63 pages • 2 hours read
Firebird
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Chapter 30-EpilogueChapter Summaries & Analyses
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of gender discrimination, sexual violence, mental illness, child abuse, death by suicide, graphic violence, sexual content, cursing, death, physical abuse, and emotional abuse.
Chapter 30 Summary: “Malina”
Malina arrives at Ciprian’s estate and meets Rhea, another slave. Rhea tells Malina she must remove her old slave collar, but Malina insists on keeping it. Rhea warns her that Ciprian is possessive and may forcefully take it.
When Malina scoffs, Rhea calls her a “firebird,” echoing Julian’s nickname. At Malina’s request, she recounts the tale of Aurelia, the last female golden dragon. Aurelia defied Emperor Crusus the Red, who wanted her as his bride. Instead, she sacrificed herself by swallowing fire and luring him close, incinerating them both in a final act of defiance.
Rhea helps Malina change into a sheer black toga (Ciprian’s uniform for enslaved females) and cautions her to stay passive during Ciprian’s advances. Rhea’s bruises speak volumes. Adriano, another enslaved woman, tells Rhea that she and Malina must serve Ciprian’s dinner. At dinner, Ciprian eyes Malina lecherously and accuses her of using witchcraft to sway soldiers. Malina calmly denies it, claiming she is Dacian and has no connection to Minerva.
When Ciprian asks what Julian says about him, Malina replies that Ciprian’s blood is not equal to Julian’s. Enraged, Ciprian orders Rhea to perform a sex act and train Malina. Malina uses her empathic tether to push overwhelming nausea into Ciprian, making him vomit.
