A Crown Of Smoke And Ash - Sloane Murphy Page 0,43
you.”
“I love you,” I tell him, whispering the words upon his lips.
“As I love you, Angel.” His lips capture mine again, softly, not asking for any more than I’m willing to give, against his very nature. “This was not a sacrifice, choosing you will never be a sacrifice.
Chapter Ten
After last night’s reveal, I’m still shaken, but it pushes me harder to make sure that his sacrifice for me wasn’t in vain. That Levi’s belief that I can make the difference isn’t misplaced. He gave up everything. Everything to save my life. If I think about it too hard it steals my breath away and makes my heart race. I have no idea what his life was like in Avalon, but who he is, or was, and to sacrifice his friends, his family… It’s so much. Too much. It’s not something I can ever repay, and so I can’t fail him. I can’t fail at this. Any of it. Whatever this is.
I’ve spent the whole day trying not to focus on what he did, and I failed miserably.
So now I’m pacing in the darkened clearing, waiting for Maddie to arrive hoping that the news she brings will give me something else to focus on, a new direction to head in.
Creek leans against a tree, the picture of calm and collected, but I know, despite his protests, that he is afraid.
Afraid his mom will betray us.
Afraid she might not come alone.
Afraid I will be captured again.
The sound of an engine in the distance stills me. It can’t be anyone but her, it’s why we chose this place. Levi, Kain, and Roman are out there, somewhere, making sure that she came alone, and backing us up in case she didn’t. Making sure that I am protected.
Each of them, trying to shield me, but I know that if the time comes, I will not let any of them shield me at the cost of themselves. Not when I can come back, even if it pushes everything I’ve been working several lifetimes for further back—I won’t risk them.
The car grows closer, and I hear the crunch of gravel beneath the tires, before the headlights fill the clearing. The lights shut off, and then we’re in darkness again, the only light from the full moon above us. The silence stretches around us and I swear I almost hold my breath until the door of the car opens, and Maddie steps out alone.
She looks nervous, and almost afraid, but considering she’s here, without any Hunters knowing, and with the company I keep. I can’t blame her.
“Mom,” Creek says as he rushes to her and wraps her in a huge hug. I give them a few minutes privacy, trying not to rush them, although time is not on our side, and Maddie will not be able to stay long. They separate, and Maddie strides across the clearing and gathers me in her arms.
“Oh sweetheart,” is all she says as she crushes me against her chest, and relief floods me. “I am so sorry, for all of it. Your father is a god damn barbarian. I tried to get him, all of them to listen to reason. We know you, they should have trusted you before they acted like brash, unreasonable idiots. The lot of them!”
She releases me from her hold and wipes a tear from her eye. “I’m so glad that you are safe, that you are happy. I may not be your mom, but I always considered you my daughter.”
“Thank you, Maddie, and no, but you were just like a mom to me, and I’ll always be thankful for that.” She sniffs, and wipes away the rest of her tears, shaking her head as she does.
“Now then, you didn’t call me all the way out here for this. Where are the rest of them? How can I help?” At her words, Levi lands behind me in the clearing, as Roman and Kain emerge from the trees behind me too.
“We need your help. I need to get into the archives,” I tell her, and her eyes go wide.
“Oh, dear, that is not a good idea,” she says softly.
“I have no choice, there are things we need to know that will only be kept in the archives. We have no other way.” I let her see my truth, and she sighs.
“They are guarded closely, so you will need to be quick. And very careful. They are kept in the basement levels of the Elder Tower.”