Hæra ground her jaw. Without a word, she lowered her right arm from beneath Madeleine’s knees until Madeleine’s feet were touching the floor. Her left arm she kept around Madeleine’s shoulders, tightly. Perhaps the jaws of life could not pry her away. She was still looking into Madeleine’s eyes.

“Well?”

Madeleine and Hæra turned as one to see Harry with his arms crossed, raising his eyebrows. Madeleine’s face filled with heat again. Harry’s eyes were those of a lifelong gossip, after all, and here he was, seeing whatever there was to see.

She was supposed to be doing something.

Oh, right. Standing. Madeleine put her weight first on one foot, then the other. “Everything’s fine. Like you said, only a tumble.” She managed a laugh. “I just bruised my pride.”

“I thought as much,” Harry said lightly. “You’re the tumbling sort, looks like. At least you didn’t fall into the ocean again!”

Madeleine grimaced. “That’s tr⁠—”

“Madeleine is graceful,” Hæra said coldly. She still had her arm around Madeleine’s shoulders and showed no inclination to let go. “And an elegant person. You don’t know anything about it.”

Hæra’s defense was vigorous, her grip firm. Madeleine’s face heated even more.

Harry lifted his chin. “It’s a rude lass, isn’t it? Calling me ‘Duggan,’ manhandling ladies, and that.” His mouth twitched into a curious, unfriendly smile. “There’s always been something odd about you, hasn’t there? Is that why old Jonny keeps you tucked away?”

The air around Hæra seemed to change. There was no other way to describe it: it shivered, and so did Madeleine as Hæra’s lips pulled back over her teeth. Her incisors looked oddly pointed. Her amber eyes flashed, and…

…it had to be the light, that was why they looked yellow…

Madeleine stepped away. Hæra’s arm fell from around her shoulders, and she looked at Madeleine, blinking as if she’d just woken up.

“Let’s go,” Madeleine said, since staying here was a terrible idea.

“Yes,” Hæra agreed, although Madeleine had named no destination.

Madeleine picked up her purse from where it had hit the floor. Her knees still felt shaky, and her heart was racing—from the fall, the rescue, and the hostility in the air. Only that.

“Good morning, Harry,” she managed, but she couldn’t manage to look at him as she headed for the front door. Hæra’s tread sounded behind her. Harry said nothing.

They emerged into the cool morning air. Madeleine managed not to trip down a second step of stairs, and then they were on the sidewalk together, facing a day she’d intended to spend alone.

Now she looked at Hæra’s fierce face, thinking: I’m not spending this day alone. I won’t.

“That was dramatic,” she said.