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“You don’t think so?”

“Nathan.”

He hated when she said his name in that tone. Still, he pressed on. “You always know everything, why don’t you know this?”

“Nate,” Jonah said quietly from the doorway. He had returned without the children.

Nate ignored him.

So did their mother. “I’m not all-knowing, sweetheart. What I do know is that we need to move the ghost to another ward in this house so I have time to investigate. If we can restore his memory, the rest may follow.”

“You want to create another ward?” Nate asked.

Miriam considered. “I have a wooden box upstairs that should work. It would need to be cleaned and lined before I set anything into it.”

Leo’s gaze moved to the empty seal.

He did not say anything.

Richard leaned forward. “Caleb should take another look before you put him away. He might see something you missed.”

Miriam’s expression tightened. “I didn’t miss anything.”

“I didn’t say you did. But Caleb has more practical experience than anyone at this table. If there is some way to force the ghost⁠—”

“We are not forcing anything.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes,” Miriam said. “Unfortunately.”

Caleb had not taken his eyes off Leo. “I can examine the damage,” he said. “If Miriam thinks it would be useful.”

On any other night, Nate might have enjoyed watching his uncle discover that Caleb agreed with Miriam instead of him.

Tonight, he only felt tired.

“If we want to restore the ghost’s memory,” he said, “wouldn’t that be easier to do in a place he knows?”

His mother studied him as if she couldn’t quite believe that Nate was suggesting that he take the ghost back with him and take care of the problem himself.

To be fair to her, Nate could hardly believe it himself.

“Nathan, this is soul-work.”

“I know that.”

She folded her hands in her lap. “You were always exceptional at moving spirits. You could take hold and push harder than anyone I had ever taught.”

“I got the job done.”

“You did.” There was no argument in her voice. “But restoration requires a different instinct. Patience. Gentleness. A willingness to give of yourself.”

Nate looked away.

He had skipped those lessons whenever he could. And he’d sat through the others with one eye on the clock. Why coax a ghost toward a door when he could put them through it in seconds?

Except that Leo had refused to go.