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“The only difference is we’ve been at this for centuries,” added an echoey voice.

I pivoted around and found myself face to face with Nixi the ghost girl.

“How long have you been eavesdropping?” I asked her.

“The whole time, of course.” She flicked her hair. “It’s really boring being a ghost.”

“Are you talking to a ghost right now?” Violetta asked me, squinting, like she was trying to see the ghost too.

“Yes,” I said, then looked at Nixi. “If you’re bored, I can offer you an exciting mystery to solve.”

The ghost tittered. “If you wanted my help that badly, you should have just dropped to your knees and begged like any good, sensible person would do.”

“So youdoknow something about the missing kids?”

“I might know something,” replied Nixi. “Of course, if you want my help, you’ll have to do something for me first.”

“I’m listening.”

“I need you to convince her—” She pointed at Violetta. “—to let me possess her body. It’s been so long since I’ve had a body. And, unfortunately, if I want to possess someone, I require their consent.”

Good to know.

“So, come on. Ask her if I can possess her.” The ghost made a big show of playing with her nails. “I promise it will only be for a bit.”

I narrowed my eyes at Nixi. “Just how long is ‘a bit’?”

“Don’t panic. I’m not greedy. I’m just asking to possess her for the duration of your investigation. You can’t say no to a reasonable request like that.”

“I can’t say yes to it either,” I replied. “Because it’s not my body.”

Nixi’s gaze slid over me. “Truthfully, I would have preferred to haveyourbody. You have some powerful magic inside of you, just waiting to come out. I can taste it.” She licked her lips. “But I can’t possess you. You’re immune to possession.”

I wasn’t sorry to hear that. The thought of a ghost possessing me seriously creeped me out. I hated the idea of not being in control of my own body. But that’s exactly what I had to convince Violetta to do if we wanted the ghost’s help.

She took the news better than I’d expected. Not that she looked happy about it, but she agreed anyway. She must have been really desperate to find her sister.

“Ok, this way.” The spell was done, and the ghost was now speaking through Violetta’s lips.

I followed her to the shiny, pretty side of the building. She took a few moments to splash around inside a large decorative water fountain, laughing as everyone who passed us by looked on with quiet disapproval.

“I’d forgotten howwetwater feels!” Nixi said excitedly. When she hopped out of the fountain, she sprayed me with hundreds of tiny droplets.

I didn’t mind. The day was hot, and the water cooled me down. But I really was in a terrible rush right now. I had to get the bag of ingredients back to the Castle before the unicorn hair lost its magic.

“You said you know something about the missing kids?” I reminded the frolicking ghost.

“Right.” She squeezed the water out of her slippers. “Earlier today, I saw one of them, a girl who looked just like Violetta.” She smiled at her reflection in the pool of water.

“Do you know where she went?” I asked her.

“No, she wasn’t that interesting. So I followed a handsome young Metamorph instead.”

I sighed.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that, Savannah Winters. Yes, I know your name. And I watched you swoon over that handsome white Knight the other day.” A sly smirk curled her lips. “So you have no right to judge me.”

I sighed. Again. “I wasn’t swooning.” Blood rushed to my cheeks.