She should stop now, before Madeleine began to ask questions she couldn’t answer. Especially because, for the first time, Hæra wanted to answer those questions. That was a bad idea. If anything could make Madeleine stop caring about her, it’d be the truth.

She began, “Shall we⁠—”

Madeleine put a hand on her forearm, and Hæra ran out of breath to speak.

“It’s strange what makes us remember, isn’t it?” Madeleine asked. Her gentle voice wound around Hæra’s heart like a leafy vine. “I miss my family too, although some of the things they taught me…” She seemed to hesitate. “Well, never mind that. I lost them a long time ago, but even now something will remind me of them when I’m least expecting it. It hurts, even though I’m glad to remember.”

A sudden breeze ruffled her hair, and she let out an “ooh!” It must be a cold breeze. Hæra wasn’t the best judge of temperatures that bothered humans. Because she couldn’t yet speak, she angled her body so that she stood between Madeleine and the wind.

“Better?” she asked.

Madeleine’s hand still rested on her arm. How strange, that the touch could anchor Hæra to earth at the same time it made her feel light enough to fly without wings.

“Yes.” Madeleine sounded breathless. “Very chivalrous of you.”

Hæra didn’t know the word chivalrous, but she could guess from the context. It was clearly a compliment. “If you’re cold, we should go inside that big house you got the tickets for.”

“You’re done looking at the ruins?”

“I think I’ve got the idea.” Hæra tilted her head to the side. “I’m ready to see something newer, if you are.”

“I…” Madeleine took a deep breath. “I’m ready to move on, yes.”

“Then let’s go.” Madeleine might take her hand off Hæra any moment now. Best to prevent that if she could. Hæra placed her own hand over Madeleine’s and tucked it so that it rested in the crook of her elbow. “Your hands are cold.”

Madeleine’s face had reddened. “I should have brought gloves. I keep forgetting.”

Hæra squeezed her fingers. They were cool indeed—and long, so maybe their circulation wasn’t good. Maybe Madeleine’s blood traveled too slowly in her veins to keep her warm, and it needed coaxing.

“You don’t need gloves.” She rubbed Madeleine’s fingers gently. “You’ve got me. Let’s go somewhere warmer.”

Madeleine said nothing, but she didn’t take her arm from Hæra’s either. Together, they walked toward Skaill House, turning their backs on the ancient past.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

What a long, strange day it’s been.

The words danced through Madeleine’s mind as she looked at Hæra across the table in the little restaurant near the Kirkwall ferry terminal.