Born of Legend by Sherrilyn Kenyon Page A

leathery—hence the term darkhearts.
    And once Eriadne had begun her Purging against the winged and blond Andarions, it became applied solely to his specific subspecies as a vile insult for them, meaning they were soulless and cruel.
    However, the boy, unlike the others who used the term to demean his kind, meant no offense to him and Jullien didn’t take any from it.
    â€œI’m larger than a lot of Ixurianir, but there are some bigger than me. Yet that being said, none of us can breathe fire like the Pavakahir. So that gives you a distinct advantage over us, no matter how big we are.”
    Vasili gasped. “You know about that?”
    â€œThe blond hair gives you away.”
    â€œIf you knew I was a Fyreblood, why did you help me? I thought all darkhearts hunted and killed us.”
    Jullien handed him the last bit of cookie Vas had dropped. “Can I let you in on a secret?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œI have a fraternal twin brother. He has white-blond hair, just like yours.” At the mere mention and thought of his brother, grief and guilt racked him so hard that for a moment, it stole his breath. God, how he regretted much of his life. But nothing as much as he regretted what he’d done to his brother.
    Nyk alone was the one sin that forever haunted him.
    The one sin he’d never forgive himself for.
    Suppressing the past as best he could and hating himself with every breath he took, Jullien cleared his throat. “When I was a boy, I was awakened one night to the sounds of my mother screaming that my brother had been killed.”
    He blinked back the tears that always choked him whenever he remembered that godforsaken night that had shattered his childhood innocence and any semblance of safety he might have ever known.
    â€œI cannot tell you the misery I felt in that moment. And I pray to the gods that you never know such pain, chizzi . I came into the world with my brother, and had never been alone in it, until then. When I saw you today, all I could think about was that you would have a mother at home as devastated as mine was that night. That your father would be inconsolable, and that your brother or sister would feel as lost as I did when I heard my mother screaming. And I knew that I couldn’t leave your family as splintered as mine had been. Not if I could stop it.”
    â€œThat’s why you gave me your wallet to get home?”
    He nodded. “I wanted to make sure you got back to your family.”
    â€œThank you, Alteske .”
    Jullien playfully brushed his hand through the boy’s hair as Vasili continued to insist on calling him Highness . “Dagger or Jullien. There’s no tiziran here, Vas. Just a worn-out male who’s fought a lot of battles.”
    He smiled up at him. “Jullien. Are you sure? ’Cause that seems rather disrespectful.”
    â€œIt’s not. Besides, you saved my life. If anyone owes respect, I owe it to you for being so noble and brave, given the odds against you. Unlike me, you weren’t trained. There aren’t many who would run back into danger to save another, especially at your age. You might only be a boy yet, Vas, but you have the heart of a warrior in you. Fearless. Mark my words, you will grow into a žumi to be reckoned with. I consider it my highest honor to have saved your life, for I know that you will go on to be a far better male than any I’ve ever known, and certainly far better than I could ever strive to be. So don’t you ever think that one as noble as you could ever disrespect someone as lowly as I.” He winked at him. “And I will never breathe fire, either.”
    Vas snorted. “I can’t breathe fire yet.” He screwed his face up in frustration. “I keep trying. Mum says I should be able to any day now. But it hasn’t come in.” He let out a fierce breath, then started coughing.
    Jullien arched a brow at the wheezing sound. “Are you