“It was so kind of you to come today,” Mischa said when she reached us. “Although I suspect your reason for being here isn’t to pay respects to my dead parents. After all…” She batted her eyes at me and flashed me a petty grin. “They’re dead because of McKenna’s foolhardy belief in herself, aren’t they?”

It was difficult to remember that this wasn’t really Mischa talking, blaming me for her parents’ deaths. I’d told Violet and Henry to let me do all the talking, and per Jennie’s advice, I tried to keep my response simple and direct. “We’re here to make a deal with you,” I said, trying my hardest to keep my voice from shaking.

Mischa’s face remained unchanged—frozen in a hollow grin—for just long enough to make me uncomfortable. Then I realized that the spirits were waiting to reply in the hope that either Violet or Henry would speak up so that they could start pitting us against one another. Instinctively, I reached out and wrapped a hand around each of their arms to remind them to remain silent.

Mischa finally threw her head back and cackled. “That’s hilarious. A deal? You don’t have anything to trade.”

“I think you’ll be interested in what we have to offer you. But we’re not discussing terms here. If you’re interested, you have to come with us,” I said.

Again, Mischa laughed, and I could feel my heartbeat echoing throughout my entire body. The spirits must have sensed that we were there with serious purpose. “Why would the three of you think I’d have any interest in anything you have to offer?” With a sneer, she nodded in the direction of Violet. “She is useless to me. And he”—she pointed her chin at Henry—“is just a soul, as useless as all the rest.” She narrowed her eyes at me and leaned forward to make it clear she was really only speaking to me. “You know as well as we do that he’s too weak to carry the curse. He’s too weak to be of much use to anyone.”

I felt Henry’s muscles tense under my hand, and I squeezed his arm to remind him to not interact with the spirits.

“Guessing what we’re proposing to offer is a waste of time,” I replied. “If you’re interested, get in the car and come with us.” The spirits crossed Mischa’s arms over her chest. Sensing that I was failing, and quickly, I threw out my wild card. If this didn’t do the trick, I didn’t have another idea for how we might lure Mischa back to the Simmons mansion without using force. And I highly doubted that we were strong enough to get her there on our own, even with Trey’s assistance. “But you know, I might be worth more alive to you than dead. I’m sure you’re aware that I have an ability that’s somewhat rare. It could be of use to you.”

An eyebrow on Mischa’s face rose at me as if the spirits were doubting everything I’d just said, although the fact that they were still standing there, listening, was evidence that they were at least mildly intrigued. “Your ability, as you call it, isn’t worth anything to us! But you have something else we might want—under the right circumstances.”