And he did. If it hadn’t been for them, he’d still be trudging along a snowy path, miles from help, and Poppy – well, he couldn’t bear to even think about it.
If it hadn’t been for Levi’s ability to shift, and Margot’s capacity for magic, Poppy would have had no chance.
“Think nothing of it!” Margot exclaimed, beaming. “It’s not often I get to use my magic in emergency situations, and Levi doesn’t get to go out flying in the day very much either, so it was all good fun.”
Margot, Max was quickly coming to discover, had a tendency to say whatever came into her head… but then again, if she was a witch, then maybe she hadn’t grown up amongst regular humans. Levi’s expression seemed to confirm this, a kind of fond exasperation that seemed to be imploringJust go along with itto Max.
“Well, I’d better be getting Poppy back,” he said, shifting her in his arms. It was going to be a long walk, but he was up to it. He would do whatever it took.
Margot tilted her head, looking baffled.
“Why don’t you just fly?” she asked.
Before he could ask herWhat part of ‘I can’t shift’ wasn’t clear?she clarified, “I mean, why don’t you let Levi fly you back?”
Levi nodded. “Three people is more than I would normally like to carry, but for a short flight, it’s fine.”
Max’s grip on Poppy tightened. “It’s okay. I can take it from here. Thanks for the offer, though.”
Margot frowned. “She may have been warmed up, but she still needs to be checked over.”
“And it’s at least four miles to the doctor by foot if you follow the path,” Levi added. “I can fly us to within three hundred yards without being seen.”
Max knew, rationally, that they were right. And he knew that as long as he kept a firm hold of Poppy, she would be safe during the flight – Levi and Margot had already demonstrated that they had her best interests at heart, and shifters had a preternatural ability to keep their riders safe.
But it chafed at him. He’d basically been reduced to a bystander in the whole process, unable to do anything to help – and maybe it had been his fault that Poppy had been harmed, as well. Because she’d given no indication of this kind of thing happening to her in the past, and now, suddenly, having met a half-shifter, she was coming under magical attack. It seemed like too much of a coincidence.
She should be with someone who’s safe,he thought, his mood darkening further.Someone who can look after her. Especially if being with me means a higher risk of danger.
“Hang on,” Levi said suddenly. He was looking down at the area where Max had landed after the avalanche – and, before Max could say anything, he was picking his way carefully down the hill. He’d obviously spotted something with his superior shifter eyesight, and, after a few moments, he bent down to pick whatever it was up before heading back up to join the others.
“Are these yours?” he said, holding out Max’s slightly battered but otherwise intact glasses.
Max’s jaw tightened.
“Just put them in my jacket pocket,” he ground out, not wanting to either put them on or acknowledge his crappy eyesight in any way. This way he could at least pretend they were Poppy’s, even though he knew he wasn’t fooling anyone. He didn’t want sympathy from anybody, and especially not from a shifter with superhuman vision. He could get by without his glasses.
As Levi tucked them into his pocket, Max looked down at Poppy once more. She was looking much better than before, but he knew that she really did need medical attention soon. And even if she didn’t, it wouldn’t do her any good to spend the next hour or two being carried through the freezing cold air. She needed to be safe and warm.
“Fine,” he said, not looking up from Poppy’s face. “You can take us back to the doctor.” Realizing that he was taking out his own anger on kind strangers who were just trying to help, he looked up and tried to soften his voice, adding, “Thank you.”
Nodding, Levi led them down to the space where he had landed, Margot scooping up Poppy’s bag and beret along the way.
Standing back a safe distance and watching, Max had to admit that Levi’s transformation was even more impressive from close up, enormous eagle’s wings bursting forth from his back as his body transformed into that of a lion, his sinuous tail shining with scales. He’d seen his own mom shift several times, of course, but the wings added a breathtaking grandeur to the whole affair. Though Max would’ve been more than happy to just be able to shift into a regular lion.
Levi lowered himself to the ground, and, shoving his envy and frustration deep down inside, Max climbed onto his back,holding Poppy close the whole time. Margot climbed on in front of him, and then, with a sudden beat of his gargantuan wings, Levi was airborne.
Max knew that he should be enjoying the flight – he’d never known any shifters who could fly, and this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But all he could do was hold Poppy close and look into her eyes, on the occasions when they drifted open, whispering reassurances to her that she would be somewhere safe and warm soon.
Her safety was the most important thing, after all. And if he had to break things off with her to keep her safe, then that’s what he would do.
Chapter 12
Where… where am I again?!
Poppy blinked. Her head felt fuzzy. And she couldn’t remember where she was or how she’d gotten there – wherevertheremight turn out to be.
Okay… I remember being cold. And then warm. And then….
