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Bennett.
    Like a hero, Bennett changed the subject. “What have you learned about Neos?”
    Yoshiro crossed to the fire and watched the flames, leaving William to answer. “He’s something new, something nobody’s faced before. Stronger than any of us—except perhaps you, Emma. And except for the Knell, when we all act together.”
    â€œWhat about my parents and brother?”
    â€œThey’re obsessed with Neos—with stopping him,” Gabriel said. “They warned us this might happen. But it’s like they’ve dropped off the face of the earth.”
    â€œThey knew he’d come back as a ghost?” I don’t know why I was surprised. I suppose they must have figured out it was Neos who attacked me as a child. And Aunt Rachel had filled in some of the missing pieces.
    â€œThey are not your concern,” Yoshiro said, turning. “Not now. You must focus on Neos. He is gathering strength in the Beyond, summoning wraiths and other, even more unwholesome spirits, forcing them to join his crusade.”
    â€œCrusade against who?” Bennett asked. “Emma?”
    â€œShe’s half of it,” William said. “The other half is the Knell. That’s why we’re taking security even more seriously. Yoshiro hasn’t left his archives in weeks, and Gabriel and I don’t leave the building anymore.”
    â€œSo what’re we going to do?” I asked.
    â€œWe’re bringing the veteran teams home,” Gabriel said. “And forming new ones.”
    â€œJust like the old days,” Rachel said, with a glint in her eyes.
    â€œI’ll need Bennett on my team,” I said. “And Natalie.”
    William and Yoshiro exchanged a dubious look. Gabriel simply looked on in a gorgeous Spanish manner.
    Rachel nodded, though. “Emma’s not one of our soldiers. She needs to be close to those she loves.” She came and sat beside me. Her proximity unsettled me for some reason, though I was relieved someone was on my side.
    â€œYou know that’s not wise,” Yoshiro told her. “You of all people know that personal feelings undermine a group.”
    â€œI won’t do it without them,” I said.
    Everyone looked to Yoshiro, and as he debated, I squirmed in my seat. But it wasn’t because I was worried about his answer; something didn’t feel right. My skin tingled, in a bad way.
    I frowned at Bennett. “Do you feel that?”
    He shook his head. “What’s wrong?”
    â€œThere’s a ghost nearby. It’s—” My spine felt hot and itchy. “Not a ghost, a wraith.”
    â€œ Imposible ,” Gabriel said in Spanish. “Wraiths cannot enter the Knell.”
    Bennett stood and started drawing his power into his fists, a swirl of light glowing through the flesh and bone. “If Emma says there’s a wraith, there’s a wraith.”
    â€œThis building is a powerful nexus,” William said. “She’s probably feeling the—”
    â€œRachel!” I said, my eyes widening.
    She was quiet and attentive, next to me. Scratching furiously at one of her forearms. Bloody scrapes appeared down her skin.
    She twitched a smile. “Skin infection. Poison ivy.”
    But it wasn’t a rash. I could see an oily swirl superimposed over her. It shifted and shimmered, then vanished into the lines on her arm like filthy water into a drain. My breath caught, and I pushed my awareness beyond my body, letting my power ripple across the room. Until I found it: a tight knot of fear and pain and insatiable hunger.
    â€œEmma?” Bennett said, his hands glowing with power. “Emma! Where is it?”
    â€œIt—it’s my aunt,” I gasped. “Rachel. There’s a wraith inside her.”
    â€œThere’s no way,” Gabriel said. “Wraiths can’t possess people—and this building is completely shielded. You couldn’t detect