Page 100 of Firebird
“To Julian, Ciprian will give his prized Andalusian stallion.” Ciprian hissed but said nothing. “To Ciprian, Julian will give his Celtic slave girl.”
I flinched, willing myself not to react. My sword hand tightened on the hilt again. To anyone else, this wouldn’t be a fair trade. A slave girl wasn’t as prized as an Andalusian stallion. But they didn’t understand that myslave girlwas more precious to me than my own life.
Don’t,I heard her voice again, begging me, reaching through our bond.
Any rebuttal or refusal now would mean my death. And Malina needed me.
Ciprian, smiling, called up to the emperor, “Yes, Emperor! As you wish.”
I remained frozen, a statue in half-beast form, as I stared up at my uncle, who waited with a grave expression for my submission.
“Yes, Emperor,” I finally said in a low, clear voice. “As you wish.”
While the Romans laughed and filed out of the stadium, in good spirits from the day’s entertainment, I bowed to my emperor and walked away, a sickening pall blotting out all the light in my soul.
XXIX
MALINA
“No!” Julian roared. “I won’tallowit.”
I’d arrived back home only moments after him to find Julian still sweaty and bloody and furious. He wouldn’t let me look at the gash on his shoulder.
“I can control him,” I said for the third time. “Just like I did at the feast last night.”
Finally, he stopped pacing and strode directly for me, gripping my upper arms. “You listen to me, Malina.” His eyes were wild, his behavior completely uncontrolled, so unlike him. “I know what he’lldo to you. I can’t let that fucking happen.” He hauled me close and pressed his forehead to mine, his entire body trembling. “Gods,I’ll go mad.”
“Hush, Julian.” I pressed my hands to his jaw. “Listen, listen, listen.” I stroked a hand over his hair. “I can manipulate his emotions to my own will. He won’t hurt me. I’ve done it before.”
Julian lifted his head and stared at me with both fear and adoration.
“How do you think I’ve survived all this time?” I pointed out.
“Let us just leave now,” he growled low. “We can go far away where they won’t find us.”
“And what about your mission with Trajan? What about the people of Rome?”
He didn’t answer, his jaw clenching tight.
“She’s right,” came a voice behind us.
I spun to find Trajan standing in the corridor leading from the back stable yard.
He stepped out of the shadows beside the atrium, the quiet trickle of the fountain seeming more ominous than tranquil at the moment.
“You have to send her,” said Trajan, “or all our plans are forfeit.”
Julian gripped my shoulders and pressed his chest to my back, holding on for dear life. “So easy for you to give the orders when it isn’t your female to give away.”
Trajan shook his head, his dark eyes sad. “No, my friend. It isn’t easy at all. But think about the chain of events if you refuse to let her go. The emperor knows you are attached to her. That’s the only reason he’s forcing you to give her up.”
Julian huffed with disgust. “Because I’m in love with a slave girl, he can’t allow it. He must take her from me.”
I turned quickly in his arms, placing my hands on his chest, searching his maddened expression. “You love me?”
He tore his wretched gaze from Trajan and looked down, his expression softening as he murmured, “You know I do.”
I smoothed my fingertips over the frown etched in his brow. Trajan was silent for a moment, seeming to recognize that we needed it.
