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I ignored the tingling pain and kicked out witha shock of cold up , and this tiht snippets of his insults, which were as old-fashioned as his clothes This was ato abate his fury

Maybe I could use that "You’re a buffoon in an aard suit! We don’t need your jiggery-pokery here!"

The ghost’s ih to allow rip I kicked free, climbed to my heavy and numb feet, and scrambled away

"That your attempt at period-appropriate insults?" Catcher asked when I reached him

"Yep Did I pull it off?"

"You did not," Catcher said good-naturedly, the buzz around hiic for another throw "So let’s ain, the ghost moved forward But Catcher bided his time

"Wait for it," he said quietly as I clenchedfor a strike

Catcher waited until the ghost was only a foot fro in his eyes Catcher drew theblue orb But instead of throwing it, he shoved it at the ghost, theas he pushed the power into the apparition’s chest

The ghost screaered back into the ic mixed with his--burst from his body The lines and shadows that lass, and he shattered into the air like fireworks, the sparks fading to yellow as they floated to the floor, then disappeared

The buzz of ic dissipated, as did the unnatural chill But aited a solidsilence, just in case

"I think he’s gone," Catcher said

Breath heaving, my skin slicked with sweat despite the cold, I looked at Catcher, checking visually for buical char and brick dust, but he looked otherhole

"I’ is freezing But I’ll hold" We were the only ones left in the tunnel "Everyone else one?"

"I doubt he’s gone gone, to use your technical phrasing My y, but that’s probably just teht have another, more immediate probleaze

Half of Ethan’s wine racks were on the ground, bottles smashed Wine dripped from the shelves, poured across the floor in mulberry rivulets, was splattered across the walls The air was heavy with the scent of very expensive and wasted alcohol

"On the upside," Catcher said, putting a hand on ot your ators They definitely found a ghost"

"Yeah," I said "But we still have to bust it"

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