“I’ve never met anyone like you before!” Ward yells gleefully, trying to have his voice heard over the waterfall. Nova is climbing down the rock face, much faster than him, practically jumping from foothold to foothold.

If Haze were here in this moment, she would comment on how she is like a mountain goat.

“You should be grateful for that,” she teases him, as she lands on the ground, quite gracefully if she says so herself.

“Trust me, I am,” he says when he finally joins her on the solid foundation, giving her a sunny smile that makes her insides warm.

She has the urge to kiss him again. So she does because she can now.

“How will the princess react to you being with a witch sympathizer?” Nova asks. Her tone is joking, but they both know she’s being serious.

Nova doesn’t worry about her perception. People can be as mean as they want to her.

But to Haze or perhaps now Ward? Yeah no.

She’ll hurt anyone who even dares to breath in their direction wrong. Literally. With her knife.

Chuckling, he claps her hand in his. “Aziza? She’ll probably be ecstatic. She won’t have to hear about my crush now.”

“You talk about me?” She teases.

“She would say an embarrassing amount,” he answers honestly, just as he does with every part of his life.

“Are you embarrassed?” It’s a simple question. She knows Ward. He’s not. Every chance he gets, he yells their friendship (well now more than that) from the rooftops. But sue her for wanting some assurance.

“Not even in the slightest.” It’s like an automatic response. No room for hesitancy or denial. Not that she thought there was any.

For the first time in her life, she felt at peace.

So stable and secure that nothing could rattle her.

OoOoO

“You aren’t anything like how I thought you would be.”

Haze glances at Aziza curiously, tilting her head like a confused puppy. “What did you think? Long crooked nose? Green skin?”

Immediately, Aziza rushes to clarify her statement, much to Haze’s amusement. “No! I just expected darker. Sinister. Evil intentions.”

She never understands why everyone thinks that of witches. So all witches are evil? How do people get the right to judge a whole group of people based on something that no one even knows is true?

“I don’t think that makes it better,” Haze points out with no malice in her voice. She doesn’t think she could ever with Aziza.

Aziza is ethereal. Quite possible the most graceful creature Haze has ever seen.

Her hair is a flowing charcoal river. Shiny and silky, it makes her want to run her fingers through it. Those earthy eyes hold so much kindness and wisdom. Haze could stare at them all day. Smooth, golden brown skin that practically glows, making Aziza stand out among a crowd.

Not that she wouldn’t already with that tiara on her head.

“Sorry,” Aziza offers.

Haze shrugs, not bothered. While she still isn’t used to apologies, especially from royalty, she knows that this one is genuine. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault that those notions were put in your head. It’s the society you live in.”

Aziza grasps her hand and looks deeply into Haze’s soul. “But we are going to change that.”

There’s so much conviction in that declaration. Nova always tells her to not trust what people say, but she can’t help but lean into those words. She’s done far more than trust Aziza.

She may be falling in love with her.

It’s as if Aziza is a flower and Haze is a bee. No matter what, there’s this natural connection between them, drawing them closer and closer to one another. Or at least that’s what it feels like for Haze.

Aziza is a force of nature. And so is Haze’s growing affection for her.

Powerful and inevitable.

How could she not fall for her?

“Haze, can I ask you something?” Aziza asks, still holding onto her hand tightly, not letting her go. She hopes she doesn’t let go. Ever.

“Of course.”

She can’t help but view their dynamic like wolves circling one another. Wolves mate for life. Which aligns with how Haze can’t imagine feeling like this for someone else.

When she goes to speak, two familiar voices interrupt her. They both turn to see Nova and Ward, smiling…..and holding hands.

Though Ward looks a bit worse for wear with some cuts and blood. Haze knows her sister can be brutal, but she didn’t think her spars would result in this. So perhaps something else happened. Her eyes quickly evaluate Nova and she doesn’t have any injuries.

“What happened?” Aziza questions, excitedly, evidently not seeing the crimson on his skin or just ignoring it for the topic of romance.

“He almost fell off a cliff.”

“We’re courting.”

They speak at the same time.

Haze focuses on what Nova says, revealing why Ward looks like he provoked an animal. Aziza doesn’t appear to be in the same mindset as her since she squeals.

“I am elated for you!” She exclaims. If she were a bunny, she would be jumping up and down.

“You’re excited he almost fell off a rock face?” Nova asks, eyebrow raising. Aziza waves that off like Ward wasn’t at all hurt. “No not about that! About you dating! I knew it would happen.”

“It wasn’t that difficult. They were quite obvious,” Haze points out. Nova feigns a betrayed gasp.

It’s moments like this that Haze forgets about the stigma against witches and just lives. She is the wind without any resistance.

These three make her feel free.

Ward laughs and throws a pointed look towards Haze and Aziza, “Yes, because we are the only ones that are obvious.” His chin tilts down to her and the princess’ joined hands.

Aziza blushes that pretty petal color. Haze can’t help but smile a bit pridefully at that. They drop their hands but she still feels the warmth of her palm.

Trying to deviate, Haze steps forward and examines his cuts and bruises. They are superficial, so even without her help, he would be fine. But she is here so she may as well.

“Nova, please be careful. Ward didn’t grow up in the Wild Thicket like us,” she lightly scolds her sister. Nova nods, though she knows Haze isn’t being harsh. Her competitiveness sometimes skews her reasoning. Ward does that to her brain.

Closing her eyes, she blocks out her surroundings. Things dramatically slow down. Footsteps of other knights become lighter. Talking becomes distorted. Instinctually, she reaches out for trust. For a witch’s magic to work, there has to be that innate trust. Nova always does, no matter what. Her sister grounds her and. It almost knocks her off her feet with how much pours from the three people near her.

Her heart warms like the sun was shining in her chest. It makes her eyes prick with emotion. While she is accustomed to Nova’s loyalty, Aziza and Ward give this massive wave.

Almost immediately, a purple mist emits from Haze’s hands. Even with her eyes shut, she can feel it swirl in the air, landing on the various injuries on Ward.

When no more lavender flows in her veins, she knows she’s healed him.

“Thanks, Haze!” He smiles a smile that Haze has heard Nova describe as sunny.

Aziza retakes her hand and gives it a squeeze.

“You are amazing,” she breathes out. There’s this sparkle in her earthy eyes. One that almost looks like complete adoration and amazement. Like she’s seen the most beautiful natural sight.

But she’s looking at her.