Fantasy Lover(71)

"I don't know."

"Who sent them?"

"I don't know."

"Well, that's not really helpful."

Julian didn't seem to hear her sarcasm. Instead, Grace watched as he stared at his shield. He ran his hand over it like an adoring father who had found a long-lost child.

He pulled sword from the mattress, then slid it far beneath the bed. "Don't forget it's under here," he said sternly. "Make sure you never touch it."

His frown deepened as he straightened up and looked at the shield. "My mother must have sent them to me. Only she or one of her sons could have done it."

"Why would she do that?"

Julian narrowed his eyes as he remembered the rest of the sword's legend. "I'm sure she sent it in the event I have to face Priapus. The Sword of Cronus is also called the Sword of Justice. It won't kill him, but it will cause him to take my place in the book."

"Are you serious?"

He nodded.

"May I touch the shield?"

"Sure."

Grace ran her hand over the gold and black inlays that formed the image of Athena and her owl. "It's beautiful," she said in awe.

"Kyrian had it made as a gift for me when I became a full commander."

She touched the engraving below Athena. "What do the words say?"

" 'Death before dishonor,' " he said, the words catching in his throat.

Julian smiled wistfully as he remembered Kyrian standing at his side during their battles together. "Kyrian's shield read, 'Spoils to the Victor.' He used to look at me before battle and say, 'You take the honor, adelphos, and leave the booty for me.' "

Grace paused at the odd note in his voice. Trying to imagine what he must have looked like holding his shield, she pulled it closer. "Kyrian? The man who was crucified?"

"Yes."

"You liked him a lot, didn't you?"

He smiled sadly. "It took a while for him to grow on me. When I was twenty-three, his uncle assigned him to my command with the strictest warning of what would happen to me should I let His Highness get hurt."

"He was a prince?"

Julian nodded. "And he was truly fearless. Barely twenty, he would charge into battle or fights half-cocked, daring anyone to hurt him. It seemed every time I turned around, I was hauling him out of some bizarre mishap. But he was a hard man to hate. In spite of his hot-headed ways, he had a great sense of humor and was loyal to a fault."

He ran his hand over his shield. "I just wish I'd been there to save him from the Romans."

Grace rubbed his arm in sympathy. "I'm sure the two of you could have battled your way out of anything."

A spark came to his eyes at her words. "When we marched our armies together, we were invincible." His jaw flexed as he looked at her. "It was just a matter of time before Rome would have been ours."

"Why did the two of you want Rome so badly?"

"I vowed to destroy Rome after they took Prymaria. Kyrian and I had been sent for, but by the time we arrived, it was too late. The Romans had cold-bloodedly rounded up and murdered every woman and child in the city. I'd never seen such carnage." His eyes darkened. "While we were trying to bury the dead, the Romans ambushed us."

Grace went cold at the words. "What happened?" "I had Livius routed and was about to kill him when Priapus intervened. He sent a lightning bolt into my horse and I was thrown to the Romans. I was sure I was dead; then out of nowhere Kyrian appeared. He drove Livius back until I was able to regain my feet. Livius called for a retreat and vanished before we could kill him."

Grace realized Julian stood directly behind her, his body so close to hers that she could feel his body heat. He placed his arms on each side of her, braced against the mattress, before he pressed his chest against her back.

Grace clenched her teeth at the ferocity of the desire that swept through her. He didn't hold her, but the devastation to her senses was just as profound. He bent his head down and nuzzled her neck.

His tongue on her skin fired every hormone in her body. Grace arched her back as her breasts tingled. If she didn't stop him…

"Julian," she breathed, but her voice was far from carrying the warning note she intended.

"I know," he whispered. "I'm on my way to take a cold shower." As he left the room, she heard him snarl an angry word under his breath. "Alone."



After they had breakfast, Grace decided to teach Julian to drive.

"This is ridiculous," he said as she pulled into the high school's parking lot.

"Oh, come on," she teased, "aren't you curious?"

"No."

"No?"

He sighed. "Okay, a little."