Papa said it was only a matter of time before the Lord of Shadows freed himself, and time was almost up. I knew one thing for sure. This would be the last battle between the other celestials and the Lord of Shadows. Their millennia-old war would finally come to an end. I swiped the staff across the tear in the veil. Blue sparks poured from my hand, and the tear stitched itself back together.

“Go scope out the neighborhood,” Eli told his ghosts.

“Roger that,” one of the ghosts said.

“Aye, Captain.” Another ghost saluted before they scattered in every direction and disappeared.

“They could be off haunting a house or a graveyard, but they’re here representing,” Eli said proudly.

“They are pretty awesome to be made of . . . What’s the paranormal word for it—ectoplasm,” Frankie said.

“I’m impressed.” Eli slapped her on the shoulder. “There’s hope for you yet.”

I turned away from the veil. Time to get down to business. “We have to find Eleni.”

Zeran peered around the gloomy night. “She could be anywhere.”

A dozen thoughts raced through my head. Why hadn’t Eleni come back? She could’ve cut through the veil the same as me. Did she have a chance to warn Papa and the other celestials before the prisoners from Alsar arrived? Where was she now?

I concentrated on my sister, but all I could feel was the coldness of the winter night and something much worse. Beneath the cold, there was nothing but despair. It was like everything in the world was wrong, backward, upside down. That was what the Lord of Shadows wanted me to feel, but I resisted. I wasn’t about to lose hope. “Let’s start at JMS,” I said. “Papa and the other celestials would be there to hold the second perimeter, so she’s likely with them.”

We dipped in and out of the shadows, dodging packs of werehyenas patrolling the street. They were positively giddy, with their noses to the ground as they sniffed everything and everywhere. There was the whooshing sound of wingbeats overhead, and we ducked out of sight of darkbringer scouts.

“Time to go ghost mode,” Eli said, reaching for Frankie.

Frankie smiled as she took his hand. Sensing what was coming next, my staff turned back into a ring, and I slipped it on my finger. Frankie grabbed my hand, then I reached for Zeran, who tilted his head to the side. “Um, what are you doing?” he asked.

“Trust us,” I said, winking at him.

He smiled and took my hand. “You don’t even have to ask. You know I trust you.”