Cite listened, though she wasn’t sure why. There was something about the woman’s serene beauty that drew her in, compelling her to pay attention. And she wasn’t alone; her presence was so commanding that every eye in the room was fixed on the mirror.

  “I am Almah,” she introduced herself with a slight bow of her head. “Queen of the Spirit Realm.”

  "So… is she the one, Mama?" the little girl asked, bouncing excitedly on her feet.

  Almah smiled softly. "Yes. You have done well, Sprite."

  So that’s her name, Cite thought, stealing a glance at the girl from the corner of her eye. She wasn’t ready to speak yet, still trying to process everything swirling around her. And judging by how things were unfolding, this was only the beginning of the chaos. She sat in silence, her expression blank but her mind braced for whatever came next.

  Almah took notice of Cite’s struggle. "It is alright, child," she said calmly. "Sprite," she called to her daughter, "please show our guest there is nothing to fear."

  Sprite nodded and stepped forward, gently taking Cite’s gloved hand and helping her to her feet. The high school girl’s legs trembled slightly as she rose, but the nausea had eased. "Thanks," Cite murmured, her voice fragile at first, but growing steadier the longer Sprite held her hand. It was as if all her worries were melting away.

  "This is my daughter’s gift," Almah explained. "She can bring calm and positive energy with just a single touch."

  “Yeah, that’s… cool,” Cite uttered nervously, pulling her hand away. She still wasn’t sure what to think. Not only were there ghosts in her town, but they had magical powers too? None of the investigations she’d seen on TV had ever hinted at anything like this.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Skrapwerk said, shooting her a sideways glance. “We’re nothing like the ghosts you see on those box-shaped contraptions of yours.” He flicked his tongue in mild disgust before continuing. “And you’re right! We’re far more complex than humans give us credit for. For instance, I bet you didn’t know that we-”

  “You said you needed my help,” Cite interrupted, addressing Almah directly. Skrapwerk seemed offended by this but wasn’t going to argue. “What kind of help?” Something told her this wasn’t going to be as simple as spirits wanting to move on from the mortal plane.

  The queen took a breath, closing her eyes briefly. “To truly understand, you must see for yourself.” She opened them again, and the glass filled with a bright golden light.

  Kryll nudged Cite with a fin. “Strap in, kid,” he remarked. She didn’t like the sound of that.

  Squinting as the light intensified, Cite watched the image fade from Almah’s face to something else entirely—an imposing anthropomorphic lizard with a large horn jutting from its forehead. Its back was turned, silver armor gleaming beneath a billowing cape.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  "This is Devilon," Almah’s voice echoed, holding on his image. "The last of the Draikonians. Five hundred years ago, he attempted to conquer my home, the Spirit Realm, seeking to avenge his people." The scene changed again, this time to the two beings battling it out inside a large room. "With the aid of my children, I managed to defeat him, encasing him in stone and sealing the entrance to the Temple of Draikon. However..." her tone darkened, and Cite looked over at Sprite, who stood silently, head bowed in sorrow.

  "I was not fast enough," Almah continued. "During the fight, he captured two of my sons, corrupting their minds with dark magic and turning them against us." The mirror shifted focus back to her. "With my powers completely drained, I had no choice but to retreat to my world, leaving them trapped alongside that monster.”

  Cite placed a hand on her head. She felt like the protagonist in a video game, receiving a flood of exposition before the first level even began. Almah seemed aware of how overwhelming this must’ve been for her, but pressed on regardless.

  “And now I fear he has been set free once more.” she sighed. “Which is why we need you, Cite Hafrey. For you see, the one who released him… was a human.” Cite’s brow furrowed in confusion, unsure what that had to do with her. Sensing this, Almah continued before she had a chance to respond. “Unable to leave his prison, Devilon will use this human to get his hands on the Celestial Stones—an act which will bring ruin to both our worlds.”

  Cite tensed up and looked away. “I don’t mean to sound rude, your majesty, but…” she started to say, squeezing her upper arm. “This is a lot to take in, and I still don’t get why you need my help specifically.”

  Skrapwerk crossed his arms disapprovingly. “Weren’t you listening? Our queen has lost her magic, she cannot cross between realms!” He mumbled something to himself then motioned to Sprite. “I suppose she’s going to require more convincing.”

  The princess nodded in response, back to her usual cheery self. “Don’t you see?” she piped up, grabbing Cite’s hand again. “You’re a ghost hunter! You believe in us!”

  She was taken aback by this statement. Was this really happening? Her interest in the paranormal was finally paying off, but not at all in the way she imagined. All she wanted was a successful TV show, not the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. “But I’m a high school student, not a superhero!” she objected. Sprite’s ability was keeping her anxiety in check but she was still opposed to the idea. “You can’t just ask me to abandon my friends and family to go fight the forces of evil!”

  Almah’s voice remained calm but firm. “It was not my intention for you to abandon anything,” she reassured. “I have long avoided involving myself in human affairs, but I am once again left with no choice. Your assistance is no longer a request, it is a necessity.”

  Cite let out a frustrated groan, slipping free from Sprite’s grasp and moving toward the pile her camera had been thrown in. “Well, let’s say I did agree to help,” she said hypothetically as she knelt down, taking the device and stuffing it back into her bag. “What am I even supposed to do? I’m just one person.” She sat still for a moment, back turned to everyone before standing up and flinging the bag over her shoulder. “Sorry,” she apologized, heading for the door. “But you’ve got the wrong girl.”

  Skrapwerk gestured wordlessly as she walked away, looking at Almah in disbelief. The queen just held up her hand, as she so often did. “Let her go, Vespar.” she commanded, and watched as their guest left the room.

  Cite quietly closed the door behind her and began trudging back up the steps, bare fingers trailing along the cold stone wall. If everything she’d just heard was true, her life was about to get a lot more complicated.

  “She will return when she is ready.”