“And we will,” she said. “But for now, concentrate.”
Riggs heaved a sigh and then placed the weapon’s tip into the sand. A moment later, droplets of water rose into the air, and I stood near him and reached for Caliel.
He didn’t answer, but when I called up my memories of fear and anger, the Ice Drake uncoiled all on its own and rose to the surface.
Blue scales and talons—but this time, my arms began to thicken, and my body to change.
As I grew in size, Cara said, “Try to minimize the physical alteration, if you can. I’m working on this with Marcus, too—to tap into the Drake’s power, without completely altering your form.”
I nodded, and reached for Caliel.Can you hold back on the transformation?
For a long moment, there was no response. Then, finally,Maybe.He didn’t sound at all sure. Or even all that interested. My body continued to alter, pushing against my clothes, and I heard seams give way. I sensed the monster’s joy at, finally, being allowed to emerge.
It hurt, but not as much as I expected it to. Maybe my body was finally getting accustomed to changing shape.
Then the thin cord holding the crystals around my neck snapped, and they clinked as they dropped to the sand.
Cara reached for me as my alteration accelerated, but the monster would not be controlled this time, and it fought her. The ice spread from the ground at our feet, and raced toward waves that once again froze in mid-break. Riggs, with his glowing sword sunk into the sand, held the bits of frozen foam aloft.
My Ice Drake form was now looking down on both Cara and him. I felt as though all the rage and pain I held inside was pouring into the thing I was becoming. It was a heady, as well as terrifying, sensation.
The suspended water droplets formed daggers of ice that glowed in the sunlight, and ice raced over the water as far as we could see.
“That’s enough, Bree. Time to put it back in the box.” Cara’s voice was unusually tense.
Riggs let the daggers drop. They shattered against the frozen waves.
“Okay, Bree. Breathe.” Cara’s hand on my arm tightened, and the warmth coming from her increased.
I tried to get a grip on my Ice Drake, but it flung its head back, and screeched.
Need some help here,I sent frantically to Caliel.
I sensed him move in and try to get a grip on the monster. It shrugged him off as though he weren’t even there, and hissed at Cara, long tail thrashing.
Her brows lowered. “That’s enough.” She let me go and raised her glowing hands. “You do not own her. Time to go back to bed.” And she pulsed warmth and power through me.
The Ice Drake snapped at the Watcher, who deflected the jaws with a wave of glowing power, and then used it to completely envelop me. Along with it came a wordless music that was oddly familiar. It danced with the energy around my body, but it still didn’t push the Drake back where she belonged.
Then Riggs took a long stride toward me and laid the sword against my hide.
The energy pulse that came from it gave me something to mentally grab hold of, and I used it to reach for Caliel. He rode the power, rising from within me to sink mental fingers into the Drake, and yank her back.
She didn’t go easily, and it hurt like hell. But between Caliel, Riggs, and Cara, we managed it. Until I lay upon the rapidly thawing sand, panting. My clothes were in shreds, but my scales, fur, and feathers moved quickly across my skin.
Right up to my wrists and throat. I sighed.
Riggs’s breathing seemed a bit irregular as he supported me with his arm. The sword lay across my lap. Cara picked up the crystals on their broken cord and handed them to me.
“Could she lose herself to that thing?” Riggs’s voice shook.
“I really don’t know for sure,” Cara stated. “But the possibility exists. I think we will wait a couple of days before trying again—give Bree time to get her crystal dust levels up.”
She didn’t mention Caliel, but I was sure she was thinking about him. I certainly was. Despite his help beating back the monster, he’d once again subsided deep within me.
“Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this at all,” Riggs said.
Cara fixed him with a stern look. “Talents and abilities aren’t just something you can put on a shelf. If you don’t learn to control them, they can, and will, control you. The only way forward, is through.”
