Madeleine’s mouth was dry. I’ll go anywhere with you. Hæra just said things like that, as if it wasn’t a big deal. For her, maybe it wasn’t.

For Madeleine, if she wasn’t careful, it could become everything.

“Yes,” she said. “I’d expect so.”

“You should try driving again. You’ve nearly got the hang of going on the left.”

“Maybe I will. It’s less hair-raising than when you do it.”

“I’m a good driver,” Hæra objected. “My reflexes are better than everyone else’s.”

“That doesn’t mean you can go three times as fast as everyone else. Curves in the road don’t un-bend for your reflexes. Maybe we should get you a book on physics next.”

“Maybe you should just close your eyes.” Grinning, Hæra looked around the living room again. “You can’t want to get that many things. This place isn’t all bad. The bed’s nice at least, isn’t it?”

She wandered through the open bedroom door, as if to check for herself. Her hips swayed easily as she walked.

Do not follow her into your bedroom. Or any bedroom. But especially yours.

Ignoring her completely, Madeleine’s feet followed Hæra into the bedroom. She entered just in time to see Hæra sit down on the edge of the bed and bounce a little. “See?” Hæra said. “Brand new. Seems comfortable enough to me.”

No doubt it was. The bed was the one item Jonathan had replaced, saying he didn’t want to shame himself by making Madeleine sleep on Jim’s ancient mattress, and it’d be good for future tenants too.

Madeleine, though used to sleeping on ancient mattresses, had decided a man’s used one was a different thing, and she’d thanked Jonathan wholeheartedly. Now, though, she saw Hæra leaning back on a clean, firm, queen-sized mattress. Maybe it would have been a good idea to make the bed as unappealing a site as possible.

“Have you tried the bed yet?” Hæra asked. “To see if you like it?” She leaned back on her hands, her legs spread again, her eyes gleaming.

It would be an invitation from anyone else. With Hæra, Madeleine could never be sure. The…woman…before her operated by no rules Madeleine understood. Hæra sat like this all the time, lounging on surfaces and taking up all the space she wanted. It might not mean anything special.

Was Madeleine staring at her? Again? Her face flamed. “No, I haven’t tried it.”

Hæra patted the mattress next to her. “No time like the present.”

Maybe this was a dream. Yet another dream, all too like the ones that had plagued Madeleine over the last several weeks. Hæra’s lazy smile and her long body, on offer if Madeleine’s desire finally overcame her resistance.