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“My sister lives nearby. My parents moved south after they retired. At home, it’s just me, Frodo and Sam.”
“Who are they?”
“My hamsters.”
I waited for an explanation.
“Tiny rodents.”
“You keep vermin in your home?”
“They’re pets, not vermin.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re adorable. And they’re named after two of the greatest book characters ever. Do you like to read?”
“Not frequently,” I admitted. “After work, I’d have a meal with my friends, then sleep. I didn’t have time for entertainment. And when I did read, it was battle manuals and war reports.”
“That sounds dry. And lonely,” she said softly.
“Until I met Georgie and learned more about her life, I never knew what I was missing,” Cairn said before I could reply. “Now I see how empty our lives were. Duty always came first.”
Robyn took her phone from her pocket and showed me an image of two small, round creatures. One had food stuffed into the sides of its face.
“They would not survive a day on Spiris,” I said.
“They don’t need to. They live in a luxury enclosure in Glasgow.”
“Your rodents have their own dwelling?”
“Yes.”
Humans were strange.
Robyn put away her phone. “My neighbour is feeding them while I’m here, but I was only supposed to be away for the weekend. I have to go home soon.”
My appetite vanished.
“When?”
“Tomorrow or the day after. I need to check my shifts.”
“You cannot leave.”
Her expression hardened. I had gone too far.
“I mean that I will turn to stone if you leave,” I clarified. “Unless your blood allows us to remain apart.”
“We don’t know how long that will last.”
“Then I must go with you.”
“My flat is in Glasgow. I have neighbours. You have wings, horns and a tail. You’d be noticed.”
Pam wiped her mouth with a napkin. “We can get Sten a camouflage suit like Cairn’s. It will make him look human.”
“I dislike mine,” Cairn said with distaste. “It hides all my best features.”
