Besides, it was still true: whatever happened in the future, they had right now. Hæra would have no regrets. Especially not about turning her back on an opportunity.

She tilted her head. Just a little. She made a soft, small sound, and there was wanting in it as she touched Madeleine’s chin with her human fingertips. “I want to learn about love,” she whispered.

Madeleine trembled again. Her breath was warm on Hæra’s lips as she said, “Me too.”

There, before witnesses—the humans, the shore, the sea—they kissed.

Madeleine had been sure that she lacked the courage to return to the Sunrise Café. She’d avoided it as much as possible, always walking on the other side of the street even if it meant going out of her way. And, today, actually running away from it as if it had been on fire.

You don’t lack the courage, she told herself. You don’t lack anything you need.

She lacked certainty, yes. But she didn’t need that. Hæra’s hand was in her own, and it sufficed.

The memory of Hæra’s kiss was on her lips. It had been different from the other kisses they’d shared: soft and sweet. When their mouths had parted, Hæra sighed and rubbed Madeleine’s nose with her own. They’d laughed, both of them sounding surprised. Joy had bubbled in Madeleine’s chest: a feeling she could never have allowed herself only twenty-four hours ago, when she’d still clung to her view of how the world worked, in spite of all the new evidence that said otherwise.

She’d thought: This is what it’s supposed to be like. This is how it’s supposed to feel.

As she pushed the café door open, the bell rang. Arjun was standing behind the counter, taking another customer’s order. He lifted his eyebrows when he saw her but said nothing as he rang it up.

Madeleine led Hæra to the counter, and as they reached it, the customer took his coffee and walked away. Arjun looked at them impassively. “Good morning,” he said.

“Good morning,” Madeleine said, before realizing she didn’t have a speech prepared, or even an opening remark. Righteous determination could only power you so far before you had to say something coherent. Yet again, she stared at Arjun and tried to think of what to say.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted.

Arjun tilted his head to the side. “For what?”

His eyes said he knew very well for what. It was no different from when Madeleine made high school students admit to their transgressions. She could do the same. She opened her mouth.

“For not reading the menu before we ordered,” Hæra said. She slid her arm around Madeleine’s shoulders loosely, her massive power leashed for now.

Madeleine’s face heated as Arjun looked back and forth between them.