Worlds of Waves and Shadows

Eighteen

Soft sunlight spilt into the water as she submerged herself into the rippling coolness.

"This is so much fun!" Sarina yelled, laughing as Rolan splashed her face with water.

Kaenisa laughed, enjoying the perfect temperature of the water that caressed her skin.

Her hair was a mess and she was completely drenched from head to toe. But who cared? It had been ages–no, aeons since the last time she had this much fun. It felt so much better than dipping her feet in the backyard pool she had back home.

Kaenisa pulled herself up and out of the water, her weight feeling like a sudden, foreign thing.

She didn't really care about how her dress hugged every curve of her body at the moment or about the water streaming down her face as she seated herself onto the sandbank.

The elevated landscape above the basin offered some shade if one were to go further from the shore, but Kaenisa enjoyed the warmth that the afternoon sun had to offer.

She had noticed a staircase at the far end of the railing but none of them had thought to make use of it.

Kaenisa sighed happily, letting her head lull back and eyelids droop, soaking in the life around her. Laughter tinkled like glass, seasoned with the occasional yelps of joy.

When she next opened her eyes, Kaenisa had expected to see glistening blue water and a myriad of happy people within as her eyes fluttered open.

That was probably why it caught her completely off guard to find herself staring into a pair of smoky lilac eyes.

They seemed almost clear under the sun, or maybe it was just silent desire that had burnt away the indigo. She could not tell.

"You swim like a mermaid," He said finally, voice deeper than she remembered, as he drew closer.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She hated it.

The fact that he could make her feel that way.

Zaic pulled himself out of the water, biceps flexing as the water sloshed off his chiselled torso.

Kaenisa couldn't help but let her eyes rove over those muscles, sculpted to utter perfection.

How could she look away when he looked like the secret spawn of Poseidon?

Kaenisa silently reprimanded herself for ogling, tearing her gaze away from the Prince after an intense face-off with her inner self.

"Is that so?" She asked, cocking her head to the side, her gaze never leaving his.

She poured all her anger into it, trying to turn him to stone, partially because she was mad enough to murder him.

But also because it would be far more convenient to devour him with her eyes if he were a statute.

"Look, Kaenisa, I—" He began, raking a hand through his hair.

So close. Too close. Their noses almost touching, just a hair's breadth away.

He paused, his eyes darkening as they dipped down to her lips.

"What are you doing?" An accusatory voice, causing them to pull away faster than lightning could strike a tree as Zaira strode towards them.

It was clear that the twins shared the same genes because she too–just like her brother–looked like the embodiment of perfection.  

"Oh, your brother was just telling me how I swim like a mermaid." Kaenisa shrugged, scurrying to her feet, trying not to make the fact that they were a second away from giving in to the tension that hung between them, too obvious.