A Crown Of Fire And Wrath (The Shadow Walkers Saga #5) - Sloane Murphy Page 0,23
portal between the two realms.
We’ve been fighting this war for longer than any of us imagined, but with the seal closed, my deal with Morganna and her men, and the battle plans we have for today, I’m feeling confident that we’ll be back home again soon. Finally, Leviathan and I can start something real together, rather than the stolen moments we have right now.
I look around the small house I call home—I came back briefly to stock up on arrows, because the ones we make in the human realm just don’t seem to pack as much of a punch—and I smile. My own piece of the city, carved out for myself, not tainted by the outside worlds.
I have more than enough crazy to deal with outside of these walls, fates know I cherish this place. It’s my safe haven. The knock at the door stops my movements. Leviathan and Nevin are with Serafina and Amelia in the human realm. No one else comes here. I should have paid more attention, been more alert.
I put on hand on the sword hilt at my hip and move cautiously towards the door. I take a deep breath and hold it, to quiet myself as much as I can. This might be Avalon, but nowhere is safe for someone like me.
“Little bird, your shields are down,” the voice calls out, laughing, and I relax, but put my shields up. “That’s better,” Michael says as he opens the door and peers inside to where I’m standing.
“I wasn’t expecting you. Is everything okay?” I ask as he enters and closes the door behind him. The last time I saw him, we left things… well, it was awkward as fuck.
“Everything’s fine, I just thought we should talk, and since you’re so rarely alone these days…”
I shift from one foot to the other while trying not to wring out my hands. Give me a battle any single day and I’ll jump at it. Ask me to talk about feelings and stuff… nope. No Siree. No thank you. I’m out.
“I know that this isn’t as simple as I’d like it to be, and I never meant to kiss you.”
Heat climbs up my neck at his words. He kissed me just before I left at the start of the war. Just after I told him that Leviathan had confessed his feelings for me, and I wasn’t sure what to do. Michael has always been the guy I could talk to about anything, but apparently, I’m blind as hell, because I missed the fact that Michael, as well as Leviathan, seemed to want to kiss me.
“I…” I try to find the right words, but he shakes his head, stopping me.
“I am not asking anything of you, Amantara. I can’t be what you need, not with everything else I have going on, and especially not now. I love you, I’ve made no secret of that, at least I thought not.” His voice catches as he speaks, seeing him like this hurts me, but I don’t know how to fix it. He takes a breath and continues. “But I also know I can’t be what you need. What I’m trying to tell you is that I love you. But I know Leviathan loves you too. He can be what you need. Far better than I ever can. I’m not asking you to pick, I want you to follow your heart wherever it leads you, but I will live with whatever you choose and be here for you no matter what happens.”
I let out a sigh of relief. I never want to lose him, but I also know I don’t love him, at least not in the same way that he loves me, and that’s not fair to him. But his words comfort me, because I don’t know how to choose without someone getting hurt.
“Michael…” I start, but he cuts me off again, engulfing me in a hug.
“Just be safe, Amantara. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you.”
We walk through the markets, and I can’t remember the last time I smiled so hard. The smells that fill the air, the hubbub of people moving about their lives. It just all reminds me of a much easier time in my life. A much more peaceful one. This was the little sliver of peace that I needed. Especially since after I showered, and sat down to sort my hair, I got lost down the rabbit hole of the memories now available to