Firebird (The Fire That Binds, #1)

by Juliette Cross

Chrysos—Gold dragon A legendary line with extraordinary fire power, who are extinct. No known origin, though believed to be touched by the god Jupiter himself.

probably important lol

“I bestow upon you the gift of a sorceress. Like a snake to its prey, you will latch onto any man you choose and pour malice into their hearts. You will be able to force your enemies to feel despair, pain, and loss. You will control them with the magic you hold.”

“I bestow upon you the gift of the siren. Any man whose blood you taste will fall at your feet and do your will. Even if you command him to die, he will do so.”

“I bestow upon you the power of Charon’s kiss. Your lips will breathe death into the mouths of corrupt men. Their spirits will suffer for all their transgressions.”

“Neptune has done you wrong, my child. For his crime, men will suffer. But none who do not deserve it. You and your sisters will go forth and serve me well. You will punish evil men and damn them.”

Some say that Minerva’s mystical gifts have been seeking the right sisters, the ones to right all of mankind’s wrongs once and for all.

oh...interesting

His face was too hard, too sharp, too arresting. His maker had cut him with an unforgiving blade, molding him into a beast of unquestionable dominance and terrible beauty.

The gusting torch flame licked along his features, caressing into the shadows like a lover.

Perhaps that was why. I wanted to flaunt my fearlessness in front of him. Show him I was not afraid, no matter what beast stared back at me, but my inner witch whispered, no, that’s not the reason.

Everything about him screamed for me to run. Except my empathic sense, which was still annoyingly quiet as a calm sea. My witch told me to keep still. So I did.

Only noble-born Romans with the blood of the dragon coursing through their veins could be centurions.

“Not only is Fortuna a special goddess to me,” he went on, “but this aureus was given to me by my mother, the gold minted by my own father when they married. A wedding gift. I’ve carried this aureus on me for many years.”

He graced me with another smile. “She spoke to me tonight. And I knew you’d need the coin for good fortune one day.”

“We could all use the favor of the gods. I will not shun such a gift if Fortuna has selected me for her favor.” “Indeed.” He dipped his chin. “You are wise as you are beautiful, little firebird.”

“The sorceress who’s been helping the Celts defeat us so many times before. They cornered her. Going to take turns with her before they hand her over to the mangones

Perhaps his fate as one of the Griseo line, his dissatisfaction as the lowest caste of dragon, propelled his cruelty. As if he could pound and fight his way up the ladder of nobility. Seeing this display only verified that the fates had it right. He belonged beneath the rest of us. Not because of his birth, but because of his own brutality.

Treasure. Slicing into the world, I roar. The gray half man shakes with fear. As he should. He is no dragon. Nor man. He is a vile creature who planned to defile my treasure. He must bleed. He must die. I open my jaws and snap him in two where he stands, then fling his carcass into the trees. His blood wets my tongue. So sweet. So just. My female. Her skin is splattered with the blood of the enemy. Pleasure throbs up my throat as I gaze upon her. She stands. A fierce treasure, I have. She wants me to take her away. Opening my wings, I wrap her in my talons, lift into the sky, and carry her toward my lair. Where she belongs.

“Lady Fortuna smiles on you, Malina.” Instant rage burned inside my chest as I met his gaze. “How can you possibly say that?” I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, blinking back the stinging of tears. I often cried when I was angry, and I was currently fuming. “My family is dead by the hands of your people. My adopted clansmen are dead or enslaved, and now I’m to be the body slave to a general of the Roman army. Lady Fortuna hates me,” I seethed.

“Your grandfather isn’t grouchy all the time.” “Pfft. When is he not?” “When he’s in bed with me.”

Besides, rumors of how Romans used their slaves for entertainment at bacchanal gatherings filled me with a new dread. I refused to become a toy to be used and abused by these creatures. I had to make a plan of escape before that happened.

He just saved you from someone who would've raped and killed you and you really think he'd let someone harm you?! oi

“For one, Valerius put forth the vote to outlaw slaves from marrying free humans or other slaves. They cannot marry at all now. The vote was won, of course, though Otho offered some dispute that I’m sure Caesar didn’t like.”

How will you keep slaves if all the ones you already have are dead?!

“Caesar forgets,” added Trajan. “There are some Romans who have familial ties to slaves.”

I didn’t hesitate since I’d already been scolded that morning for being late.

“A philosopher once said that while we cannot always control our circumstances, we can control how we react to them. It is better to take advantage of the smallest of gifts in these hard times. Take what you can, cherish what will give you peace and strength for the difficult roads that lie ahead.”

“My direct gaze?” I huffed in anger. “So you’re saying I invite the attention of other men?”

ope

He sat up from the lounge and faced me. “You may not mean to, Malina, but that fire burning in your eyes is a challenge to any man. But to a Roman and especially to a dragon, it’s like a summoning, a siren’s call. Not to mention the rest of you.”

“Both, sweet firebird.” His voice was a velvety, dark caress. “We might both burn for what’s to come.”

“You might even get an extra blessing from the emperor in nine months!”

Sick.

“We all need to meet to devise the final plan,” Trajan was saying, his blue eyes glinting with a flare of his dragon. “There can be no confusion on what each person’s role will be. Just let me know when to arrange the meeting.”

I hope he isn't a traitor

I was reckless. I’d rather walk into the fire than have it chase and burn me as I ran away. I blamed the witch who lived inside me.

“I’ll tell you since you’re too coward to admit it.” His hand on my shoulder slid to the side of my neck, and it felt heavenly. “You kept this coin, because it tied you to me. The gods had bound us together. Your gods, mine, it doesn’t matter.” His thumb continued to sweep, stroking sweetly. “I never thought to see you again either. But I’d never forgotten you. Do you know there were so many nights I lay alone in my tent in some foreign part of the world, feeling disconnected from everyone and everything in my life? When I felt the absolute loneliest, you would visit me.”

Dare I hope, was it possible, that my enemy could become my ally?

As she walked away, I heard her faint whisper, “Thank you.” Her gratitude only slid the dagger deeper. I was the cause of her friend’s death.

“It must end,” I hissed into the night. “It will end,” I swore. “Soon.”

Run! His voice echoed in my mind now. I’d instantly obeyed him, noting the flash of relief on his face, and through the tether I’d attached to him the second he’d grabbed me. I ran as fast as my legs would take me deeper into the woods, panting and sweating, then I sensed a sharp pain through the tether, and instantly after, I felt nothing. The connection severed even while I reached and grasped for it with my magic, the ghostly frays slipping away into the ether.

Sniffing at the memory of Lela’s lovely face, I pressed my forehead to the stone and let my tears fall on the altar of Proserpina.

“Please, mother of the underworld, queen of the afterlife, watch over my sweet sister Lela.”

“You didn’t leave me?” I blurted, my sluggish brain from sleep not yet allowing me to think clearly and keep my feelings hidden. His expression softened, a line pinching between his brow. But all he said was, “No.” Then he stood, revealing he wore only a cloth wrapped around his waist. “It’s time to go.”

“Because,” he said in that deep rumbly voice, “I don’t want to carry you the way I did before.” His scowl deepened. “That hurt you, and I can’t”—he cleared his throat—“I don’t want to injure you.”

I blinked up at him, my heart fluttering at his admission. I shouldn’t be so pleased to know he was concerned about my welfare, but I couldn’t help the overwhelming sensation of pleasure. Then I realized what he intended. “Wait. You want me to ride on top of your dragon?” He erased the small space between us, those golden eyes glittering in the semidarkness. “Yes, Malina. I want you to ride my dragon.”

We stood intimately close, my chin tilted up, staring into those hypnotizing eyes, trying not to hear his voice in my head telling me to ride his dragon. But it was hopeless. That simple sentence conjured a sudden, jarring image in my mind that I couldn’t wipe away quickly enough.

HA WASN'T JUST ME THEN

We traveled across the heavens as equals. “Oh, Lady Fortuna,” I breathed on a whisper. “What have you done to me?”

Smiling, I ducked behind the curtain that would serve as our bedchamber. Koska had done well, constructing two low beds within the chamber. Between them there was a small space with a low table and a rug beneath. The rug wasn’t of a fine weave like I had back in Rome. But I didn’t expect it. I only wanted a private space where I could keep watch over Malina at night, where we might share time together over dinner when the war talks were over. Where I might listen to her voice telling me stories of her past.

“I’m not a fool, Julian,” she said before turning to the shelves.

You could be less rude ffs

“I will help you.” He turned his hand and opened his palm, closing his large hand around mine. “All I need is for you to be near me. And safe.” I swallowed hard at the implication he was making. I couldn’t protest, for I couldn’t deny what the gods had already told me. Their magic was my gift and it pronounced loud and clear that this Roman, this dragon, was bound to me. And I to him.

“Because the gods wouldn’t have given Julian a weak female.”

Rough fingertips caressed my jaw. Startled, I jerked my gaze to his half-lidded one. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“I don’t know if I can even stop this bleeding,” I admitted, panic gripping me hard. “I believe the poison at the wound is preventing the blood from clotting.” He shook his head to the side once. “Thank you for being here.” “I had to be,” I snapped, keeping pressure on the wound. “You dragged me here, remember?” His mouth quirked on one side, even while sweat rolled down across his forehead and into his hairline. “Not here. In this tent.” His eyes slipped closed. “For being in this world. In my life.” He chuckled, more blood seeping out of the bottom of the fabric.

“You’re beautiful.” Julian’s voice startled me again. Blushing and smiling at the ridiculousness of his compliment at a time like this, I said, “Hush. You need your strength.” “You are my strength.” His voice was deep and raspy, his breathing labored from the fever.

For there was one thing that was certain and clear to me now. If he planned to kill Caesar, I was going to help him in any way I could.

yessss