A Crown Of Smoke And Ash - Sloane Murphy Page 0,78

Apparently, she holds onto her position in another way, because while she is a skilled fighter, she is not prepared for this battle.

I narrow my eyes as she stills, and then, like the very wind, I move towards her, on her before she can blink and attack. My blades like an extension of my arms. She falls to her knees, and I pull her hair back from behind, my blade at her throat.

“Yield,” I hiss, and she growls. I move forward, my knee in her back, and press her into the ground and press the tip of my dagger to the back of her neck. “I said, yield.”

My voice does not even sound like my own, and I feel it, her submission, her acceptance that she isn’t going to win, but she can still walk away. She nods, causing my blade to nick her skin, and I release her.

“I yield!” she shouts, her voice hoarse, but she is already forgotten as I prowl back towards Roman, crawling back up from the darkness, him the light at the end of it all, and I smile.

Chapter Seventeen

Last night was insane, after the challenge, we came back to the house, and despite adrenaline riding high, we about passed out after we got Roman’s leg cleaned up. It was practically healed, but I still wanted to check it. We barely spoke, the death of Echo weighing on him, despite him giving the Lycan a chance to back down.

He was gone when I woke this morning, a note on his pillow to tell me he was going to speak with the Shadow Pack, while they dealt with the power hole that was now there, and to make sure the new Alpha, Echo’s number two, had stepped up.

We moved the final feast to today after the chaos of the challenges being laid down, a way to celebrate Roman’s win, as if it was expected. Though I have no doubt Echo expected to celebrate his win.

Grief is dealt with differently in the Lycan packs, I discovered last night. Today they will celebrate their Alpha of Alphas, and tomorrow, they will start the grieving process, but it’s still a celebration. A celebration of the life that was led, rather than a mourning of the life lost. It seems a much better way to handle the passing to me, rather than the way I was taught, but I’m not sure I could deal with death like that if I had lost Roman.

My phone rings as I sit up in bed, and Levi’s face smiles at me from the stupid picture I took of us before we left and set as his contact picture.

“Hey!” I answer and sigh, glad he caught me before I left the room, which is about the only place I seem to get any reception.

“Remy, are you okay?” he asks, his voice sounding off, like he’s hiding his worry, and I frown.

“I’m fine, why?”

“We heard there was a challenge, but I only just fucking found out.” The words come via gritted teeth, and I smile as I imagine the look on his face, the tautness of his shoulders.

“I’m fine, Levi. I promise. Its already over and done with. I wasn’t even injured.”

“Thank the fucking fates. I swear to god, we were all ready to head out within minutes.”

“Well, then I’m glad you only just found out. You need to trust that I can handle myself.”

“I do, but the thought that something could have happened, the Lycan laws stopping Roman from intervening, I wasn’t exactly thinking straight. But I’m glad you kicked ass, Angel.”

“Damn straight I did,” I giggle. “I found it, found her, the warrior people kept telling me about. Apparently being around so many potential threats triggered some memories.”

“And you came back okay?” His voice hitches, and I smile.

“I’m fine, Levi. I swear it.”

“You better be. When are you guys heading back?”

“We’re flying home tomorrow, at least that’s the plan.”

“Good. I miss you.” I smile at his admission, and I know that he’s alone. Big bad Angel that he is, speaking about his feelings still isn’t something he does easily around the others. No matter how much they all try to get along for me.

“I miss you too,” I sigh. “I’ll be home soon, and then we can spend a day just the two of us, locked away, before I need to leave again.”

“That sounds perfect, Angel. I’ll let you get back to it.”

“Okay, thanks. I’ll see you soon and tell the others I’m okay.