Without another word she glanced at Charles. Nothing happened as far as William could tell. Derceto looked at Katherine, “Do you understand?”
Katherine nodded, “Yes, Elder. I understand.”
Derceto nodded and looked at William before she left. “I have not forgotten, William. Think of your pack before you expend your last ounce of energy. It might save you.” William looked at the Elder but before he could say anything the elder sage disappeared around the corner of the Tower.
Ansuya glanced at Katherine, “Take care of William and yourself, Katherine. Follow what you saw exactly.”
Katherine nodded and concentrated on William. He didn’t move, respecting Katherine and not wanting to distract her from whatever it was she was doing.
A few moments later, breathing hard, she nodded again and smiled.
Ansuya bowed her head toward the sage. She then turned toward the giant enforcer next to her, “Alexiares, would you guide us to the city exit, the lower exit, please.” He nodded to her and started walking at a brisk pace in the opposite direction of what William had expected. William knew that there had to be multiple exits to the city, but he had never been to any exit other than the one he used the last and first time he entered the mountain.
Nicolas was still shaking his head as if he was trying to clear a head ache or a ringing in his ears. William felt a little bad for him. He had the displeasure of feeling the effects of a tracker before. Except then Aceso had been with him and Tasha had just done it to prove a point. He had never seen a tracker use their ability on someone to gain something from it. He knew that it could have been used that way, but seeing a beautiful woman like Ansuya do something so cold to another person was unsettling to say the least.
The seven of them walked through the city in some unknown direction. William picked up the smells of the place denoting different locations but he had no real idea of where he was or where he was going.
Alexiares was striding ahead of them and Ansuya walked quietly next to him as they passed down various stone streets and alleyways. Even in something as mundane as a business suit Ansuya managed to move in seductive patterns without being overtly sexual. The gentle sway of her hips and the graceful rise and fall of her hair upon her shoulders oozed sensuality. William found his eyes, more often than not, coming back to watch her as they followed the elder enforcer through the city. He wondered if she had been trained as a dancer. If it wasn’t for the gentle click of her heels upon the street he would have wondered if she was walking at all. Ansuya didn’t walk, she glided.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
The trip through the city was uneventful. The two elders did not seem to be in a rush and they kept a leisurely pace. They had been walking for hours and they didn’t seem to be any closer to their destination than when they left the Tower. William was quite hungry at this point but he kept his concerns to himself. The elders in front of him made no comment about food and he was not going to be the one to break the silence between them to complain about not eating. Nicolas however had no such compunctions.
“Are we going to eat anytime soon?” He asked irritably.
The soft clicking ahead of them stopped and Ansuya slowly turned around to face the scout. Her deep brown eyes were radiant and her lips carried an amused smile. “I would think that such a well built man like yourself could go a few hours without eating.”
Nicolas folded hard under the gaze of those brown eyes. Glancing downward and nervously scratching at his neck he replied. “I can go without eating. I was just asking… for the rest of my pack.” He quickly looked around at his pack mates. “I know that at least Katherine or William must be getting pretty hungry by now.”
Ansuya’s smile broadened a fraction of an inch. “So, your query was made out of concern for your pack mates then, but is of no consequence to you?” Nicolas nodded his head, still unable to make eye contact with the beautiful woman in front of him. “Your concern is commendable. However, we have a long way to travel yet.” She squared her shoulders facing Nicolas directly. “Do not be too concerned for your pack mates, Nicolas. Rest assured, we will eat and be fully refreshed by the time we enter into the Whyte Plain. You have my word.” With that she turned around and continued walking.
Nicolas didn’t move from the spot where he had taken root in the street. The rest of his pack passed him before he finally lifted his head and took his first step. Nicolas was afraid of Ansuya and being redressed by her so easily upset the ‘well built’ guy from Brooklyn noticeably. William shook his head. Nicolas had been in this city longer than he had, but he still hadn’t grasped the fact that his weight room body gained him nothing here. William glanced behind him to see Nicolas following behind with a scowl on his face as his eyes darted from one side of the street to the other.
The leisurely pace went on and on as the day stretched out in front of them. William’s legs and body were holding up, but the shear boredom of the trip pressed down upon him. The cavern ceiling crystals began to dim and they still weren’t out of the city yet. Were they going around in circles? Just when he thought that he couldn’t take it anymore, Ansuya and Alexiares moved beyond a building and ran up against the harsh brownish black stone of the cavern wall.
William was grateful for the change in scenery at least. Nicolas heaved an audible sigh of relief behind him and Katherine and Charles both had a weary smile on their face. Alexiares howled suddenly into the stillness of the empty city around them and a massive portion of the wall opened up in front of them.