A 1

Leo found that hard to believe. Hazel seemed warm and very alive, not like the ghosts or the other
reborn mortals Leo had tangled with.
She seemed good with people, too, unlike Leo, who was much more comfortable with machines.
Living stuff, like horses and girls? He had no idea what made them work.
Hazel was also Frank’s girlfriend, so Leo knew he should keep his distance. Still, her hair smelled
good, and riding with her made his heart race almost against his will. It must’ve been the speed of the
horse.
Arion thundered onto the beach. He stomped his hooves and whinnied triumphantly, like Coach
Hedge yelling a battle cry.
Hazel and Leo dismounted. Arion pawed the sand.
“He needs to eat,” Hazel explained. “He likes gold, but—”
“Gold?” Leo asked.
“He’ll settle for grass. Go on, Arion. Thanks for the ride. I’ll call you.”
Just like that, the horse was gone—nothing left but a steaming trail across the lake.
“Fast horse,” Leo said, “and expensive to feed.”
“Not really,” Hazel said. “Gold is easy for me.”
Leo raised his eyebrows. “How is gold easy? Please tell me you’re not related to King Midas. I
don’t like that guy.”
Hazel pursed her lips, as if she regretted raising the subject. “Never mind.”
That made Leo even more curious, but he decided it might be better not to press her. He knelt
and cupped a handful of white sand. “Well…one problem solved, anyway. This is lime.”
Hazel frowned. “The whole beach?”