Ghost Shadow (Moon Shadow Series Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

with Troy because the tree was where he guided the roadkill through from dirt-side. The juniper on this side was devoid of any living material, as were all the trees here. It was a sad, hunched over thing, split in the middle, gray as my own being. One side resembled driftwood, shiny and smooth. The other was dull gray like the rest of In Between.
    Once we were close to the tree, the weave and even the snaps of Troy’s jeans became clearly visible. There was even the slightest taint of color to him. His face went from ghostly transparent to an almost solid and handsome young man. His hair took shape, ruffling in the breeze. Every so often, he’d reach up and pat it down.
    My own hair, when I wasn’t a completely bald-looking rounded ghost-blob, did not sway in the wind. My head and face were shaped, especially when I concentrated on the task, but nothing about this location caused my hair to dance with life.
    Troy’s cave was only a few feet from the limbs of the juniper. It was better hidden than mine and underground rather than tucked into a hillside. A ghost squirrel popped out of the shelter to greet us.
    Spook waited patiently with us for Squirrel to report.
    “There’s a death happening over that way,” Troy said, pointing into the gray abyss.
    I had understood Squirrel’s news. The bobbing critter knew how to convey death emotion, but that was an easy one for any of us.
    “What do you think? Should we investigate?” Troy stared out across the shapeless landscape.
    Not all deaths drew me. Violent murders, especially multiple murders, elicited no empathy from me even though I had been murdered. I couldn’t pinpoint why this one drew me, but when I concentrated, the taint of an illness and a stark yearning for home washed over me. “Yeah, let’s check it out.”
    Deaths were easy to find. There was always an opening in the weave as the spirit or soul crossed over. Sometimes the person crossed all at once, but most of the time it was like a slow leak, trickling through the weave gradually.
    Maybe focusing on it made the bubble flow in our direction because as soon as we headed toward the death, the draw increased. We were almost there when I spotted Amy rolling in from another direction.
    If I were still alive, I’d have sighed in exasperation. Since breath wasn’t necessary anymore, I didn’t bother, but a peek at Troy told me that he had noticed her. My focus had been tuned to the death, but Troy was watching Amy with open longing.
    I failed to comprehend the attraction. Maybe it was because Amy still sported much of her earthly form, and it was a young and pretty one. Like Troy when he was near the tree, her hair blew in the breeze, and her delicate features were almost always perfectly formed, right down to a pert nose and jewelry that should have sparkled. The large gem on one hand was colorless here, but now and then her delicate chain necklace and dangle earrings seemed to glint gold.
    I had never seen her abandon her concentration enough to lose her silhouette. Maybe it was her youth or maybe it had something to do with the way she died. It could be that the rest of us were lazy, me in particular. I simply lacked the initiative to hold my form very often. Why bother?
    I clutched the pine needles Troy had given me and wished we’d found Cinderspark. Her fairy dust always made me forget that I was fading into the fog, even if the vitality didn’t last. I concentrated on my features now, knowing how to arrange all the pieces.
    When I glanced again at Troy, it was obvious my effort was wasted.
    Amy reached for his hand. Troy smiled and clasped ghost fingers in hers.
    If you think life isn’t fair, wait until you die. It ain’t no chocolate milkshake with real ice cream here either.
    Rather than watch Troy and Amy revel in their moment of happiness, I let the death divert my focus. My first glimpse was a shock. He was young, healthy... strong ...except something was eating away at him.
    His breathing