He was grinning, arms folded across his chest- and then she appeared. Ares' eyes widened slightly when Hecate appeared, and his smile faded into a grimace. He put up his hand to prevent anyone touching the goddess, but it was too late, and she dealt with it herself.
Ares was drunk, but he was sober enough to know that if Hecate dealt with this, it would be public, and humiliating. All the stock he'd just bought would instantly crash, and he couldn't explain it to them, not truly, it would go against everything he'd told them; but goddesses weren't women, especially the Greek ones. Goddesses- Melpomene, Aphrodite, Hecate- they did what they would. They had their place in the pantheon.
But he couldn't be considered to be surrendering instantly to a witch instantly. He hesitated, chewing over his possible reactions, meeting Hecate's eyes, and eventually, he raised his hand again. They should all be well trained enough to obey instantly. He trained his men as fiercely as he trained his dogs.
"Let her go," he growled, still staring down Hecate.