But Yasmine could see that Jax was still quiet, and looking a little sullen.
“You know, it’s a warm night,” she said. “I think we should take off our shoes.”
“What?” Pia whispered.
“Yes,” Yasmine said, reaching down to slip off her shoes. “We definitely should.”
The two kids watched in wonder as she stepped up onto the edge of the fountain and then lowered herself down, dipping her feet in the water in the process.
“Yasmine,” Pia yelled. “You aren’t supposed to do that.”
“How do you know?” Yasmine asked. “It feels great.”
It really did feel great. The water had been recycled through the system all day, and was still sun-warmed from Ulfgard’s two suns.
She wiggled her toes in the water and let out an exaggerated sigh of pleasure.
Pia laughed and began peeling off her own shoes.
Yasmine watched as the little one scrambled up on the side of the fountain beside her.
Pia gazed down at her own reflection in the water without lowering her feet into it.
“Come on, Jax,” Yasmine called out.
Jax gave her a funny half-smile and then kicked off his boots.
“Yes,” Yasmine hissed.
He grinned at her and headed over, finally looking like a real kid in spite of his size.
Beside her, Pia was lowering one chubby foot into the fountain.
“It’s warm,” Yasmine told her. “I promise.”
“Oh,” Pia said dreamily when her foot was in.
“See?” Yasmine asked.
Pia stuck her other foot in the water and started kicking a little.
“Oh, we can’t really splash this water,” Yasmine told her. “It has to go back down to the bottom of the fountain so it can come out the top again and be recycled.”
“That’s the same water?” Pia asked.
“Yep,” Yasmine told her. “It pours down from the top and then goes back into the pipes to go back up again. That way, no water is wasted.”
Jax sat down on the other side of her, leaving a little space between them. He slid his pant legs up and gingerly lowered his bare feet into the fountain.
“Nice,” he sighed, smiling.
“Do you need help with your ice cream, Pia?” Yasmine asked her younger charge.
Pia handed it over and Yasmine unwrapped it from the top, leaving the bottom over the stick to catch any drips.
Pia took it back and shoved the treat in her little mouth, eyes closing in ecstasy.
“This is living, right?” Yasmine asked, opening her own ice cream.