Page 67 of Vacation with the Ice Queen

"Maybe it is." Lila smiled, extending her hand again. "Ready?"

They stepped to the edge of the rock shelf, looking down at the clear water several feet below. Without warning, Lila let go of Serena's hand and dove, cutting through the surface with barely a splash. The cool water enveloped her, silencing the world above as she glided deeper, then turned to look up.

Silhouetted against the sky, Serena stood watching for a moment before following with surprising grace, her body arcing through the air and slicing into the water. She surfaced a few seconds later, pushing wet hair back from her face.

"That was..." she gasped, eyes bright with something like joy.

"Freedom?" Lila suggested, treading water a few feet away.

"Yes," Serena agreed. "Exactly that."

They swam together in lazy circles, the water's perfect clarity revealing glimpses of the rocky bottom where sunlight penetrated the depths.

"There's something almost sacred about this place," Serena observed, floating on her back and gazing up at the circle of sky above them. "Like a natural cathedral."

The observation surprised Lila. "I've always thought the same thing, but I wouldn't have expected you to see it that way."

Serena's eyes found hers. "Because I'm so relentlessly practical?"

"Because you see the world through such a rational lens."

"Even rational people can recognize magic when they see it," Serena said softly. "They just call it by different names."

The insight revealed layers to Serena that Lila was only beginning to discover—a capacity for wonder and meaning beneath the analytical exterior. Every such revelation made her heart constrict with the unfairness of their limited time.

They swam to the waterfall, letting the cool cascade run over their shoulders and backs. Standing in the shallower water near the rocks, they found themselves close enough that their bodies occasionally brushed against each other, each contact sending ripples of awareness through Lila's skin.

"Thank you for bringing me here," Serena said, reaching out to tuck a wet strand of hair behind Lila's ear. "For sharing your sanctuary."

"Thank you for seeing it," Lila replied. "Really seeing it."

And in that moment, beneath the gentle fall of water with this remarkable woman beside her, Lila couldn't help feeling that something profound was happening. Not just between them, but within herself—a recognition that her heart was diving deeper than her body, venturing into waters she'd promised herself to avoid.

But surrounded by beauty, witnessing the wonder on Serena's face, she couldn't bring herself to regret a single moment.

The sun had reached its zenith by the time they pulled themselves out of the lagoon, water streaming from their bodies as they climbed back onto the flat rock shelf. Lila felt a pleasant tiredness in her muscles from swimming, accompanied by that particular lightness that always followed time spent in the lagoon. Some places just had that effect—washing away whatever you brought with you, leaving only the essential behind.

"Hungry?" she asked, reaching for the bag she'd packed earlier.

"Starving," Serena admitted, wringing water from her silver-streaked hair. "Apparently swimming works up an appetite."

"One of nature's best features." Lila spread out their simple picnic: fresh mango slices, local bread, a small container of island honey, and two bottles of coconut water.

Serena settled beside her on the blanket, close enough that their shoulders brushed. Water droplets still clung to her skin, catching the sunlight like tiny diamonds.

"This is perfect," Serena said, accepting a slice of mango.

They ate in comfortable silence for a few moments, the gentle sound of the waterfall providing a soothing backdrop. Lila found herself studying Serena's profile against the lush greenery surrounding them—the elegant line of her jaw, the slight furrow between her brows that never fully disappeared, the curve of her lips as she tasted the sweet fruit.

"What are you thinking?" Serena asked, catching her gaze.

Lila considered deflecting but chose honesty instead. "That you look different here. Away from everything."

"Different how?"

"More... present. Less guarded."

Serena's eyes dropped to the mango slice in her hand. "I suppose that's accurate. This island does seem to have thateffect." She looked up, meeting Lila's eyes directly. "Or maybe it's the company."

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