He didn’t have any idea at all.
The expression on Tabitha’s face changed from surprise to concern, and she stepped forward.
“Wow,” she whispered, “I feel like a real dick.”
She did?
“I thought you were holding out on me, Felix. You weren’t, though, were you? You didn’t know you were a shapeshifter at all, huh?”
He shook his head.
No, he hadn’t known, and he was completely embarrassed about this. He should have known. Everything about him indicated that he should have known.
After all, what kind of a man didn’t realize he was actually a shapeshifter in disguise?
“It’s okay,” Tabitha said, coming closer to him. She looked up at him, craning her neck to see him better. In his dragon form, he towered over her.
When she looked at him like this, he actually believed her. He thought she must be right: that it truly would be fine. She was a mage, after all. Maybe she knew how to help him.
He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but he found they were climbing anyway as he looked at her.
“Take a deep breath,” she said. “Close your eyes.”
He did.
“Now, picture yourself as a human.”
He did.
“Now, imagine that you’re doing something fun and wonderful, like running through a big, open field.”
He did.
“Think of the wind on your face.”
Felix thought of the wind.
He could practically smell the fresh air on his face as he thought about all of these wonderful things, all of these wonderful experiences.
Only, he didn’t change back.
He was still in his dragon form.
He looked down at himself, and then at Tabitha.
“Hmm,” she said, cocking her head. “Strange. I was certain that would work. Oh well,” she added. She waved her hand in his general direction and whispered some words he couldn’t quite make out.
Instantly, he felt himself falling onto the grass. She had successfully transformed him back into his human shape, and he was falling back to Earth. He landed on his ass and looked up at her. She stood there smiling, and then she shook her head.
“You got me, Felix. I thought you left me.”
“You thought I abandoned you,” he clarified.
“I thought that. Yes.”
“I didn’t.”
“I know that now. You’ve never shifted before, have you?”