But those were bad dreams, figments of Logan’s imagination. And Logan had been witness to something else that day in the library. Ren’s death. Renier Laroche, alpha male of the Haldis pack, had been killed by his “father,” Emile. If Ren was dead, he couldn’t hurt them. At least Logan hoped not.
Addressing Chase, Ren said, “I’m a spirit. Spirits can move between planes.”
Chase mustered the courage to step past Logan and give Ren a closer examination. He began to reach his hand out, but then paused.
With a sigh, Ren said, “Just get it over with.”
Chase cautiously stretched his hand out as if to touch the Guardian, but at the point where his fingers should have made contact with flesh, Chase’s hand passed through Ren’s body as if it were made of air. Delighted with this new discovery, Chase laughed and began to wave his hands through Ren’s non-corporeal shape.
“Do you mind?” Ren bared his teeth at Chase. Even lacking substance, the sight of a wolf’s sharp canines was enough to send Chase stumbling back.
“You’re a ghost?” Audrey asked in fascination. “Seriously?”
“I’m not a ghost,” Ren growled at her. “I’m a restless spirit.”
“Same difference,” Audrey huffed.
“No,” Ren replied. “It’s actually very different.”
Audrey sounded petulant. “What do you mean?”
“Ghosts remain tethered to the world of the living because they can’t let go of something or someone from their past.” Ren’s tone made it plain that he was very much wishing he was still flesh and bone, just so he could attack Audrey. “That’s why ghosts are known for haunting. They stay attached to either a person or a place.”
“And restless spirits?” Chase prompted.
“Spirits are caught between planes of existence due to the nature of their death,” Ren answered. A hint of sadness crept into his voice. “Death that is violent enough to alter the soul so that it can’t continue on to wherever most spirits go—like a train that’s jumped off the tracks. Instead, spirits exist in the spaces between worlds.”
“And you can move between worlds at will?” Logan asked. “All worlds?”
Ren shook his head. “Only those worlds that had purchase on me when I was alive, but because I’m a Guardian, I had ties to this world and to the Nether. That’s why I’m a conduit between those realms.”
“And that’s why you had to answer my summons,” Logan continued. The pieces were falling into place now. “Because you’re also tied to me.”
“Unfortunately,” Ren answered with a wry smile.
Logan ignored the insult. All that mattered was that Ren had to obey him; Logan didn’t care if the wolf was happy about it.
“Have you been to the Nether?” Audrey asked, a little breathless.
“No.” Ren’s frown carried a growl with it. “Why would I go there?”
“Because you can,” Chase said.
“Have you forgotten what lives in the Nether?” Ren shot back. “Monsters. That’s a world of pain and nightmares.”
“But you’re one of those monsters,” Logan said quietly. “Or have you forgotten?”
“I am what you made me,” Ren replied.
Audrey pursed her lips, assessing Ren. “If you haven’t been hopping between realms, what have you been doing?”
“Watching,” Ren said curtly.
“Watching who?” Audrey asked, but Ren snarled at her.
“Enough.” Logan folded his arms over his chest. “Now tell me what I want to know.”
“Is this really what you want, Logan?” Ren said. “You have a chance to begin again. If you start down this path, there’ll be no turning back. By staying hidden, you’ve stayed safe. You won’t be able to hide away anymore. And once the Searchers learn what you’re up to, they’ll come after you.”
Logan felt Chase and Audrey tense up beside him.
“I didn’t summon you here to be my life coach, Renier,” Logan said. “So stop trying to give me advice.”
Ren bristled, but said, “All right. If you want to speak with him, you have to get back what you lost.”
“What kind of riddle is that?” Chase complained. “Is he talking about our power? Because that’s some kind of messed-up circular logic. Of course we have to get back what we lost, but we can’t use the power we lost to get it back.”
“Do you have other minions?” Ren asked, casting a reproachful glance at Chase. “Because these two are idiots.”
“We are not his minions,” Audrey objected.
Logan swallowed his laugh, noting that she hadn’t bothered to tell Ren that they also weren’t idiots.
“They’re just out of practice,” Logan answered Ren, then said to Chase, “He’s not talking about our power.”
“What else did we lose?” Audrey asked, suddenly panicked. Logan knew her mind had gone straight to her bank accounts.
“Not we,” Logan told her. “He’s talking about me. Something I lost.”
Ren smiled and nodded.
“What did you lose?” Chase frowned at Logan.
Logan rolled his head from side to side. His neck had begun to pinch with frustration. “A box.”
Ren nodded again.
“And do you know where it is now?” Chase asked.
“Approximately.” Logan could feel a headache coming on. Those damned useless thieves he’d hired had bungled the job. How was he supposed to get back to Rowan Estate now? The Searchers doubtless had increased their security so as to prevent any further encroachments.
He looked at Ren. “So you’ve been watching?”
Ren returned Logan’s gaze warily. “Yes.”
“I can guess who,” Logan continued. “Given that seeing your former packmates frolicking through the mountains probably cuts too close to be pleasant.”
Ren’s stare filled with a hate so visceral that Logan faltered, but Chase spoke up.
“Who else would he be watching?”
Recovering his composure, Logan answered, “His sister.”
“His sister?” Audrey asked.
“She’s a Searcher,” Logan continued, regaining confidence by the second.