63 pages • 2 hours read
Firebird
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 14-21Chapter 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, death, physical abuse, and emotional abuse.
Chapter 14 Summary: “Malina”
Julian wakes Malina before dawn and tells her it is time to leave. He explains that he must carry her in dragon form but wants to avoid hurting her like before. Instead of clutching her in his talons, he asks her to ride him, though Roman law forbids this.
Julian shifts into his dragon form, and Malina climbs onto his back. As they soar through the sky, Malina watches the land from above and reflects on Julian’s character. She accepts that the gods have destined them to be together.
Chapter 15 Summary: “Julian”
They land at first light and walk the rest of the way to the military camp. Julian teases Malina for refusing to look at him after he transforms, due to his nakedness. When she finally looks, she notices a tattoo reading ‘SDCR,’ which Julian explains stands for ‘Senatus Dracones Romanus,’ or ‘The Senate and Dragons of Rome.’ All military personnel bear the same tattoo. Malina meets Koska, Julian’s enslaved soldier, and questions if she is supposed to mimic his excessively subservient behavior.
In his tent, Julian has arranged two beds. As he dresses, he reflects on how Malina has changed his life. His desire to protect her alters his original timeline to overthrow his uncle.
