That wasn’t what Hæra’s species believed. Hæra had been taught that when the Last Current took her, she’d feed other creatures in the ocean just as they’d fed her. That had always been enough. While it would be nice to see her father again, she had no desire to reunite with Beathag and Asgall after she’d finally gotten rid of them for good.

Plainly, Madeleine would take no comfort from that observation. She held her lips in a thin line, as if she was trying to smile but couldn’t manage it. She was sad again. Hæra had made her sad. Just as in the kitchen, it was unbearable. Hæra’s body leaned forward, pulled, helpless. This time, she rested her hand on Madeleine’s forearm, atop her jacket sleeve.

Madeleine inhaled, softly.

Hæra wouldn’t say something she didn’t believe like, Yes, you’ll see them again. There were enough lies between them already. This time, she could say something true.

“Life is very hard,” she said. “But there are pleasures too. We’ve got rainbows, haven’t we?”

Madeleine’s full mouth opened, but nothing came out. Then she managed, “Rainbows, yes. Those are…great.”

The sadness had left her face. Therefore, Hæra should let go of her. She tried to. But her human hand didn’t want to relax. In fact, it wanted to grip Madeleine harder. Pull her closer. “I suppose we got pretty intimate,” she said hoarsely.

Madeleine looked into Hæra’s eyes. Her own eyes were wide. Her voice was barely audible when she replied, “We did.”

Her arm was rigid, stiff, in Hæra’s grip. Like last night, she didn’t try to pull free, but she’d also told Hæra not to seize her. And here Hæra was, doing it again.

Curse it. Could she not learn? Hæra let go. “I apologize for grabbing you again.”

“Um.” Madeleine shook her head, looking as if she’d just woken up from sleep. She touched her forearm where Hæra’s hand had just been. “That’s okay. It was different. I know you were just trying to…” Her voice trailed off.

At least one of them knew what Hæra had been trying to do. It was time to restart the tour before she did something even more inexplicable.

Her eyes lit on the trow mound. Hopefully he had no idea what was happening just outside his home. He’d laugh his little head off, and then Hæra would have to rip it from his shoulders and the farm would lose his blessing.

“Let’s go,” she said, and turned the key. The motor rumbled to life. “There’s plenty left to see.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN