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What the…?

Had rats gotten into the toy?

Nope, not rats. Not unless the rats in this house had learned how to talk.

“This is your fault,” the seal said.

Nate recognized the voice. “Leo?”

How was Leo inside Nate’s stuffed seal? Nate sat up and lifted Bartholomew off his chest with both hands. The seal weighed the same as ever and looked the same as ever. Except for the low, furious muttering coming from somewhere inside the stuffing.

“Release me,” Leo said, “and don’t ever bring this up again. Ever.”

“How did you get in there?”

“As if you don’t know! Your toy is cursed. It attacked me!”

Leo sounded so mortified that—in spite of his utter confusion—Nate had to suppress a laugh as he turned the seal over in his hands.

“Stop manhandling me!” Leo protested.

“I’m only trying to figure out what’s going on.”

“Your stupid toy grabbed me!”

“Were you touching it?”

“What does that matter?” Leo cried. “I’m the victim here!”

“Okay, okay. Let’s stay calm. I’ve never seen this happen before.”

“Never?” Leo asked in a miserable tone of voice.

“No, sorry to say you’re the only ghost who’s ever ended up stuck inside Sir Bartholomew Flopsworth III.”

“Sir Bartholomew Flopsworth III?”

“That’s the seal’s name,” Nate said matter-of-factly. “Would you like to adopt it? Or would you prefer if I kept calling you Leo? You could also tell me your legal name. Or have I still not earned that?”

Leo grumbled something incoherent. Then he said, “I’ll tell you when you get me out of this thing.”

“Then let’s get to it.”

Nate set the seal on his knee and reached out with his senses. Leo was unmistakably in the toy. Nate felt his bright, furious presence almost immediately. But when Nate tried to get a good grip…

He couldn’t. The toy had shaped itself around Leo like a smooth glass surface that Nate could not pry open.

“What are you doing,” Leo asked. “I feel that. Stop it.”

“Trying to get you out.”

“Try harder.”

Nate did. He didn’t understand what was happening. He’d slept with this toy for nearly twenty years and it had never behaved this way.

“Well?” Leo demanded.

“I can’t get you out.”