The Candles Will Protect You

Chapter 25

"Why are we here?" I asked, staring at the blueness in front of us.

Ares went to stand behind me, wrapping his hands around my waist and resting his head on top of mine.

"I used to come here whenever I felt tense and needed to calm down," he explained, keeping his eyes on the lake. "That was of course before I met you."

The corners of my mouth started turning upwards.

"So... Am I your lake now?" I asked jokingly.

"No," he laughed lightly. "You're my home."

My eyes widened, and I turned around in his arms to face him.

"Those are some big words, my guy."

"What can I say?" He grinned down at me. "That's what you deserve."

I hit his chest, looking away.

"Stop, you're going to make me blush."

"So what? It looks good on you."

I shook my head with a smile, and his grin widened.

"Do you know what else looks good on you?" He asked.

"Let me guess," I put on a thinking face. "You?"

He let out a laugh, tightening his arms around my waist.

"I was about to say your smile, but I think I like your answer more."

"Of course you were..." I rolled my eyes.

He pressed a kiss on my forehead, then he stepped away from me and intertwined our hands.

"Shall we?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, not knowing what he meant by his question.

He nodded his head towards the lake, his eyes set on a certain something. I turned around, trying to see what he was looking at.

I noticed a tiny boat hidden next to a tree.

"Oh, no..." I started shaking my head.

"Oh, yes!" He grinned, then he started pulling me towards it.

"Ares, I can't swim!" I tried getting him to stop.

"Who said anything about swimming?" He asked back with a smirk.

"Well, what if we end up in the water?"

"We won't, trust me. But don't worry, if we do, I'll rescue you, so just calm down."

He let go of my hand and started pulling the boat towards the water.

"Come on, Rhea. Hop in."

I crossed my arms on my chest, looking around to see if I can find an excuse so we wouldn't go out on the water.

"I don't think we should," I ended up saying, glancing up at the sky. "It looks like it's about to start raining any minute."

"Coward," he coughed.

"Excuse me?" I asked back, narrowing my eyes at him, but he just smirked.

"Are you scared about getting wet, baby?"

I scoffed, then I walked up to him.

"Fine," I gave in. "But if I do end up drowning, I'll kill you."

"Deal," he nodded with a grin.

"Wait... Aren't there any life jackets?"

"No," he shook his head.

"But... What about safety?" I pouted.

"Live a little, Rhea," he said smiling, while we got in the boat.

"I would like to, that's why I'm asking!"

"Well," he looked into my eyes while he started paddling. "No safety for today, I'm sorry."

I let out a disappointed sigh, sitting with my arms crossed.

Our surroundings were actually beautiful, I understood why he used to come here. It was indeed quite calming.

When we were about to reach the middle of the lake, I felt something hit my head.

"Ow!"

"What?" He asked.

I touched the top of my head, then I realised what it was.

"Ares..."

He knitted his eyebrows in confusion, then his head was hit by a raindrop as well.

"I told you!" I raised my voice at him.

"This is nothing," he said with a shrug as he kept on paddling.

Not even a minute passed, and it started raining lightly.

"Why are we still going in that direction?" I asked, starting to get upset. "It's raining, we have to go back!"

"Who says?" He grinned.

"Me!"

"Is a little rain going to make you melt, or what?"

"Don't start this with me, Ares!"

"Fine, fine!" He rolled his eyes, then he finally started paddling in the opposite direction.

The rain started pouring more and more.

"Can you hurry up?" I asked.

"Can you calm down?" He asked back.

"I will when I have a roof over my head!"

He rolled his eyes again with a light smile, picking up his pace.

"Thank you," I said quietly, hugging myself.

"Are you cold?"

"No, I just love myself."

"Watch the attitude, princess."

"Please," it was my turn to roll my eyes at him. "I'm a queen."

"Then act like one," he shot back with a smirk.

"Fine," I narrowed my eyes. "Paddle quicker, servant."

"Oh, someone is getting bossy."

"Honestly, Ares," I started whining. "Can you please go faster?"

"Needy, are we, princess?"

"Ares!"

He just laughed, continuing to take us back towards the shore.

"Finally," I sighed as we got out of the boat.

"Come on," he took my hand, pulling me towards a boathouse that I didn't even notice before.

For a second he disappeared, then he came back with a key in his hand. He opened the door, then after we walked in he locked it, placing the key on a shelf.

I took a quick look around the house. It wasn't that big, it only had a bedroom and there was a door in the back, which I hoped would lead to a bathroom.

"We should take a shower," he said, putting my wet hair behind my ear. "We don't want to catch a cold, now, do we?"

"Well, I don't. You can't."

"True," he nodded. "But I would never turn that shower down."

"Of course you wouldn't," I rolled my eyes with a smile.

"Let's go, princess," he said, pulling me towards the bathroom door. "It's time I treat you like a queen."