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shop.”
    “I knew something was up,” retorted Meghan. “Otherwise you’d have never stayed up there that long.”
    Colin ignored her and continued.
    “There was someone in a cloak on the roof, talking into a leaf that he held in his hand.”
    “What were they talking about?” asked Jae, unfazed by Colin’s news.
    “All I heard was something about not being ready and hoping it’s not too soon for them to be there.”
    “Them?” questioned Meghan.
    “The only them being discussed at the moment is you two,” said Jae.
    24
    The twins grew distraught. Colin sent a thought to his sister.
    “Are we safe here? Should we stay?”
    “Where would we go?”
    Jae interrupted their thoughts.
    “How strange, too, that he used a leaf. That’s definitely magical.”
    “Plus, I think it was the leaf that caught me looking.”
    Jae spit out his tonic.
    “You were caught!”
    “Yes, but only for a second because I started falling.”
    “What should we do, Jae?” asked Meghan, panicking.
    “I have no idea. But if it was you they were talking about, and then they caught you spying…” Another thought dawned on Colin.
    “Um, Jae. I don’t understand how it all works, but is there any way we could use a leaf to try and reach our uncle?”
    Meghan perked up, but Jae promptly smothered the idea.
    “We do use leaves to send messages, but only in the same world we are in. I’ve never heard of any way to gather enough magical energy to send one to another world, never mind figure out how it would get there.”
    The twins resigned again in defeat.
    “So who could the guy on the roof have been talking to?” wondered Meghan.
    “It would have to be someone in Grimble,” Jae told them. The topic ended as from the corner of her eye, Meghan noticed that the spying ghost was back, hiding in a corner.
    “How bizarre. I’ve never known a ghost to spy before,” said Jae, who shook his head, adding,
    “Excitement seems to follow you two!”
    The trio decided to test the ghost. They left the pub and trekked slowly, to see if it followed.
    “Where do all these ghosts come from, Jae?” asked Colin as they walked.
    “Best I understand it Grimble is a waiting room of sorts. I guess this is where they come if they have unfinished business to attend to after they die. Grimble is set aside though, for those with some tie to the magical world.”
    “Some of these ghosts have died recently, then?” said Meghan.
    “If we died, is this where we would come?” asked Colin, catching on to Meghan’s train of thought.
    “I never thought about it,” answered Jae. “I suppose it’s possible, but there are other places like Grimble. It’s not the only afterlife ghost town.” Jae finally caught on to what the twins were hoping, but dashed that hope straightaway.
    “I’m sure if your uncle were here, he’d have made himself known.”
    “If there are so few magical people, how come there are so many ghosts?” asked Colin.
    “I guess you’ll find out soon enough that the Svoda are not the only remaining magical clan.
    We’re one of the biggest, but there are many others.” Jae then pointed out, “We’re definitely being followed.” Jae motioned for them to take a path leading into the woods.
    “Why are you following us?” Jae demanded, confronting the ghost. The pale face of a young man smiled at them, floating closer. The trio backed up, unsure of the ghost’s intent.
    25
    “It’s really you,” he aimed his words at the twins. “I’ve waited such a long time, let me look at you.”
    “I think you’ve mistaken us for someone else,” stammered Colin. “We’re not supposed to be here, you see.”
    “Who says you’re not supposed to be here? You’re here aren’t you? I’ve been waiting a long time, so if you don’t mind, I would like to speak to the two of you, alone.”
    “Why?” asked Meghan.
    “The short version, I have a message for you.”
    “A message for us! Is it from our uncle? Is he here? Was he