Edea's hand, hovering in front of Agnès' stomach, found company when the vestal's fingers slid over the Eternian's, intertwining with them. Edea blinked in surprise. The four of them and Egil had all collapsed in a pile after their brush with death, so there was a lot of contact going on at the moment: Ringabel's arm was draped over Tiz's shoulder and chest, the shepherd held Egil as though he might never let go, Agnès' forehead looked to be touching Tiz's as her body bracketed Egil's, and Edea's own body was curled about Agnès as her arm hung over the older girl's side. The adrenaline had left them now that no one was about to fall into a pit of lava, and they needed a moment before they could feel like untangling themselves, physically or emotionally.

But the touch of Agnès' fingers, slick with sweat and burning hot from their recent exertion—that was very deliberate. And even if it felt kind of gross, with Edea's hands already being too hot from their own effort, the girl wasn't going to pull away. Because holding hands wasn't something Agnès did: she'd let Edea hold hers a few times in Florem, but when her only friend was vestal in another region, casual contact was foreign to the vestal of wind, unprompted touches making her tense for a second before she relaxed and allowed them. And since her friend's death, Agnès hadn't allowed them. Not at all. She'd pulled away from Edea so sharply, it still hurt.

But…she had made the contact this time. And was holding hands, her sweaty fingers shaking as her thin shoulders trembled. When Edea realized Agnès might be crying, she made a concerned noise, squeezing the other girl's fingers a bit.

"I am fine," Agnès breathed, her voice thick with tears. "I'm so relieved. Thank you, Edea."

"I wouldn't have let you fall," Edea said. Nor Tiz or Egil. Agnès needn't thank her for that.

Agnès' full head of hair shook slowly, and this time she squeezed Edea's hand. "Thank you. For being here."

She needn't give thanks for that either. But that she was giving it told Edea she would no longer be held at arm's length or have to pull back her own open hand, and with that knowledge, Edea could feel the last bit of tension bleed out of her. She leaned forward to touch her head between Agnès' shoulder blades. They would have to move soon, get back to the higher ground so they could continue to the crystal of fire. But just for a moment longer she wanted to stay here, and bask in the warmth that had been rekindled in Agnès' heart.