Page 66 of Vacation with the Ice Queen

They set off down a narrow path that wound away from the manicured resort grounds, heading inland rather than toward the coast. Dense vegetation crowded the trail on both sides, creating a green tunnel dappled with morning sunlight.

"We're heading to the secret lagoon," Lila explained as they walked. "It's connected to the ocean through underwater caves, but it’s completely hidden from the beach. Most guests never see it."

"I'm honored," Serena said, ducking under a low-hanging branch. "Though I'm beginning to understand why they don't see it. Not exactly accessible."

"The best places rarely are."

They walked in comfortable silence for a while, the path gradually ascending toward the island's central hills. Lila found herself hyperaware of Serena's proximity in the subtle scent of her expensive perfume and the occasional brush of their arms as the path narrowed.

"This is quite different from yesterday's beach," Serena observed, carefully picking her way over an exposed root. "Your usual clients must be more adventurous than I assumed."

"I don't bring clients here," Lila said before she could think better of it. "This is personal."

Serena paused mid-step, something vulnerable flickering across her face. "Oh."

"It's my thinking place," Lila continued, feeling suddenly shy about sharing something so private. "Where I go when I need clarity or just peace."

"And you're sharing it with me?" Serena's voice had lost its usual crisp edge.

"Yes."

The simple answer hung between them, weighted with significance neither was quite ready to acknowledge.

The path crested a small hill, then descended sharply. Lila reached back to offer Serena her hand on the steeper section, their fingers interlacing naturally. Even this simple contact sent awareness through her body, the ghost of last night's touches lingering beneath her skin.

"Almost there," she promised as the vegetation began to thin around them.

The path took a final turn around a massive banyan tree, and Lila heard Serena's quick inhale as the hidden lagoon revealeditself. Unlike their usual section of beach, this was a perfect circle of deep blue water, surrounded by smooth rock formations and lush vegetation. The surface was mirror-still, reflecting the sky and surrounding greenery. A small waterfall trickled down moss-covered stones on the far side, the gentle sound carrying across the water.

"It's..." Serena seemed at a rare loss for words.

"I know," Lila said softly, enjoying Serena's wonder almost as much as the view itself.

She led the way down to a natural shelf of flat rock, finding her usual spot overlooking the deepest part of the lagoon, and spread out the beach blanket and arranged their supplies.

"How did you find this place?" Serena asked, her eyes still taking in the paradise before them.

"By accident. During my first month here, I was hiking the island after a difficult phone call with Sophie." Lila busied herself with unpacking their lunch, memories of that day resurfacing. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, just needed to move. When I looked up, I'd found... this."

Serena's gaze shifted from the lagoon to Lila's face, seeing more than Lila had intended to reveal. "A sanctuary when you needed one."

"Exactly." Lila smiled, surprised and touched by Serena's perceptiveness. "Now it's my favorite spot on the island."

She moved to the edge of the rock shelf, dipping her hand into the clear water. It was cooler than the ocean, fed by underground springs that mixed with seawater through the hidden cave system below.

"It's incredibly deep," she explained, pointing to where the blue darkened to near-black at the center. "Local legend says it's bottomless, though that's obviously not true. I've measured it at about sixty feet at the center."

"It's beautiful," Serena said, settling beside her. "Completely untouched."

"That's why I love it." Lila turned to look at her directly. "It feels like a secret the island is sharing with just a few people."

Behind her, she heard the soft rustle of fabric as Serena removed her outer clothes, revealing a black designer swimsuit that somehow managed to be both elegant and sensual.

"The water looks inviting," Serena said, meeting Lila's gaze with subtle heat. "Swimming must be different here than in the ocean."

"Completely different," Lila agreed, slipping out of her own cover-up. "No current, no waves. Just stillness and depth."

"Sounds metaphorical," Serena observed with surprising insight.

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