Reign Fall by Michelle Rowen

opened one eye.
    Michael raised an eyebrow. “Tick tock, Princess.”
    “I know! I’m trying, okay?” I glared at him, then I squeezed my eyes shut again and tried harder. I inhaled the scent of green grass and flowers—and the distractingly amazing one of Michael himself—as I summoned that part of me that was very new, but also very familiar.
    Come on , I can do this. It doesn’t control me, I control it.
    I felt a burning and tingling on the side of my head. And then a single pop.
    “Well done,” Michael said. “That’s one horn. Only one horn. Keep going.” I clenched my fists. I didn’t want to be stuck with only one horn. I would look like a lopsided unicorn, and that would be very embarrassing.
    I concentrated even harder this time, focusing all of my energy and trying to summon my Darkling powers until I felt a pop on the other side of my head. The energy crackled through me and the more I focused on the dragon’s tear, the easier it was. I felt my body begin to change—
    but the changing was never the hard part. It was the changing back that hurt the most.
    I was used to hearing my shirt or coat rip when my wings sliced through them. Today that wouldn’t be a problem.
    I opened my eyes. “Well?”
    Michael swept his appreciative gaze over me, which made my skin warm wherever he looked.
    “Good job. I think you can eventually get that down to a few seconds total.” Had to say, I felt good in this form—once I got here. Strong and powerful in every way. I held my hands out in front of me to see that my normally short, pink-polished nails were now long, black, lethal-looking talons. I reached up to touch my small spiral horns protruding from either side of my head. My blond hair had changed to become longer and a bright, fiery red. And, with a bit more concentration, I was able to stretch out my black wings to either side of me like previously unknown limbs. I took a moment to focus on my tail now extending from the left leg of my shorts, a long thin appendage that ended in what looked like an arrowhead. After a moment, it swished.
    My tail swished! Cool!
    I looked at Michael with a big grin that would show off my small, sharp canines, like what you’d expect a vampire might have. “Okay, I shifted form just like you asked me to. Now answer my question. How are you feeling after what happened to Jonas?” His gaze snapped to mine. “Fine.”
    “Just fine? You don’t feel any different? I mean, that was the first person you ever killed, right?”
    “He was trying to kill you . I had to protect you. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
    “And I’m grateful. Really.” My voice softened a little. “But I know he was the first Shadow you ever met. It would have been great if he hadn’t been a power-hungry jerk and you could have learned things from him. That must hurt.”
    His expression hardened. “It does.”
    I wanted answers, but I wasn’t totally heartless. I hated that he was in any kind of pain. “Is there more information you can find? About what you are?”
    “We should get back to our lesson.”
    “You killed the only person who could tell you more about what you are and you’re trying to tell me you’re fine with that?” I pressed. “Like it means nothing to you? Come on, talk to me. I want to know.”
    He frowned at me, but then his eyes narrowed. “Wait a minute, I think I get it. This form makes you act different than normal. I hadn’t really noticed it the other times.” My little secret was out, but I didn’t mind. “I guess I say whatever’s on my mind in this form.
    It’s like a layer of weakness and uncertainty peels back. Maybe I’d like to be like this all the time.”
    “Might be dangerous.”
     
    “Oh?” I regarded him with interest. “Dangerous how?”
    “Depends who you’re talking to. Who you’re pushing.”
    I put my hands on my hips. “Will that somebody push back? Will they say what’s on their mind without hiding