Jarl grinned wider as he stepped back towards the edge of the pool, his excitement contagious. Orion rolled his shoulders, loosening up, and gave me a teasing look. "Hope you’re ready to lose," he said with a smirk.
Zev stayed quiet but watched me closely, his eyes unreadable. I felt my heart race, not because of the competition, but because of the way his gaze lingered on me. It was like he was waiting for me to prove something, though I wasn’t sure what.
"On the count of three," Jarl said, positioning himself at the edge of the pool. "One… two… three!"
They all dove in, their movements fluid and fast. I hesitated for only a second before diving in myself, the cool water engulfing me as I kicked hard, trying to keep up. The sound of splashing water filled my ears, and I could feel the
