All true, as far as it went. She’d learned from Beathag and Asgall that the most convincing lies came from the same sea as the truth.

“Hard luck, then. She’s gone.”

Hæra blinked, sure she’d misheard.

“Yeah. Gone,” he repeated.

She must bite back the scream of frustration. She must not lose control. Information was absolutely necessary. “Gone where? And when will she return?”

“Off the islands. Her group wasn’t in a hurry to hang about after she cracked her head and nearly drowned. I don’t think they fell in love with Orkney anyway.” Jonathan tilted his head to the side, looking far too canny for a man who’d urinated on himself a few minutes ago. Hæra could smell it from here, and it wasn’t pleasant. “They’re from the other side of the pond—the Atlantic bloody Ocean. I doubt they’re coming back at all.”

No.

That couldn’t be true.

“Not sure even you could swim that far,” Jonathan added, a gloating note in his voice, as if he didn’t stand before a creature who could rend him into pieces. “Or that fast.”

“Are you mocking me?”

The words came out too coldly, as if they’d risen from the darkest depths inside her. Be calm. Hæra must keep her head, and she couldn’t castigate herself for not eating Sister Madeleine when she’d had the chance. That wouldn’t have been a fair contest, it would never have earned Hæra her wings, and it wouldn’t have been right to repay a life debt by devouring her rescuer. Hæra had done the right thing. She had to remember that.

The Great Mare had willed all of this to happen—that seemed plain enough. If that were true, then Hæra and Sister Madeleine weren’t finished. She’d told Sister Madeleine to return to her, and she must have faith it would happen.

“Mocking you? Do I want to die?” Jonathan looked down at the wet patch on his trousers. “If I did, you think the sight of you would make me piss myself? Mind you, that could be the drink…”

“I don’t care what it was.” Oh, depths, she had to modulate her tone. Jonathan’s role had just officially changed. He was Hæra’s only link to Sister Madeleine, wherever she had gone, and she couldn’t afford to drive him away. If she managed this properly, he’d become her ally and never suspect a thing.

Perhaps some sort of gesture was appropriate.

“I mean the human race no harm,” she said gently. “I abhor what Asgall did. Let me prove it.”

This would be a gamble. But to gain the sky, she had to brave the winds.

Hæra opened her mouth and bent her head. The gold coin beneath her tongue hit the pebbles with a clink.

“What’s that?” Jonathan asked.