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“I will haunt your children,” he promised darkly.

“Something-something children,” Jonah reported.

“He says he’ll haunt your children.”

“Aw.” Jonah gave the seal a small, friendly shake, effectively jostling the ghost around. “They’d love that, honestly. Sally’s been asking for a dog.”

“I am not a dog!”

“You know,” Jonah said, “this is the best conversation I’ve had with a ghost in a while.” He set the ghost back on the counter. “I can almost hear him.”

The ghost wished he could get up in this stupid medium’s face. “If you can almost hear me, then almost hear this: get out of my house.”

Jonah squinted. “Get something of my house?”

“Out. OUT.”

“Out! That’s it.” Jonah looked pleased, like the two of them had accomplished something together. Then, to the ghost’s horror, the man’s expression changed. His grin eased into something quieter, more careful, his gaze fixed on the seal in a way that felt more intentional.

He was going to try to do medium things.

The ghost shrank in on himself as much as he could, bracing for the attack.

But nothing gripped him. Nothing tore. The feeling of Jonah’s attention passed over the seal, light as a draft, and slid off.

The ghost waited. Nothing else came.

“That’s it?” he asked.

“Give me a second, it’s hard to⁠—“

“That’s it? That’s your power? I’ve felt drafts with more power.”

“What’s he saying?”

“He’s not impressed,” Nate said.

“Yeah, well.” Jonah let go and sat back on a kitchen chair, looking at the seal with his forehead creased in a way that made him look, briefly, like Nate. “He shouldn’t be impressed. I can’t get anything. The ghost’s in there, I can hear him, but the seal is…” He shook his head. “I don’t even know.”

“I’ve got the same problem,” Nate admitted. “I can’t get at him.”

Jonah turned to Nate. “That must be new for you.”

Nate licked his lips and said nothing.

“This is no ordinary seal,” Jonah said.

“I figured that much,” Nate responded. “Remember he went missing for a short while after we moved houses?”

Jonah considered. “You think Mom…?”

“Do not call Mom.”

His brother had his phone out before Nate finished saying “do not.”

“Jonah.”

“She’s going to find out anyway.” He was already scrolling. “You want to spend a week throwing yourself at that ward instead? Be my guest. But the ghost’s the one sitting in there while you protect your pride.”