A Crown Of Fire And Wrath (The Shadow Walkers Saga #5) - Sloane Murphy Page 0,17

as he embraces our old friend.

“Well, look at you, Amantara. Causing such a fuss even after you died. Only you could cause more chaos than I can.” He winks at me, making me smile before wrapping me up in a bear hug.

“It’s good to see you, old friend,” I say quietly before he releases me. I’m one of the very few people who he used to let call him Gabe. He might seem mischievous and laid back, but the Archangel of Chaos tends to see the worst of people, so he doesn’t tend to trust many. Even fewer does he let get close. I make a mental note to talk to him about my current issues back on Earth. He might have a singular style of looking at things that the rest of us haven’t thought about.

Michael walks straight past us to the head of the very long table that holds the council. It’s the one part of him we always fought about. That his role, his job, it comes above all else. On the one hand, I get it, he is a leader, and he didn’t get to where he is by prioritizing other things, but it’s exactly why he and I could never work. Despite what my memories might suggest.

He would never put anything above his sense of duty. It’s what makes him the perfect leader of Avalon, but it means that whoever he is with, is always second fiddle. I might not need to be the sun of your world, but I want to at least be a factor in your decision process. That isn’t something that would happen with him. He knew it as well as I did, which is why nothing ever happened with us. It’s also why we never speak of it.

Michael sits, and the chatter in the room dies down. Levi’s seat at the table remains empty as he stands by my side. His banishment was lifted, so he can take his chair again, but this is his way of showing every person in the room where his loyalties lie. Not that they weren’t already aware, but he’s never been the guy who kisses the ring. In his mind, he won’t care that his banishment is lifted. They were going to let me die, and that doesn’t work for him.

Hell, they’re probably pissed that Michael didn’t let the angel glass take me. Not that any one of them would dare to say it to his face.

Gabe remains standing beside us too, it’s not something I expected, but his support is always welcome. Even if it is half because he loves making the others uncomfortable.

“You all know why we’re here. If news hadn’t reached you before now, the proof is obvious.” Michael’s voice booms across the room, and every person’s gaze bounces from him to me, and the very angry Archangel of War beside me, before going back to their leader. I’m pretty sure they’d rather follow his orders to lick his boots than accept me back into the fold. Luckily for them, I have no interest in being part of the fold, I just don’t want to be hunted for merely existing.

“Amantara, reborn as Remington Bennett, is miraculously an angel once more. While I am still looking into how this was possible, it does appear to be a one off, a loophole in the Hunter’s curse, purely because she was an angel first. We are still looking into what this means in regards to the Hunters. I am aware that some of you work with the Hunters in some capacity, but I ask you to keep the possibilities of the changes to their life cycles to yourself until we have more solid information.” He pauses, letting his words impact as he intended before looking at me and then back to his council. “Leviathan’s banishment has been lifted, and will therefore, be reinstated as General of the Death Dealers. Amantara’s position as his second will be returned to her, should she want it. She will be accepted back into the community, and any attempts on her life will be punished in the same fashion. Do I make myself clear?”

The room erupts at his declaration. Levi looks at Michael, eyebrows raised, he obviously had no idea of Michael’s plans. Which makes me feel a little better, because I had no idea either. I don’t want to be a part of the Death Dealers, and Michael knows that. I already made my wishes about returning home