“But theyareyou. Just different sides of you.” I snorted. “I thought the blackbird was the Carlin’s spy. What else can you change into? Caom told me spiritsmiths normally only have one other form, but you obviously have more than one.”
He scowled at the mention of the gancanagh, which made laugh.
“Relax, shapeshifter, it only came up because I was asking aboutyou.” I kissed him again. “So what else can you change into?”
He shrugged, looking shy. “Anything.”
“Anything?” I stared at him. “Really?”
“Any animal. Not another person.”
I released him, stepping back. “Show me.”
“I… What do you want me to change into?”
“Anything. You pick.”
Looking mildly embarrassed, he nodded once before vanishing into a tiny tendril of twisting black smoke. I laughed when a black ferret blinked up at me with big eyes, laughing harder when he scrambled up my leg, twisting round until I caught him in my arms.
I lay back on the sofa so he could sit on my chest. Then he vanished again and changed into the cat, and the sight of him made me smile wide. I stroked my fingers behind his ear. He purred loudly, then changed into a black hare whose nose twitched, whiskers quivering.
Then a small black fox. A fat, hairy tarantula that made me yelp, so he quickly turned into a tiny black lizard, then a frog, then an iridescent stag beetle. A black fieldmouse. A big bat that clicked before becoming his crow.
Then his long, lean frame was stretched out over me, black eyes gazing down from his beautiful fae face.
“Ash,” he whispered before kissing me.
I wrapped my arms round his neck and kissed him back hard, all thoughts of potions and worrying notes and time ticking down forgotten.