Changed by Fire (Phoenix Rising #6) - Harper Wylde Page 0,133

breach of the rules, and I am not willing to risk it.”

“Got it. Try not to get the snot beat out of me. Aim low. Fight dirty. If I’m losing, shift, and hope he doesn’t become something giant.”

“You’ll actually have an advantage if he is something giant,” Theo reasoned. “Your Phoenix is small, but she’s incredibly fast. Her talons and beak are enough to tear apart almost anything you’d be faced with. Just remember to rein in her fire.”

“Right,” I scoffed. “Bird versus…” I eyed the giant male in the courtyard, considering him. “Rhino?” I guessed. Ryder laughed, though the sound was strained.

“Still, aim for sensitive spots,” Damien instructed. “Hell, you found them on my Gargoyle. And very few people are ever able to do that.”

“Yeah, but I had to slow time to get to them,” I reminded him. “And if I do that here, I lose automatically.” I shuddered at what the cost would be for that. I’d fight my way out of here, my mates at my sides, before I’d let them take away our alters. My Phoenix shrieked her agreement with that thought.

“But he won’t have a mythological’s speed,” Theo assured me gently. “You wouldn’t need to do that.”

Joshua tugged me against him, burying his face in my hair. “If you can beat Damien before all of the training we’ve put you through, I have no doubt you’ll win this fight.” He laid a soft kiss on my lips. One by one, my mates pulled me into their arms, whispering words of encouragement or praise, and pressing kisses to my lips, hair, or throat.

“Kick their ass, granddaughter,” Gaspard stated, squeezing my hands tightly. “Let’s start working on making this a safe place for everyone.” I huffed, heading for the center of the circle where Ciarán had reappeared with a bright, green apple in his hand. He took a loud bite, looking idly around the area, his amused mask back in place.

“Risa has called a challenge against Nix after she used her fire power in her presence,” Ciarán called out, his voice a bored, condescending drawl. “As her faction representative at our location, should Nix win, she will assume leadership of Faction Opal.” Murmurs of shock drifted from several members of the crowd, but I ignored it, stretching my legs as I took in Hugo. He was as big as Killian or Damien, and just as solidly built. He hadn’t bothered with a shirt, the hard muscles in his chest clear in the light from the lamps. “If Nix loses, she’s at Risa’s mercy.” A few cheers met that comment, and I heard one of my mates let out a vicious growl in response. My bet was on Killian, though I didn’t bother turning to look. “As per the laws of Faction Opal, the fight shall begin in human form. No weapons are allowed. Either party may shift to their alter. However, Nix’s mythological powers cannot be used, or she forfeits. As is the rule for all factions, no one outside of the ring shall be allowed to interfere. Fight lasts until one party is unable to continue or dead.”

His words raised snarls from my mates. There was no question in my mind he was going to have to earn a lot of their respect back. The cool, logical part of my brain could understand why he did it—Opal was one of our biggest problems, their members some of the most fanatical and therefore the most dangerous in their beliefs. It was one thing to ask a mythological to live in a different caste system or under different rulers the way the other factions did. But to order that all mythologicals be stripped of their powers—whether they wanted to be or not, if the fanatical side of the faction had their way—was going too far. This battle would have happened at some point, now was just as good a time as any. And if I could get them on our side, then we wouldn’t need to be as careful about watching our backs, especially in the upcoming battle with the Council. It didn’t mean I liked him very much at the moment. I already owed him a kick in the ass for the way he’d treated my best friend, and now he was owed more. I winced as I searched the crowd for Rini, thankful she wasn’t here. She’d tear him apart just as easily as I would.

“Hugo, you are volunteering yourself as a champion for Risa?” Ciarán