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Maris rolled her shoulders, the pressure of all the decisions yet to be made an uncomfortable weight she still wasn’t used to. Decisions that would affect not only herself, but her people and her relationship with Valda.

Valda.

Even if she didn’t want to admit it, Valda didn’t like the idea of Maris staying. Of course, knowing Valda as much as she did, Maris knew she wouldn’t object if she decided to stay. Yet, it was plain as day that she wasn’t happy with that decision. How could she be? Valda had wanted nothing more than to see Maris, and now that she finally could, Maris was deciding whether to stay in New Agenor without considering Valda’s feelings.

Still standing in silence, Maris stared at the trident while Valda shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She could feel Valda’s discomfort deep within her chest, stirring up a storm that Maris wasn’t sure she could deal with at the moment.

Rumbling deeply, Valda exited the house with Maris following close behind. Outside, surrounded by the other settlers, Eyphah talked about continuing the celebration tonight—a celebration of finding their heiress—their queen.

Maris couldn’t bring herself to turn down the invitation. She promised to be there and dance with her people as she had the night before.

Valda nodded in agreement before a group of kids waved their hands at Valda and Maris. The queen looked down at them with some confusion until a shine of wonderment filled her eyes. Maris smiled as she watched Valda lower herself to greet Coljar, Lia, and Kimmi. The kids’ amazement was evident, especially when they all noticed their canvas could see again. Maris thought it was adorable when they reintroduced themselves to Valda. And although Valda smiled and laughed with the kids, Maris was sure that Valda was not completely fine. The storm stirred again. They had just found each other. How could she ever leave?

“Maris?”

Maris snapped out of her thoughts and turned to look at a pair of honey-colored eyes. Valda touched her forearm when she called out to her, and Maris couldn’t help but take a deep breath in as their skin touched. “I am sorry. What is it?”

“The kids and I are heading to the lakes. Do you want to come with us?” Valda asked, her free hand holding Lia’s smaller one. “They told me last night they wanted to go today; I wouldn’t want to keep them waiting.”

Maris blinked and took a step back to look at the children’s polite yet wistful smile. Before answering, Maris sighed and shrugged. “Why not?”

Coljar let out a hushed “Yes” behind Valda while Kimmi high-fived him.

She didn’t want to. But she knew she needed to give Maris her space to think, even if she wanted to make the decision for her. She’d just found her, she’d only just seen her, why did she want to take that away?

It wasn’t fair! But, that was not what Maris needed right now. She needed support. She needed time to think, and Valda would just give her whatever she required.

Silently confirming her decision with an internal nod, Valda removed her blouse and her slacks. She neatly folded them at the edge of the lake before slipping in her chest wraps and undergarment. The queen cringed at how incredibly cold it was. Of course, the kids were used to it, and Lia did not waste a second before she splashed her. Valda gasped at the sudden shock of cold water on her chest. She stood motionlessly; her skin prickled with tiny bumps.

Growling playfully, Valda raised Lia over her head by one of her legs before slowly dunking her into the water. Next came Coljar, who tried his best to climb over Valda. She lifted him and tossed him to the side as he squealed in delight.

Valda heard Maris’s laughter behind her. It warmed her heart to know she was in a good mood despite everything. Turning her back to the kids, she found her sitting next to her clothing. “Aren’t you coming in?”

“Do you want me to come in?” Maris asked with a playful tone.

“I am asking for a reason…” Valda hissed as Coljar splashed her again, this time on her back. “Maybe you can help me teach these kids a lesson.”

“I think you can manage without me,” Maris said, and Valda’s smile faltered. Maris stuttered as if she grasped what she had just said. “I mean, I think you can dunk their heads in the water for a couple of seconds, but I can splash them from here.”

Maris gathered some water from the lake into a sphere with a wrist flick before tossing it at Kimmi’s head. The young girl let out a yelp before turning to look at Valda and Maris.

“See?” Maris chuckled as she created a second sphere and brought it close enough to Valda’s face.

It was the first time Valda had seen Maris’s gift on full display. Although it was just a simple gathering of water into a ball, Valda was impressed. She brought her hand up and touched the sphere. Chuckling to herself, her eyes drifted to Maris’s smiling face. She stared at the fine lines at the corner of her eyes whenever she laughed, the scrunching of her nose.

Could Valda manage without Maris? Of course. She worked just fine before meeting her. Did she want to manage without her now?

She sighed, placed her hands on the edge of the lake, and pushed herself up to brush her mouth against Maris’s. There was no need to hide her feelings for the younger woman, no need to deny who they were. Thankfully, and to Valda’s relief, Maris didn’t pull away. Instead, the water sphere dissolved, and the same hand that had been manipulating it brushed her cheek as Maris deepened the kiss. Her touch was loving and affectionate, which made her shudder.

“Are you cold, darling?” Maris whispered.

Valda smiled against her lips. “If I say ‘yes,’ will you warm me up?”

“Then you are not cold enough.” Gathering another water sphere, Maris splashed Valda’s face, making her stumble back into the lake, splashing all over the kids.

As Valda hacked and blew the water from her nose, all while clearing her eyes, Maris stood and gathered Valda’s clothing and dashed in the opposite direction.

That little…! Hearing the rapid footsteps, Valda climbed out of the lake, excused herself to the kids, and went after Maris. The lake area was not so big that Maris could run off and hide. There were not enough places. Yet she ran into the denser, more foliaged part of the settlement, where the large trees created a soft canopy over the water. As Valda followed in Maris’s footsteps, she stumbled upon a smaller lake.