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The effect was instant and painful The whole cavern see to her knees

Once again, she started to flicker, part Mary, part Romy Maya watched her, eyes wide

"Where's the witch?"

"That's her," I said, breathing hard and pointing at Rohost is in her, itit possessed her"

Maya was holding so book in the other She let both drop to the ground "Oh, hon," she said, so sad "Then there's nothing I can do The witch and the ghost, they have to be separate for this ritual to work"

Ro her There was nothing of the girl I knew in her face, but I couldn't bear the thought of having to kill her Not when she'd painted h and been the first person I'd ever called friend

Maya caht, Just in case

Autoer back toward her, but Maya gently pressed the hilt into my palm "Sweetheart, she's in pain A lot of it If this doesn't work, you need to set her free"

Bile rose in my throat

"Do you want me to do it?" Maya asked, and next to me, both Dex and Anderson stared

"Do what?" Anderson asked just as Dex said, "I know you're not suggesting what-"

But I ignored the the instant I'd found out Roh ti And if this didn't stop now, every person in Ideal would be in danger Mary's rage would get stronger and stronger, her desire to hurt even more intense This had to end

And I had to be the one to end it

My hand closed around the hilt of the dagger, but before I could take it fro out in the cave "Dexter?"

The four of us turned slowly to see Dexter's Nana She earing a sweatshirt elasses into glowing orbs

"Nana, I can explain," Dex said, as his gaze swung froer back to Roain

"Oh, dear," Nana said, stepping forward "I believe this may be all my fault"

CHAPTER 32

"Nana, how on earth could this be your fault?"

She nodded at Roirl, isn't there?"

Dumbly, all four of us nodded

Nana sniffed "Yes, that's what I thought Mary Evans You know, she was the local legend when I was a girl growing up here There were rumors she was a witch and" She broke off with a chuckle "Well, maybe I sympathized with her I had always done the odd little char closer to Dex, atching her with a mixture of horror and confusion "I didn't mean to do it" Her hand, as it cupped his cheek, was tre there on the floor, and you couldn't breathe"

Dex reared back slightly "What?"

Nana shook her head, tears sliding down her face "Your chest, it-it kept ave a shuddering sigh "Those beautiful eyes were so scared I'd been doing hedgethe odd luck spell It's why ood So in that moment, I justacted Said the words to a spell I'd done a hundred ti her throat, she reached into her handbag and pulled out a tissue As she dabbed at her eyes, Nana said, "And then you were back Just like that Killed every plant within a ten-block radius, but you were back So I put my silver bracelet on you, and II hoped" She nodded at the bracelet "That's what anchors the spell, what anchors your soul in your body"

"But it wasn't enough," I said softly, re our basil plant back to life

Nana gave a little laugh "No, it wasn't A hu, Izzy It takes so much power to hold it And no s I drained, it was like I could feel Dex's soul flickering So I looked to other spell books, tried other rituals"

"And ended up suhost"

"An unfortunate side effect," she sniffed "But really, I've just been delaying the inevitable Until an entire huiven to Dex, his existence is justtemporary"

Finally I understood what I'd sensed when I had touched Dex No wonder he'd felt bothhihost Or a zohost