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that, but the woman continued.
“Ooooh, spirits of Krestly Castle, please come to us.”
    He thought Jackson laughed that time, and chanced a glance
in the old gent’s direction. Christian decided the man was either trembling
with old age or mirth, though he wasn’t certain which it was.
    “Oh, my!” the psychic blasted, regaining his interest. “You
have many ghosts here!”
    His gaze turned to the sweet spirit next to him. She was
busy looking around the room for any of the many ghosts mentioned, then
turned to him and shook her head. “I do not see anyone else.” He also noticed
she seemed skittish. Especially when she flinched as another lightning strike
hit closer to the castle, briefly brightening the darkened room. He then
realized that she’d edged closer to him.
    “You’re frightened?” he asked, barely audibly.
    “Aye,” she admitted.
    “I’m sorry I made you do this. I think you were right. This
was a waste of time,” Christian whispered from the side of his mouth.
    “Who are you talking to?” Luna shouted, and Christian
jumped.
    “Pardon me, madam. I was just muttering to myself.”
    “Silence! You will frighten the spirits away! Do you not see
them all around us?” She looked around the room, wide-eyed. “Spirits, show
yourselves!”
    Another flash of lightening lit up the sky and cast
disturbing shadows against Luna and Jackson’s faces.
    “Should I be able to show myself? Is that not something
ghosts are able to do?” the apparition asked, even while she shook with fear
and scooted even closer to his side.
    “Try it, princess.”
    “You’re doing it again!” screeched Luna—if that was even her
real name.
    “I apologize,” he muttered but kept his eyes locked on the
girl seated next to him, willing her to be able to show herself to at least Jackson.
    Suddenly the psychic shrieked in terror and shot from her
seat, then backed, while trembling, to the doorway. Christian’s eyes widened as
the woman pointed at his ghost. “A ghost! A ghost! Get thee hence!” Her
accusing finger then jabbed in his direction. “You! You can see her!”
    Once Christian got over his shock, he said, “Yes, would you
please help us discover her name?”
    After one more terrified look directly at his ghost, the
woman fled, babbling and crossing herself as she went.
    Christian sank against the back of his chair. “Well, that
didn’t go as I’d hoped.” He slid fingers into his hair, and itched his scalp.
    “Was she afraid of me?”
    “I would gather that was the problem.”
    “Am I scary?”
    “No, you’re not. But she was,” he said with a smirk,
and then laughed.
    She smiled and giggled in return, then looked at Jackson. The smile slipped from her face as her eyes rounded. Christian followed her gaze.
It seemed Jackson could see her too, and it appeared he was having difficulty
breathing.
    “Jackson! Are you all right?”
    After gulping some air, Jackson said, “I’m quite well, Son.
You needn’t worry about my health.” He looked at her and then back at
Christian. “She-she is lovely.”
    Christian exhaled in relief. “I told you she was. Jackson, meet Lady Ghost. Lady Ghost, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Jackson.”
    The old man smiled a crooked smile and gave a short bow.
“It’s lovely to make your acquaintance, madam.”
    “You as well, kind sir,” she said softly.
    “It seems you can show yourself, but we still don’t know
your name.”
    The three of them sat in silence until Jackson spoke, “Lady
Ghost, do tell me about your childhood. Was it pleasant?”
    She pouted and Christian cleared his throat. “I told you
before, old man, she does not remember things like that.”
    “Dear me, I beg your pardon. What do you remember?”
    “Just the basic things of life, I suppose. I recall words
for speech. I know what things are, such as doors, and gowns, and insects,
things such as that. I just do not know who I am, or why I’m here, or how I
came to be here. Nor do