Page 83 of Firebird
The bearded one jerked backward, his eyes round in horror, then he turned and fled, with the others right behind him.
We watched them disappear around a corner, then I turned to Stefanos. His eyes were back to normal, his claws retracted, but he heaved with fear and blinked away tears.
“No, no,” I told him, pulling him into my arms. “Don’t cry.” I rubbed his back.
“I’ll get dominus in trouble,” he muffled into my shoulder.
“No, you won’t. Those men will never say a word. They won’t tell. I promise.”
“What did you do to them?” he asked, pulling back and wiping his tears with the sleeve of his tunic.
Ivo watched me with a curious expression, seeming to want to know the answer too.
“You must keep it secret,” I told them, “but I have a mystical gift.”
“You do?”
I nodded. “So don’t you worry, Stefanos. I won’t let them do you or dominus any harm.”
Romans feared curses more than anything, and these men felt the power I held, the pain I could cause them should they disobey me. I was certain we were safe. At least from them telling about Stefanos. As far as myself being nearly abducted, that didn’t make me feel safe at all.
Stefanos and Ivo stared at me in wonder, while I was already picking up the dropped basket and the pomegranates that had rolled away.
“Come on, now. Let’s pick this up and finish our last errand, then get home, or Kara will have our heads.”
After we’d gone to the butcher’s and were nearly home, I’d made them swear not to tell anyone about what had happened. I didn’t want Julian to have another concern weighing on him before tonight. And while I would tell him eventually, I couldn’t explain how I knew my magic would keep those men quiet.
But all my plans of keeping quiet and calm were thrown to the wind the second we arrived into the stable yard and Stefanos said to me, “Thank you again for saving us.”
“Saving who from what?” came the deep voice behind us.
I spun to find Julian standing there, Volkan’s reins in his hands. His expression was cold and hard, much like he often looked when I first came here. He was wearing a casual tunic with red capping on the sleeves and a red belt. It was still early and he was already home. But of course, he would be. He had a feast to host.
“Stefanos”—I handed him my basket—“get those to Kara. Ivo, bring her the meat.”
Ivo and Stefanos slunk off quickly toward the kitchen entrance through the yard.
“Tell me what he was talking about, Malina.”
“You don’t have to worry.”
He reached out and wrapped his fingers around my forearm. When I winced, he instantly dropped Volkan’s reins and lifted my arm gently in his fingers, bending his head closer. Purplish bruises already marked the underside of my arm.
“Who?” His voice was rough and dark.
“Some men, slaves, on orders from their master, no doubt. They attacked us in the street. One tried to take me.”
“Whosemen were they?”
“I saw his name on one of the men’s collars.” I tapped mine hanging outside the neck of my tunic. “I also heard the same name in the forum today. Ciprian.” When his golden gaze met mine, I added, “Isn’t he the one to be honored at your house tonight?”
“I’m going to kill that fucking bastard.” His voice vibrated with rage while remaining low and eerily steady.
“Who is he?”
“A dead man soon enough.”
“No, Julian.” I grabbed his arm when he tried to turn away. “Who is he?”
