Changed by Fire (Phoenix Rising #6) - Harper Wylde Page 0,139
her heat to help the drying process. “I’ve barely gotten to spend any time with you when you’re shifted.”
“An oversight that definitely needed to be amended,” I declared with a bow that made her giggle.
She tossed the brush aside, not even bothering to check where it landed, as she grabbed my hand. “Let’s go!” Though both of our creatures were small enough to shift in the privacy of our rooms, I knew her Phoenix preferred the open air. We headed for a quieter, private area on the compound with trees and rocks to hide our nudity when we transformed. Although Nix was getting better at being nude, she still found it hard to do around those outside of our family. I’d never thought I’d be jealous of my mate being nude, it was natural for us as shifters, after all, yet I enjoyed her modesty.
Nix was practically bouncing as she clapped her hands together, the air around us heating enough that the snow melted a little at our feet. “What did you have in mind?” she inquired eagerly.
“Well, first, I wanted to see how our powers work together,” I admitted, tugging the pouch of seeds from my pocket.
Nix’s brow crinkled. “Our powers?”
“Mm-hmm.” I grabbed a flower seed and laid it on my palm. “You’ve seen me use my powers before. It takes concentration. Effort.” I pushed, letting my magic flow into the seed, watching it unfurl and the bud grow into the air around us. “But in the Alaskan cold, my powers are harder to use. If, for example, I was at home in Japan, I’d be at a disadvantage in the winter, since my powers are strongest in the spring and summer. I push the power from myself into the seed, but I have to counteract the elements to do it.” A light sheen of sweat dusted my brow. “Now, if we work together…”
“Oh!” Realization struck, and the air around me heated further, moving from warm to downright balmy. The flower burst forth with ease, and Nix crooned her delight. “We did it!”
“We did,” I agreed. “You always have to remember how our powers work, Nix,” I warned her. “There’s a cost to them. There are ways that we can help each other with them too, though.”
Nix nodded, her eyes solemn. “Like how drained Ryder gets when he heals. Or how I have to rest when I revive.”
I grinned at her, adjusting my glasses. “Exactly. We pull our powers from inside us, so the power takes a toll on our bodies. Not all powers are that way however. What do you think of Damien’s?”
She considered for a moment. “Well, his flight has a physical cost…” She tapped a finger to her lip, deep in thought. “I haven’t seen him get worn out using the mental link though. He had a limited range, which I guess is a cost.” She looked at me and I nodded, encouraging her. “He can do it easier with people he knows?”
“He also always has to be mindful,” I pointed out. “He always has to have a wall up. Be alert. Or all of those voices can bury him. He’s also privy to people’s darkest thoughts, painful memories, and deepest desires. Knowing all that, holding all of that, is a cost all of its own.” Nix’s eyes widened as she considered my words.
“Theo doesn’t seem to be drained by his powers,” she murmured, continuing the game I’d created. “So that must mean he doesn’t draw from himself.” She snapped her fingers. “He draws from his element!”
“You’re right,” I told her with a nod. “It’s why he has a hard time being away from the ocean. Without it, he’s limited to his physical strength or the water that’s around him.” I indicated the snow at our feet with a wave, and she nodded her understanding that he could manipulate the snow and ice as easily as the water, though it had taken him years to learn to do so with ease.
“Each power has its own limits. Each power has its own cost. Sometimes it’s clear, other times it’s not. Never forget that, Nix. With your power to help me, to change the environment, I could grow flowers and such far easier here. But your own powers have limits. You found that out in our trial. Using your heat like this is second nature now, but when you’re exhausted, it becomes a strain. Don’t forget it. Just because it may be easy in training, that doesn’t mean