Changed by Fire (Phoenix Rising #6) - Harper Wylde Page 0,93
I snarled. My Puca grunted his fury, raking my mind with his claws.
“You said you were at a better place with your Puca. You let Nix take care of both him and you now,” Ciarán retorted.
“I am! But I’m not going to throw him into a fight either!”
“Have you ever tried?”
“Why would I?”
“Damn it, Killian, have you ever even looked into your own abilities? Not just of a puca, but what a rabbit can do? Do you realize how territorial rabbits are? How aggressive they can be? Do you know rabbits are able to kill each other, or even other animals? That they’re wicked fast, have sharp teeth and claws, and have incredible strength in their legs?” I blinked as Ciarán ranted at me, my Puca preening at his commentary.
“He’s still a fraction of the size of another shifter,” I grumbled.
“So is Hiro. And Nix is as well! Does that mean you didn’t encourage her to train in her alternate form?” Ciarán was seething now. “I’ve worked damn hard to protect those you care about, but you’re still not letting me protect you. You’re still thinking of yourself as human, more than even Nix does, and she grew up human!”
“What would you know?” I countered. “You can turn to mist. You can dream walk. Hell, you’re even a horse! At least you have size on your side!”
Ciarán sneered before tugging his shirt over his head and tossing it aside. He moved to shove his sweats down as I spun away with a muttered curse.
“What the hell are you stripping for?” I felt his power ripple behind me and turned around. Where I expected to see my brother’s horse form, there was a small gray rabbit. My mouth dropped open in shock. What the hell? Ciarán’s magic rippled again, and he shifted into his equine form, then a large, silver wolf before dissolving once more into mist. When he shifted back to human, I was too shocked to even register his nudity.
“You’ve never even tried to see what your puca can do. You were too content with what the Council said, believing you should focus on your illusions and premonitions. They were right, you should work on those, but that’s not all a puca can do. But it’s never going to happen until you stop fighting him and start trusting him! You blame your size, well, I started as a fucking mouse, Killian. You want to know what I found out? A mouse can get in almost anywhere—they’re incredible spies. Their teeth are sharp, and their ears hear everything. Your Puca pushes some of his talents through you, but you’re going to be far more powerful as your alter. If you don’t take the time to learn in that form, then there’s nothing more I can do for you.”
“You can teach me that?” I asked, my voice cracking. My Puca wasn’t sure whether to be smug or irritated that I wanted him out of his preferred form.
“If you shift, yes. If you work with me, yes. You may not be able to do all of it though—I’ve never gotten premonitions, and my illusion work is minimal at best.”
“I’ll do it,” I swore, immediately tossing my shirt aside. “I don’t want him—me—getting hurt. I don’t want my brothers or my mate hurt if I could prevent it. If we can learn, I’ll do anything it takes.” My Puca’s irritation eased slightly at the reminder that I worried not just about myself, but about him as well. I assumed all shifters were protective of their alters—I knew Hiro was, and Ryder too. Both of them were extremely confident in their alter forms. While Nix had come to accept my rabbit, and I had as well, part of me had always been afraid in that form. It was too vulnerable in my mind. I’d felt the scorn from the Council when I first shifted into it, scorn they had been sure to heap on me every day after. I’d purposely avoided my alter form, so it was no real surprise I hadn’t learned the same tricks as my brother.
“We’ll start as rabbits then. It’s his preferred form, obviously. Besides, I like you having a fluffle. Tell me, does my little sister look as adorable as I think in that bunny hoodie?” He shifted as he spoke, his gray rabbit appearing in front of me before sitting back on its hind legs to bat the air. I growled as I let my Puca take control.