Page 62 of Firebird
“Ridiculously spoiled.”
I laughed, and he paused a moment. “I love that sound. When you laugh.”
“I don’t believe I’ve ever laughed in your presence,” I said with a teasing lilt again.
He said nothing in response, so I asked, “You are favored by your uncle?”
“Yes. He has claimed I will be his heir.”
“But your mother wasn’t noble-born. I’m surprised he holds you so highly because of it. No offense to you.”
“None taken.” He chuckled. “I was surprised myself. But growing up, he’d often come visit my parents’ home and take me in the yard to teach me some training tactics. He always said my Dakkian blood ran thick. I suppose on top of all his sins, my uncle was also a hypocrite because he easily overlooks mymuddiedbloodline.”
“Not muddied, Julian.”
“I know. But I’m not any different than Stefanos. It just so happened that my parents were married and my father was born of a higher class. When the decree that bastard children of mixed breeds must be sent to the gladiator pits was declared, I was simply fortunate that my father loved my mother enough to marry her, making it all nice and legal that I remained alive and well and climbed the ranks as the emperor’s nephew.”
A somber silence stretched between us. Then he added, “It’s alsowhy I must prove my brutality as the Conqueror. If I show any signs of weakness, some upstart will claim it’s my mixed blood and try to challenge me.” He paused, then added, “I haven’t had as hard a road as yours, Malina, but lately… the path has become more difficult.”
I had never thought to feel sorry for Julian’s plight. But to be a man in his position with the legacy of his father behind him but also the expectations of his cruel uncle in front—an uncle he obviously hated—I couldn’t imagine that kind of pressure and strain.
No wonder he was so grave and stoic, wearing the mask of a statue for the world to see. So that they could nevertrulysee him. But I was beginning to, and the sight of the man beneath the mask curled tenderly around my heart.
“I’ve heard you laugh many times,” he said softly, changing the subject. I didn’t mind at all.
“When have you?”
“In the yard with Stefanos.”
The reminder that Stefanos could be his child, his own family, cut into the sweet sensation I’d been feeling. I’d told myself to leave it alone, that it didn’t matter. But now, after tonight, after his confession and the undeniable truth that I couldn’t sever myself from him now if I tried, I had to know.
“Julian, may I ask you something personal?”
“Anything.”
Inhaling and exhaling a deep breath, I asked, “Is Stefanos your child?”
There was a brief pause where my heart nearly leaped out of my chest. Then, “No. He isn’t mine.”
It wouldn’t have made a difference, not really. I loved Stefanos. But I could finally admit to myself that I was jealous he might have had a child with another woman, a woman he loved.
“Kara was a midwife for a while. She delivered the child to a freedwoman, the daughter of a shopkeeper. She’d been seduced by a Roman soldier. The girl died during the birth, and the father took Stefanos out back to do what he was ordered by law to do.”
“To kill him.” I shuddered. “That’s why he has that scar.”
“After Kara cleaned up the mother as best she could and left, she heard the baby squalling in the trash. When she found him, he was in dragon form. That’s what saved him. His scales kept the wound from gaping too wide, from losing too much blood. So she brought him home and when I looked at him, I saw myself.”
There was a thickening silence, and I thought he might not continue.
“How do you mean?” I asked, wanting to hear more of this compassionate side of him.
“Had I been born when he was, my father wouldn’t have been allowed to marry my mother. I’d have been a bastard child, likely forcefully taken from my parents and killed in a back alley as well. Saving Stefanos was like saving myself. I could do nothing else but keep him.” He huffed a sigh. “It was about that time my plan against my uncle first took root.”
Suddenly, I sat up. “Wait, how old is Stefanos? He looks to be about ten or eleven, but I didn’t think Kara had been in your household that long.”
“She hasn’t.” He laughed. “Stefanos is only six. Dragons grow and mature faster. That’s another reason he knows he’s to stay at home as much as possible. I don’t want the neighbors catching on.”
“There aren’t many neighbors close to your palace on the hill.”
