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The lake was gorgeous with its emerald-like water that refracted the sunlight that was streaming through the holes from above. It was connected to the ocean with some water underground, giving off its picturesque scene in the cave there.
Aaron hugged his wife tightly against his chest. Astrid was playing with the hair at his nape when he put Astrid down. Then, he whispered against her left ear for his next instruction in the foreplay that both of them played.
“Now, open your eyes, dragul meu,” Aaron said huskily, brushing the back of his hands against her waist. A shiver ran down his wife’s spine as a breathless moan escaped her mouth.
Astrid took a deep breath, gripping her hands into fists at her sides. Immediately, she opened her eyes slowly and blinked them a few times, trying to adjust to the dim lighting of the cave. Then, she gasped aloud as her hand went to her mouth.
“Oh my! What is this place? It looks as if... as if I’m in another world, min kjærlighet,” Astrid whispered as she was looking around the lake. She stepped away from Aaron, walking in a circle as she was taking in her new surroundings with a glee in her facial expression.
The lake seemed to respond to her emotions. The water lapped against the banks as the wind howled from the entrance. The place was nice—cool and enchanting—with its crystal clear blue water that gleamed like an emerald.
Unable to hide his smirk, Aaron’s green eyes glittered with arrogance as he was crossing his hands in front of his chest. He was pleased to see that his wife was roaming around in the private place that he claimed for himself in Cluj-Napoca.
“Yes, dragul meu. If you must know, this is one of the places that could transport you into the Mirror World outside of Lacul Rosu. I know you think this was nice and all, but we have to be vigilant as well.” Aaron explained as Astrid arched her eyebrow at him.
“And why is that, min kjærlighet? Surely you wouldn’t think anyone would be using this portal to come and go from Known World into the Mirror World,” she argued, looking at the cave that seemed otherworldly.
“True, it might not be a place for anyone to think of other reasons that the place is nice for a private swim, but I have been sanctioned here by my family to guard this sacred place. The same goes for Alina and Kyle even though I haven’t told them just yet, considering that today, I only wanted to share this with you, dragul meu,” Aaron replied, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.
Astrid was looking at him. Her violet eyes were wide as she was shocked to hear the declaration that came out of his mouth.
“So... are you telling me that you never brought anyone here before, min kjærlighet? Not even your precious cousin, Gabriel Kovacs?” Astrid asked, wary of the statement that Aaron gave to her.
Her husband shook his head. The truth shone inside his green eyes as Aaron sighed when he felt that Astrid was having doubts. Slowly, he moved toward the edge, dipping his fingers inside the cold lake. Then, he was playing with the water, pondering on the question that his wife asked of him.
“If you must know, dragul meu, no, I don’t bring just anyone to this sacred place. I stumbled upon this one time when I was here a few months back when I was looking at the cave on an assignment to map it out. I thought back then maybe it was a good idea to explore deeper into the cave.
“Thus, I came upon this secret that had been off the grid for more than five centuries. Now that I found this, I have to be responsible and be the guardian of the veil in Cluj-Napoca,” Aaron stated, looking into the far distance beyond the cave that they were in. However, he was smiling as his hands were waving through the cold water.
Astrid watched her husband. She never thought she would be seeing another side of Aaron Covaci that was close off from the world. She walked slowly, her feet soft against the soft sand, and stood behind him as Aaron stood up from the edge of the lake.
Aaron turned around and looked at his wife. Both of them were staring at each other. Luminous emerald orbs looked very intently inside the sparkling amethyst orbs as Aaron reached out to caress his wife.
“After I found you, I don’t know how I’ll break it to you. We might need to relocate ourselves, dragul meu since you know that I have been sanctioned to this area. I hope you okay with this?” Aaron asked, caressing her cheeks.
Various thoughts came into his mind as his blood pounded in his ears. Aaron released his breaths, praying that his wife would agree with his plan to stay close to his cousins in Cluj-Napoca as well as playing his part as the guardian of the veil.
Astrid leaned in his touch, closing her eyes. She sighed loudly as her hand crept to his chest. She caressed his hard chest. When she opened her eyes again, she was smiling at Aaron with her hand on his hand that was on her cheeks.
“Thank you, min kjærlighet,” she whispered. Feeling confused by her action, Aaron arched his eyebrow at her. There was a question in his facial expression that made Astrid chuckle under her breath.
“For what, dragul meu?” he asked, whispering against her mouth. Their hot breaths mingled as Astrid leaned further toward him.
“For sharing your secret with me. I’m glad that you told me, Aaron,” she said, circling her arms around her neck as Aaron was smirking at her.
“Don’t you mean your husband, dragul meu?” Aaron teased her as Astrid rolled her eyes at him.
“I’m still working on the endearment, min kjærlighet, but I’m sticking with Aaron for now if you don’t mind, min kjærlighet,” she said, putting her haunting expression when Aaron glared at her.
“But that’s my name, dragul meu! Surely you have another thing to be called upon your handsomely wicked husband,” he stated, arching his eyebrow. Astrid shrugged.
“Not that I don’t agree with that but you still haven’t earned the endearment from me, min kjærlighet,” she replied, smirking as she crossed her arms. Aaron growled.
“What’s the meaning of the words that you always say when you call me? Was it Norwegian? Min scarlet or something,” Aaron demanded as he was stalking closer toward his wife.
Astrid shook her head, refusing to tell him the meaning of the endearment min kjærlighet that she bestowed upon him since their confession of love to each other.
“Even better if you don’t know about it, Aaron. And it wasn’t min scarlet. It is pronounce as min kjærlighet, min kjærlighet,” she said, teasing him until Aaron pounced upon her.