He didn’t hear anyone enter the room, but the voice that spoke was suddenly right behind him.
“You wouldn’t believe how jealous I am right now.”
Connor whirled around and discovered Renier Laroche standing no more than a foot away. Ren nodded at the punching bag.
“To be able to hit things,” Ren added. “I really miss it. Particularly when I have to spend so much time listening to Logan.”
“Is that why you’re here?” Connor asked. “Logan sent you back with a message for me? If he didn’t send flowers too, tell him he needs to class up his act.”
“I’m not here for Logan,” Ren answered. “I’m here for Adne.”
Connor turned back to the bag, this time working on uppercuts. “So even as a ghost, you want to play big brother. Are you going to tell me that I messed up? That I should have seen this coming?”
“Did you see it coming?” Ren asked.
Connor kept hitting the bag. “Maybe.”
“Could you elaborate a little more?”
“Why?” Connor replied. “You’ve been around, haven’t you? I mean, you’ve seen her. You’ve seen what Adne’s been like. You’re no Casper, but if you’re a ghost, I assume you can keep tabs on whoever you like. Except for when you’re running an errand for that bratty warlock.”
“That’s a pretty good description of my life, actually,” Ren said with a dry laugh. “And you’re right. I have been watching Adne, and I don’t like what I’ve seen.”
“That makes two of us,” Connor growled, bringing his knee up hard into the bag.
“Really?” Ren gave a low whistle. “Knee to the crotch. You fight dirty.”
“Whatever it takes,” Connor said.
“See, that’s what I always thought about you,” Ren commented as Connor threw more jabs at the bag. “You go for the throat. No hesitation. No regrets. You’re a fighter through and through.”
“I’m a Striker.” Connor sent the bag spinning with an uppercut. “It’s in the job description.”
“You say that,” Ren replied. “But we both know it’s always been more.”
Connor grabbed the bag, breathing hard, and looked at Ren. “What’s your point?”
“That you’ve been acting out of character,” Ren said. “Or rather, not acting. You’ve been benchwarming, when you’re a starter. What’s the deal?”
“Too many metaphors, man.” Connor picked up a towel and mopped sweat from his face. “Try again.”
“Why didn’t you stop my sister?” Ren’s question came with a snarl that made Connor’s skin crawl. “You saw what was happening to her, but you did nothing. You let her go to him.”
“I didn’t let her do anything. No one can tell Adne what to do, and no one can stop her when she makes her mind up about anything.” Connor turned on the wolf and shouted, “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? You might be her blood, but you barely knew Adne. I’ve loved her for years.”
Ren said quietly, “Then why haven’t you been fighting for her?”
“Go screw yourself.”
“That would be a neat trick, but I prefer company.” Ren glanced around the room, surveying the weapons that hung on racks along the walls. “Answer my question. You’re a fighter, so why didn’t you fight for Adne?”
“Maybe I don’t know how,” Connor snapped.
“Wrong answer,” Ren said. “We’ve already established that you know how. You helped win the war. I know. I was there.”
“So?”
“So at the eleventh hour, when all the odds were against us, you crashed into Bosque Mar’s mansion like you had nothing to lose,” Ren replied. “When you fight, you’re fearless.”
“Are you trying to tell me I’m afraid now?” Connor frowned at Ren. “Are you calling me a coward?”
“Something like that,” Ren answered. “Though coward wouldn’t be my word of choice. I’d rather use a phrase. My description of you would be ‘paralyzed by fear.’”
“Really?” Connor smirked. “You just claimed that the last time you saw me in a fight I was fearless. So how is it that I’m so afraid now?”
“Because now it’s not the war that you’re fighting for, it’s Adne,” Ren said. “It would be easier for you to have the world end than it would be to lose her.”
Connor didn’t respond. Ren might not have been corporeal, but his words hit like a sucker punch.
“You know, as her brother, I put that in the plus column for you,” Ren added.
“Thanks.” Connor picked up a water bottle and took several gulps. “So why did you come to find me?”
“Because I’m starting to see how this is going to play out,” Ren said. “Benefit of the not-quite-afterlife or something. It’s going to be ugly. For everyone, but especially for Adne.”
Connor grimaced. “So you’re the motivational speaker, I see.”
Ren laughed. “That’s going to help you. Humor. As annoying as it is, it will help.”
“We all have our gifts.” Connor frowned at Ren. “Is that all?”
“She needs a champion,” Ren said, all mirth gone from his face. “And it has to be you.”
“What are you talking about?” Connor asked. “A champion? Are you going to tell me to go find the One Ring now?”
“I’ve already told you,” Ren answered. “I’ve seen the shape of things to come. This is how it’s going down. I’m just giving you some advance notice.”
Connor grunted to hide his confusion. “Don’t you want to be champion?”
“It’s hard to be champion when you can’t pick up a sword.”
“Right.” Connor looked at Ren. Tall, strong, ready to fight. It had to suck. “You know, kid, I’m sorry about how things ended for you. You deserved better.”
Ren shrugged. “How often do people get what they deserve? Good or bad.”
“Very Zen.” Connor took another swig of water.
“I suppose,” Ren said with a slight smile. “I may be dead, but apparently I still have choices. So I could brood and mope and try my best to learn how to rattle chains. Or I can try to save my sister.”