I'd just survived much more than I ever thought possible. Did she see that? Did she know what I did to come after her through deep space? I squeezed her hand, maybe a little too hard, to remind her that I wasn't made of glass and to urge her to continue.

She looked up, her gray eyes sparkling wet, and brushed the tears from her face. "Research told me that iron would attract enough electromagnetic energy to shield you from the ghosts. But I knew I needed more than that, ...