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pushing against the barrier.
    “No.” Brent’s face twisted in concentration.
    I fell onto my side and the beads of my necklace dug into my collarbone. It had failed me for the first time ever, but maybe it could still help Brent. I reached to undo the clasp when Sophia began to flicker like a fluorescent bulb about to burn out. Her stream of air sputtered as her shoulders slumped and her arms dropped to her sides. She sagged against the wall breathing heavily. The feral fury in her eyes faded while her flickering image grew lighter and lighter until it disappeared in a puff of colored smoke that swirled away.
    Brent bent over, panting for breath. His hands rested on his knees and his hair fell into his overly bright eyes. The hall, which had roared with gale-force winds only seconds before, now settled into a peaceful calm. My labored breathing came out in loud wheezes. I stared at Brent, my hands pressed against the invisible wall he still held. My wrist burned even worse than before, the sudden warmth of the room making the cold seem deeper, but I tried to ignore it.
    “She’s gone,” I called out, my voice sounding too loud in the hall.
    Brent let the barrier down and I forced myself to my feet, stumbling toward him. His warm arms engulfed me, his body heat raising mine. I breathed in his scent, savoring the comfort he offered, needing his warmth. I twisted my neck so I could see him. A smear of red from his bloodied nose stood out against his paler-than-normal skin.
    “Brent. You’re bleeding.”
    He brought his fingers to his nose and grimaced as they came back bloody. He wiped them on his already red-spattered shirt.
    “I’m fine. What about you? Are you alright?” he asked, his eyes wandering over me, looking for any sign of damage.
    “My wrist and head hurt.” I ran my fingers through my hair and several strands came loose and fluttered to the floor. “I think I have a bald spot.”
    He sucked in his breath, squeezing me tighter. “You’re like ice.”
    “I know.” I felt like I had taken a dip in liquid nitrogen. My wrist still throbbed and I lifted up the sleeve of my suit jacket to find a near-black, hand-shaped bruise that circled my wrist, each of Sophia’s finger perfectly outlined on my skin.
    Brent did a double take when he saw it. “The ghost did this?” I nodded numbly. “I didn’t know ghosts were capable of that.”
    “Neither did I.” I groaned. It was only my first day back and I was already in over my head. I needed Vovó, but I wouldn’t be able to talk to her until she landed tomorrow. She would know why the ghost had been able to touch me.
    I shivered as I remembered the way Sophia’s hand had reached through my body and grabbed my spirit. I felt sick— tainted— to think of another soul sharing my body, even briefly. I wondered if this was what Brent had felt like last year when he had been inhabited by more than thirty souls.
    The bells of a nearby church chimed and I counted each gong. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. With each one my pulse calmed and the terror faded, but I still quivered in Brent’s arms.
    “So, did your grandma give you any advice for handling a ghost like Sophia?”
    “No. I’ve never heard about anything like this.”
    He kissed the top of my head. “You’d think she might have mentioned the dangers once or twice, especially considering what happened with Thomas.”
    I chewed my lip nervously and winced; I’d forgotten biting into it. “She doesn’t usually have any trouble with ghosts.”
    “Never?”
    “Not that I’ve seen,” I said. “I still have a lot to learn about being a Waker.”
    “She should have prepared you, Yara. This wasn’t your fault.”
    I nodded even though I didn’t agree. I knew I could have studied harder this summer. Still, I couldn’t help thinking that this didn’t bode well for my senior year.
    Chapter Three
    Brent adjusted his tie and messed up the lapels of his suit coat to hide the blood. He