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She held her wrist up to my lips and I licked the wounds. They closed almost instantly.

Robyn gave me a tight smile.

“I did not intend for this to happen,” I said. “I thought I would feel the stone returning early enough to land and fly back to you.”

“You did land, I’ll give you that. But I don’t think managing not to fall out of the sky counts as a successful experiment.”

“The landing was controlled.”

“You were completely petrified by the time we found you.”

“Almost completely.”

Robyn stared at me. “Do you think that makes it better?”

“No. I merely prefer the truth.”

She pressed both hands against my chest and shoved me. I barely moved, but I understood that moving me had not been the point.

“Do you have any idea what it felt like when you stopped?” she demanded. “One moment I could sense you flying, and then there was nothing except a direction. I didn’t know whether you’d landed safely, crashed into a tree or fallen into the loch. I didn’t even know how far away you were.”

“I was still conscious. I knew you were coming for me.”

“That’s supposed to make me feel better? You were trapped in stone again, unable to move or call for help, and all you could do was wait and hope we found you.”

“I knew you would.”

Her anger faltered. “How?”

“Because you came closer as soon as I stopped. I could feel you moving towards me.”

Robyn turned away and pushed a hand through her windblown hair. She was trying not to cry. I wanted to touch her, but after everything that had happened between us, I was no longer sure she would welcome it.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I should have turned back sooner.”

“You shouldn’t have left like that in the first place.”

“I could not stay in the lodge while you tried to decide whether you wanted me or merely felt responsible for keeping me alive. Every time you looked at me, you saw someone who might turn to stone if you walked away. How could you give me an honest answer while that was hanging over you?”

“So you thought nearly dying would make the decision easier?”

“I did not nearly die. Petrification is not death.”

“Don’t start arguing semantics with an ICU nurse. Your heart was beating so slowly that I could barely feel it. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought you were dead.”

“But you did know better.”

“Only because Cairn told me you’d still be conscious.” Her voice cracked. “That made it worse, Sten. I knew you were still in there.”

I stepped closer, slowly enough that she could move away if she wished. She remained where she was.

“I had no intention of returning to stone,” I said. “I wanted some distance between us so that we could both think. I wanted to prove that your blood had given me enough freedom to leave without placing myself in danger. I was wrong.”

“You were spectacularly wrong.”

“Yes.”

“And now you’ve had to drink from me again, which is exactly what we were arguing about.”