“What if it’s me?” he whispers again, as if he can barely get the words out. “What if I’m the reason it found you?” He looks from me to Lara and back. “You said Emissaries are drawn to people touched by life and death. But I’m literally haunting Cassidy. That has to make it easier to find her, that has to make her louder, or brighter, or …”

“Jacob,” says Lara sternly. “Listen to me very carefully. Emissaries are drawn to in-betweeners. We have a marker, a signature. But you, you throw the whole thing off. Because you are not supposed to be here, with her.”

“I don’t think that’s making him feel better,” I say as Jacob’s head falls, but Lara pushes on.

“You are confusing, and wrong. You mess up the balance. And you are probably the only reason Cassidy is still alive.”

Jacob looks up, surprised. I look over at Lara, just as stunned.

“What do you mean?” he murmurs.

Lara makes an exasperated sound. “You’re not normal, Jacob! You’re a ghost, tied to a living girl, siphoning off her life force until you’re strong enough to do things like put your hand through a glass display counter. You’re probably throwing the entire Veil off balance every second you’re still here. But you’re also probably confusing the Emissary, and buying us time.”

Jacob swallows, rubbing his knuckles. “Are you sure?”

“No,” snaps Lara. “I’m not an expert in the long-term effects of ghost-human friendships. But I do believe that she’s safer with you than without you. Now,” she says, turning back toward the other members of the Society. “We’re going to need some things from your store.”

*  *  *

We lay the supplies out on the counter.

A handful of stones, to anchor the circle.

A ball of white string, to tether me to the living.

A bottle of scented oil, to purify, and to burn.

And a box of long wooden matches, to strike the flame.

Elements of creation, and destruction. Of life, and death. Give and take, as Lucas said as we were gathering up the items from around the store.

“I’m not sure how I feel about this,” says Renée, watching us.

But we’ve explained the spell—is it a spell? I don’t know what else to call it, and I’m kind of excited I get to do one, even if the only reason we get to do one is because I’m being chased by Death.

“It sounds like more of a ritual,” says Jacob. “A summoning? No, what’s the opposite of a summoning? A banishing?”