. Actually, knowing my luck,allthe bad ghosts at the school are preying on me.”
Eva snorted. “Or me. We’re magnets for evil juju.”
“What else have you learned about him, Ronald?” Amethyst ignored our dramatics.
“He has the backing of a queen and seems to have found a home at Spellcasters.”
Eva leaned forward. “What do you mean ‘found a home’?”
Ronald turned to look at Amethyst, his white bushy brows pulled together.
Amethyst sighed. “He means that someone, a witch, is helping the ghost and giving him a place to stay. But you don’t know who it is, right Ronald?”
The ghost shook his head. “When ghosts find a home, they keep quiet about it. No one wants another specter trying to move in on their person. After all, few people are open to having us around whenever we wish.”
“Does he possess him or her?” I asked, my mind reeling.
“I would assume yes—but with permission, of course—so it’s not a true possession.” Ronald shrugged.
I turned to Amethyst. “And he hasn’t been back for you?”
She shook her head. “I haven’t picked up on any ill will, which I felt in spades that day.” She pulled a chain out from under her shirt, and her expression turned a little sheepish. “Part of that might be because of this necklace. I went to Wandstown and used a phone to contact my parents. I didn’t tell them anything specific, but they’ve been around spirits long enough to guess that I needed protection. Apparently, trickster ghosts sometimes like to take budding spirit walkers and talkers for a spin. Mostly, it’s harmless, but not always. My parents packed a ghost-specific protection talisman for me should it ever become an issue.”
“And you never found it before?” Eva asked.
Amethyst chuckled. “Mom hollowed out an old Battle Magic book that she knew I’d never open and stuck the necklace in there. I’d wondered why she’d insisted that I bring the thing to school for two years. Now I understand.”
“Smart woman.” I focused on Ronald again. “So we know this ghost likes to deliver his queen’s messages. Am I in any danger of being possessed by him?”
Amethyst had assured me that ghosts only possessed people receptive to ghostly spirits, but still—another opinion never hurt.
Ronald gave me a long look. “It seems not. But you,” he turned to Eva. “You are at risk—albeit a small one, as you don’t seem extremely receptive to specter possession.”
“Thank God for that,” she muttered.
