Touch of Flame

Ravina left the prisoner behind not liking that smile of his. He certainly got some devious plan that he thought would work. Would she make a mistake by providing him with a bath? Was that part of his plan?

She tried to think of what he could possibly do with a bath to escape. She would just provide him with water, soap, and a washcloth. What would he do with it? Perhaps she shouldn't provide him with those things but she didn't want him infected either if she was going to test her theories.

What could he possibly do with a bucket of water?

Setting her thoughts about him aside, she made her way through the dark hallways back to the inventory to return the tool bag before her uncle and Ares returned. But to her surprise, she heard their voices come from around the corner. They spoke in hushed tones which made Ravina slow down and strained her ears.

She still couldn't decipher what they were saying so she stepped closer to the wall, and walked along with it until she came to the corner. Discreetly she peeked around the corner. A few feet away her Uncle stood close to Ares speaking in hushed tones.

"This is dangerous." He told Ares.

"I already knew that," Ares said as he slipped his hands into a pair of black gloves. She couldn't know if there was something wrong with his hands as they were covered by the hall's darkness.

"You have to follow my instructions or it won't be safe. You have to follow each step."

"You worry for nothing," Ares told him.

"I worry for her."

"I told you, I will take care of her," Ares assured.

Her? As in her? Why were they talking about her? So was this why Ares was marrying her, not because he thought she was beautiful or any of the reasons he mentioned.

Of course not but still. She didn't think he would be someone to follow orders concerning his personal life. He could refuse her uncle's request unless her uncle was threatening him but it didn't sound like it.

Ravina watched her uncle's face but she couldn't see him clearly in the darkness.

"Not if you are dead." Her uncle said.

Dead? Why would he be dead? They were certainly planning something dangerous if her uncle wanted to send her away and was worried about Ares dying. But why were they hiding this from her?

"I won't die."

Her uncle reached into his pocket and pulled out something she couldn't see. "Here. Keep this and use it when necessary."

Ares took the thing from him and put it in his own pocket. Ravina wished she could see what it was. Then the two gave each other a nod and to her surprise,

they went separate ways.

Ravina quickly hid in the shadows behind the corner as Ares turned around and walked her way, but thankfully he took another turn before he could see her.

Ravina made the daring decision to follow him. She was glad that she was wearing quiet footwear. She simply threw away the tool bag and put it in a hallway corner where she would find it later. In any case, there was nothing important there.

Ravina followed Ares who kept walking in a direction she had never taken before. They passed a dark hall after another until she wasn't sure where she was and then somehow as she turned around a corner she couldn't see him any longer.

She walked further and looked at the halls on each side to see if he could have taken one of them but she couldn't see anyone.

"Are you looking for someone?"

She gasped startled when his voice came from behind her. With heart pounding, she turned around. He stood leaning against the wall and even in the darkness, she could see his gaze following along her body.

So he too was drawn to red? Her heart skipped for a different reason.

"I was following you," She admitted knowing he was too clever to be lied to.

"Why?"

"I saw you take this way. No one walks here. What are you doing here?"

"There is an old armor storage at the end of the hall. I took upon myself with His Majesty's permission to rebuild them."

"Oh.." She said.

He pushed himself away from the wall with an amused smile. "You are a very suspicious person, aren't you?" He said stalking toward her.

Ravina kept her ground. "I am just careful with the people I trust." She said.

He came close. "Do you have any doubts I can clear?" He asked.

No. This was only a way for him to know her suspicions.

"Except for why you would want to marry me? No."

He narrowed his eyes. "Is it not clear why I want to marry you?" He asked.

"No."

"Then can you handle the naked truth?"

"Yes."

He took another step toward her, his eyes burning with something unfamiliar. "Having lived as a pirate for a long time, I crave challenges and adventure. When I saw you being cold and distant and still unmarried I knew you were the challenge I was looking for and living with you would be an adventure." He continued to step closer.

Ravina stepped away from him but he continued to walk toward her until he trapped her against the wall. "You made me curious and I wondered, what would kissing and loving a woman like you feel like? Would it be cold or hot?"

His voice had gotten lower the closer he came and now there was only an inch between their bodies. Ravina held her breath as her heart remained wild in her chest.

Ares grabbed her chin and tilted her head back. He watched her intensely while brushing his thumb over her lips. Ravina's breath caught in her throat. What was he doing?

"You look ravishing in red." He murmured.

Her chest was rising and falling visibly from the tension in her body.

"I am not an experiment." She breathed.

"But you like them. Don't you want to experiment too? I think we have that in common."

Her gaze left his eyes, followed the lines of his face, and then settled on his lips. Yes. She wanted to experiment. She wanted to know more of that feeling he gave her yesterday.

Ares's fingers played along the side of her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

He leaned closer, "tell me. Do you want to experiment?" His hot breath played across her lips.

She closed her eyes. "Yes." She breathed.