A Crown Of Fire And Wrath (The Shadow Walkers Saga #5) - Sloane Murphy Page 0,6
help me?” I can’t help but blurt out the words, and his expression softens as he comes and sits on the end of the bed, facing me. He runs a hand down his face and looks the ceiling, as if trying to find the right words to answer my question.
“The answer to that isn’t as simple as it should be,” he tells me, looking conflicted. “But the bigger picture, is that I couldn’t not help you, little bird.”
He seems almost pained at the thought, which just confuses me more. “Okay, first, what is with the nickname? And second why bring me here? If I was healed, why was it necessary?”
At my question he almost looks bashful, which makes me double take. Is he blushing? What the actual fuck.
“It’s safer here for you, little bird. Avalon is your home. Your real home,” he tells me, sounding almost sad. “As for the nickname. I’ve called you it for longer than I care to remember, from when you first learned to fly.”
“I am so confused.” I groan and pinch the bridge of my nose.
“I can only imagine, but I can maybe help you finally unlock all of your memories, if you’d let me help you?” He sounds hopeful, and that makes me wary. Apparently being betrayed as much as I have recently has left me a little jaded.
“Why would you do that?” I watch him closely as I ask the question, and he flinches a little at my accusing tone.
“For the same reason I helped you yesterday. I can’t not.” He shrugs a little, but pins me with an intense stare, as if he’s searching for something inside of my very soul. His face falls a little, so I guess he doesn’t find what he was looking for.
“You really don’t remember me at all, do you?” The pain in those words slices through me, cutting me as sure as any blade would. I shake my head, unable to speak. Emotion clogs my throat and I have no idea why. I try to swallow, to push it down, just like always, because breaking down right now is not something I can do. Even if I am safe here, with him, there is no way I’m going to break right now.
“I guess that makes more sense.” He sighs and stands. “You’re safe here, and it makes sense for you to stay here until you’re fully healed. Just, please, stay until then, and I’ll unlock your memories, all of them. Then I’ll answer any other questions you have too.” The crinkles at the edges of his eyes are the only outward sign of his sadness, but there’s something deep inside of me that tells me to trust him. That makes me feel sad that he’s so sad right now.
“Okay, just until I’m healed, and my memories are unlocked.”
“Thank you.” He lets out a deep breath, like he expected a fight. I probably should have put up more of a fight, and I squirm under his gaze as I realize it. Something about him is just so fucking disarming. He sighs again and walks towards me.
“Let me show you something, it might make you feel at ease.” He offers me his hand, to help me get up from the bed. Considering how I felt yesterday, I accept his offer and ease from the bed carefully, checking the pain in my shoulder as I do. It’s practically gone, but the bone ache still hasn’t completely gone, which just makes me feel tired even though I just woke up.
He puts an arm around my waist, steadying me as I stand. He holds on a little longer than necessary, then I realize he’s planning to help me to whatever it is he wants to show me. I step out of his hold, a stab of guilt hits me as his face falls, but I stuff it down. I don’t know him, even if he seemingly knows me, and if someone who wasn’t my family had their hands on my guys, I’d be taking heads, so with them in mind, I put distance between us. Whatever this is feels like more than it should be. He smiles at me tightly before leaving the room, motioning for me to follow him.
I follow him, albeit slowly, because fucking ow, into the main room, where I fell asleep last night. I sit on the sofa as directed, and try not to look as relieved. Apparently even having been healed, angel glass is an absolute