Knowing it was now or never, the ghost struck again. Evan was ready and dodged the blow, still swinging the candlestick defensively. I felt the connection to the Underworld waver, but he was just barely able to keep hold. His near loss was a sign of his inexperience. Neither Candace nor I would’ve lost a gate that established. Still, he’d pulled it off and began the banishing words. The ghost attacked again, and Evan shifted—realizing too late it had been a feint. Evan moved in the wrong direction, and the ghost quickly picked up a wooden chair and threw it hard at Evan. The chair hit its mark, knocking Evan to the floor once again. The wand fell from his hand, instantly dissolving the connection.

The wand rolled to a central spot in the room, and I moved without even thinking. The ghost was advancing on Evan. I grabbed the wand and quickly cast an opening to the Underworld. As the magic poured through me, I nearly gasped. I hadn’t realized just how long I’d gone without it. Shamanic magic didn’t have the addictiveness of gentry magic, but it still had a sweet, pleasurable feeling I’d missed.

The ghost turned to me in surprise, not having expected me to offer a challenge. He abandoned Evan but wasn’t fast enough to reach me before I spoke the banishing and sent him on. The ghost dissolved before our eyes, screaming in fury as it finally went where it should have long ago. Soon the screams were gone too, and we were alone. I hurried over to Evan, who was already getting to his feet.

“Are you okay?” he asked anxiously.

I almost laughed. “Me? You’re the one who just got tossed around by a ghost. Look at your arm.” One of the chair legs had caught his arm at a bad angle, leaving a bloody gash. It likely wouldn’t need stitches but was still ugly.

“I’m fine,” he said. He righted the chair and gave it a quick survey for damage. There was none, meaning he wouldn’t get in trouble with Wanda. “I’ve never seen a banishing that fast. I don’t even think Aunt Candy can do it.”

“It just takes practice,” I assured him, not wanting to make a big deal of it. Evan knew I had a shamanic background, but I didn’t want the extent of my power made that obvious. “Come on—we should get home.” I was already looking back on what I’d done with regret. In that moment, there’d been no question. I’d had to help Evan. But in doing so, I’d exposed myself.

Candace’s grim face confirmed as much when we got back to her place. “That ghost won’t tell any tales in the Underworld, at least,” she said with a sigh. “And if he was tied to that house, it’s unlikely he had contact with anyone who might be after you.”

“That’s what I was hoping,” I said.

“Still. You shouldn’t have done it, if only because you and those little ones could have been hurt.” Her gaze lifted toward the kitchen, where Charles was bandaging up Evan. “He’s got a lot to learn, but he’s tougher than he looks.”