A Crown Of Fire And Wrath (The Shadow Walkers Saga #5) - Sloane Murphy Page 0,96
my hand, and we walk to the sitting room to face my parents together. We find Uriel inspecting the artwork, while Ashera perches on the edge of the sofa, while my other guys stand watching them, looking ready to pounce should either of them so much as look at me wrong.
“Amantara, there you are.” My mother clicks her tongue as she stands. A low growl comes from Roman, and I smile at him.
“My name is Remy,” I tell her, staying standing where I am with Levi.
“Your name is Amantara,” Uriel utters, moving to stand beside her. “We heard about this foolishness down here, disgracing our family name even more than we ever thought possible. If it’s not bad enough that you’re a… a Shadow Walker, you have to make a spectacle of yourself too.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are coming into my house, speaking to me like this?” My words are as icy as they are full of rage. I release Levi’s hand and take a step forward, letting my shadow fire come to my hand. I know they’d never breathe a word of it, for fear it would reflect badly on them, but watching the fear dance on their faces as they see who I am, what I’m capable of, gives me a bigger jolt of happiness than it probably should. “Why are you here?”
Neither of them speak, Ashera clings to Uriel like her life depends on it, but my father is far too selfish to sacrifice himself to save her. Apparently, she hasn’t worked that bit out yet.
“We came to tell you to stop making a spectacle and return to Avalon, but you are too far gone,” Uriel says, his voice on wavering a little, and I have to say, that almost impresses me.
“Avalon was never my home. Not really. This is my home. These people are my family. You mean nothing to me. As far as I am concerned, you are not my parents, you have no need to feel any sort of disappointment about who and what I am. You have not bothered with me for so very long, do not think that your words have any place in my life now.”
“Amantara…” Ashara starts, but Kain cuts her off.
“Her name is Remy, and if you disrespect her once more, you will not have to worry about her fire, because I will bleed you out myself.” His fangs extend with his words, and her eyes go wide.
“I think, if that’s all you have to say, it’s time for you to leave,” Creek says, stepping forward to Kain’s side, his eyes turning black. Roman joins them, his eyes flashing silver, as Levi’s static fills the air.
“I told you, this is my family now. You’re not wanted or needed here.” I dampen my shadow fire, and move to open the door. Levi stays where he is, but I feel his eyes on me, while the others watch the parents, whose approval I once desperately craved. That girl is long gone, she died so very long ago.
Uriel and Ashera scurry from the room, and I finally see them for the cowards they are. Their standing and appearances are far more important to them than I could ever have been. Having a child for them was something they did because it was expected and made them look good. They should never have been parents in the first place.
As that knowledge falls into place, it’s like a weight is lifted from me. I really don’t need them, or my other parents. There’s still a lot unresolved with my Hunter parents, but I don’t truly need them. I have my family here, I have Fallon and Colt, Morgan and her guys.
The thought makes me smile as Uriel and Ashera disappear from sight, until my guys circle around me.
“That was not what it seemed,” Roman says ominously.
Levi tenses behind me and nods. “I fear you might be right.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? We don’t have to go?” Creek asks me for the umpteenth time as I finish sorting my hair.
“Of course it’s okay, they’re your family. I didn’t see them over Christmas with you, and Nirvana goes back to school at the weekend.” I pull the straighteners through my hair one last time, before putting another light coat of mascara on my lashes. I take in my reflection, the little black dress, the stiletto heels, I don’t really look like me. Maybe the me I thought I’d be once