Page 24 of Firebird
“There’s no one here, Julian,” he assured me, calm even while my voice had dropped dangerously, the dragon always riding me too hard.
“Besides”—I turned back to our conversation—“I’m sure the edict said nothing at all about them starting families. Igniculus has made it clear he’s fine with them reproducing. That means more property.” I rubbed at a pang in my sternum.
“True,” agreed Trajan. “As long as those children aren’t begotten by a Roman patrician.”
It was my turn to heave a sigh. “Of course not. He’s made that law clear enough.” I rubbed my chin, realizing I needed a shave.
“Caesar forgets,” added Trajan. “There are some Romans who have familial ties to slaves.”
My mother’s face flashed to mind, her kind smile, her kinder eyes.
“No. He doesn’t forget. He’s simply missing that part of himself that would remind him of that.”
“What part do you mean?” he asked.
“A heart.” I clenched my jaw. “He’s a demon, Trajan. Never forget that.”
He stared back at me grimly. “What I wonder is—” He broke off, a sharp female voice interrupting our conversation.
“Get off me!”
I didn’t even think. One glance at the man touching Malina and I was across the small square with my hands around his throat.
“Have you lost your mind?” I asked the man I’d lifted off the ground.
His face reddened as he fought to remove my hands and gasped forair. He was a soldier by his uniform, a human. Not one of mine. But the fear on his face told me he recognized who I was.
“Sorry… Legatus,” he managed to whisper hoarsely, his face almost purple now.
“Did you not see her collar?”
His eyes darted to Malina, which only enraged me more. My muscles bunched and swelled, my dragon urging me to shift into half-skin so he could take the head off this fucking fool.
The soldier only managed to shake his head since he was now gasping for air. He couldn’t speak if he tried.
“Or perhaps you don’t believe the laws of ownership and property apply to you.”
He shook his head again, his eyes rolling.
“Julian,” said Trajan, right behind me now, speaking in that ever calm voice. “Let him go.”
Always the voice of reason. If I killed this bastard, I’d have to explain why. It would draw attention to my overreaction and my obsession with my new slave. It would also force Trajan to speak on my behalf and would alert the emperor that we were meeting in the forum, far from any battlefield.
I dropped the offender at my feet and waited while he sucked in gulps of air, until he’d mostly recovered. I wanted to be sure there was oxygen getting to his brain before I gave him my last word on this subject.
“Know this, soldier,” I said, noting the dark rumble of the dragon in my voice. “If she isn’t yours, don’t touch her.” I squatted down and spoke low, “And if you ever touch mine again, I’ll rip your spine from your body where you stand.”
He panted and stared, wide-eyed and terrified. As he should be. “Yes, Legatus,” he rasped, dropping his gaze in submission.
Dragons were a violently territorial and possessive species. The laws on property were strictly enforced and almost always followed. Otherwise, the city would fall into complete chaos. This soldier was lucky my beast hadn’t leaped from my body and killed him.
Even now, I felt the burn deep in my gut, my beast wanting to taste the soldier’s blood for his offense.
When I finally stood and turned, it was to find Malina staring at me with a touch of fear shining in her eyes. She had her arms wrapped around the obviously unwell Enid, who drooped against her.
Trajan had crept back into the shadowy alley, giving me a quick nod before he disappeared.
Not wanting to linger any longer, I scooped the sickly Enid into my arms. “Come.” Then I led us back toward home.
