I stayed as long as I could, but when I felt Ares’s hand tense in mine, I knew the moment had passed. The abrupt disappearance of his warmth when he pulled away jarred me almost to the bone; I had fallen into a half-trance myself as we walked around the lake again and again. But I felt nothing but relief at the sensation, because it meant that Ares was finally stirring. This was more like the man I was beginning to come to know, not the hollow, burning husk that had taken his place.
He didn’t say anything about it, and neither did I: this thing that had happened to him - and between us - didn’t bear talking about. Couldn’t bear it, rather. So I let alone the strange, cloying aura that collected between us in the continuing silence, and when he came to a halt, I turned away to face the lak
