We had been lounging in the comfortable, sleepy silence that follows every picnic—Aedan absentmindedly plucking blades of grass, Maia braiding wildflowers into a crown, me following the listless path of a dragon-shaped cloud across the sky—when Pollux had issued a challenge. Never one to sit still for long, he proposed we find out who among us was the best tree climber.

I’d already been fairly sure of the answer, and so had Maia, judging by the knowing glance she gave me. Nevertheless, we both accepted. Aedan declined on the grounds that he had no desire to injure himself today, and held firm despite Pollux’s needling.

I lean back against the trunk and draw one knee up, letting the other leg dangle off the side. From my vantage point, Aedan is a miniature figure sitting in the grassy clearing, head bowed over the book I saw him sneak into his saddlebag. As though sensing my gaze, he looks up in my direction. 

I give him a wave, hoping the gesture doesn’t seem too awkward. It still feels odd, sometimes, to be one of the crown prince’s intimate circle. To be able to wave at him as though he were just another boy in the schoolyard. 

And to receive an amused wave in response. His attention turns from me to Maia, making slow but steady progress upwards, to Pollux, who seems to be struggling to keep hold of the tree. I think I see him chuckle. 

“How are you doing that?” Pollux says to Maia, exasperated. “You’re certainly not a forest girl.”

She responds with a sharp little giggle. “No, just better than you.”

I intervene before another bout of bickering can break out. “It’s easier if you take off your shoes, Pollux.” 

“Oh. I knew that.” 

I turn away before he can see me trying not to laugh. The sun drifts higher in the sky, warming the crown of my head. A breeze lifts the ends of my hair, ruffles the hem of my skirt. Birdsong trills from every direction. I close my eyes, feeling that near-ever-present knot in the pit of my stomach loosen and dissolve to nothing like sugar in water. 

Some time later, I hear Maia’s voice near me. “Surprise.” 

I open my eyes. When I glance down, her silver-blue eyes are peering up at me from the branch below.

“Hello there,” I say. “You’re not half bad at this, you know.”

“I know. I’ve never climbed a tree this tall before. I’m quite impressed with myself.” 

I reach out my hand to pull her up next to me, shifting along the branch to make room. In return, she plucks the crown of wildflowers from her own head and places it on mine. 

We smile at each other before turning our attention to Pollux. Despite having kicked off his boots, he appears to have made next to no progress. We watch as he grabs a particularly thin branch that cracks apart in his hand, causing him to yelp and make a desperate grab at another to save himself from falling. 

I clap my hands over my mouth to contain my laughter. Maia hides her face in my shoulder to smother hers.

“Stop laughing at me!” Pollux shouts. 

Unable to hold it back anymore, we both burst into giggles. Pollux releases his hold on the branch to make a rude gesture up at us. 

“How long do you think it’s going to take him?” I muse when we’ve managed to contain ourselves. 

“I think we’re going to be here all night.”