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Maris was right when she called them ponds. A leaf fell from the branches above, dancing in the air until it landed perfectly in the middle. Then, as if by magic, the pond let out a soft glowing hue of blue and green, taking Valda’s breath away. Valda stopped walking, ignoring the cold wind seeping into the afternoon air and her soaked underwear. Kneeling, she touched the surface of the pond, gasping as it came alive with bright colors.

Then, the air left her lungs when someone pushed her into the water. As she resurfaced, Maris’s mellisonant laughter filled the air. Valda moved her dark strands away from her eyes to see Maris standing right in front of her, arms crossed and a cocky little smile on her face.

“The almighty strong queen of the Sky Kingdom was distracted by the pretty colors in the lake and couldn’t see the danger behind her.”

“I swear, Maris, you are playing with fire.”

“Oh, not at all, darling. I am playing with water. Do you need me to do the water trick again and splash that handsome face of yours?”

Valda couldn’t stay mad at Maris, not when she looked so adorable standing there, pretending to have her wrapped around her finger. She did, though, but Valda would not say it out loud, not when she was in such a precarious situation. She was in Maris’s environment, and anything she did could be used against her. Yet, with a slow movement of her hand, a gust of wind blew onto Maris’s back, pushing her into the pond with Valda.

When Maris resurfaced, Valda’s bright smile was unapologetic and went unappreciated by Maris, who couldn’t see through all the hair in her face. Valda moved the strands away with a low chuckle, cupped her cheeks, and kissed her.

If Maris was mad at her, she never showed it. Instead, she sighed into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Valda’s waist.

“How’s that for warming you up, darling?” Maris laughed, pushing away to the edge of the pond, and getting out.

“I had another thing in mind.”

“Ah, the day is young.” Maris shrugged, stood up, and with the delicate movement of her hands, the water that wet her clothing and head separated from the fabric and strands before shaking it off.

Valda was mystified. She had never seen Maris openly use her power. Seeing her so comfortable was stunning. “You are absolutely beautiful. You know that, right?”

Suddenly, music sounded from deep within the settlement, and Valda watched in wonder as Maris’s expression changed from teasing to elation. The younger woman bit her lower lip, following the source of the rumbling drums and high-pitched violins. Valda forgot Eyphah’s words about the continuation of the celebrations. For a second, she just admired how Maris’s face looked when she was excited about something.

“You want to leave?” Valda asked.

Maris nodded, her eyes going back to Valda.

Valda couldn’t say no to her. She crawled out of the pond, then gave her one quick peck. “We should let the kids know we are heading back.”

Maris nodded, gathering the water on Valda’s skin, undergarment, and hair before shaking it off. She then handed Valda her clothes which she had hidden behind a large bush, and headed to where the kids were swimming. When they announced their playtime was over, and they were returning to the square, Kimmi, Lia, and Coljar let out an annoyed groan in unison, but agreed to leave.

It didn’t take them long to return to the center of the settlement. Music poured out from the musicians’ instruments as the crowd moved about, dancing and pulling those sitting down.

Maris squeezed Valda’s hand, her excitement evident before they joined the dancers, unhooking their hands and mixing themself in with the Sealians.

As Valda’s dance partners changed, her eyes always lingered on Maris. She found her countless times, breathless, laughing deliriously with her people.

Maris was a work of art created and presented by Athena herself. The way her hips swayed with the rhythm, like waves against a sandy shore, how her hair bounced with each spin, like droplets of dew on calm waters. Her smile could light up an entire galaxy like the birth of a brand-new sun, and all Valda wanted was to be around that gorgeous star and feed off its light.

Maris twirled from person to person until she was back in Valda's embrace, and gods, she smelled so good, felt so right, looked so gorgeous. And she was all hers… Maris was all hers. She belonged with Valda, whether it was here, in the Sea Kingdom, or back in Oberon Castle. And that knowledge tightened Valda’s grip on Maris’s waist enough to make the younger woman halt her dancing and look into Valda’s adoring eyes.

As excited as the Sealians were to have their ruler among them, they felt the intimacy of the encounter was too much to break. So, in a silent common agreement, no one dared to separate them during what was left of the night.

The music dissolved into the night’s air and starry sky. The bodies dancing around them misted away until all that remained was them—Maris and her soft hands, and that small crinkle of her nose, as she smiled, the fire in her eyes and the warmth of her body pressed to Valda’s.

She couldn’t pull away, not when she finally had Maris, not when everything was falling into place.

“Come.”

The command came in a whisper that only Maris could hear. Valda snatched Maris’s hand as they slipped away from the multitude and headed to House of Arago. The short distance was enough to ignite fiery anticipation within Valda, her hands trembling with a need to bury her fingers into Maris’s hair and taste her lips.

And that was exactly what she did the second the door closed behind her. She fisted blue curls as she pulled the shorter woman into her towering form, tilting her head back and crashing her lips over Maris’s slightly parted ones. The rasping groan that escaped Valda rolled through her chest to Maris. Releasing her hair, Valda’s hands trekked over the tunic’s fabric, untying the strings at the neck. The desire to undo Maris’s clothing was just as sweltering as the one to taste her. Her mouth was dry, and she needed to quench her thirst.

Yet, as Valda moved away from the kiss, Maris jerked at her button blouse. With a flick of her wrist, Maris undid the blouse, buttons flying and clattering quietly on the wooden floor. Seconds later, restless hands spread over Valda’s damp skin, pulling at her and egging her on with soft caresses.

Valda grasped Maris’s jaw with a desperate snarl, pulling her face back to devour her trembling lips. Hungry moans rattled her as she plunged her tongue inside Maris’s awaiting mouth. The young woman shuddered, and Valda could only watch as Maris’s face furrowed with frustration.