TBATE-ONESHOTS

Crime and Passion 4

Tessia Eralith POV

There was a noticeable difference in walking with their boss vs. walking with Henry. He never pulled on me but walked casually and never looked over his shoulder as I walked behind him. It was either because he didn't view me as a threat or because he trusted that I wouldn't do anything seeing there was no way to escape at the moment.

We were currently walking in the middle of the formation, and I noticed how their boss would occasionally look around like he was keeping track of his men and surroundings. My eyes looked him up and down, seeing how he walked with confidence and superiority. It wasn't in arrogance, either. It was like he truly knew he could take on any threat. Plus, there was something about him, about his presence, but with my mana suppressed, I couldn't be sure.

I looked around again, seeing the thieves guild members walking around us. I couldn't see any of their faces since they had their hoods and balaclavas on. However, based on how tall the majority of them were, it wasn't hard to deduce they were all human, especially since I doubt any elves would be with them.

"Oof," I breathed out as I suddenly ran into something sturdy. I stumbled backward and looked forward, seeing I had run into their boss, who stopped walking.

He raised his hand left hand in a signal, and all the thieves guild members came to a halt. "There's a cave over there," Their boss said and pointed to the left.

I followed his gesture and barely noticed a large cave that was well hidden behind some trees. My brows raised in surprise, wondering how he noticed it, especially with it being pretty dark now as the sun was setting.

"We'll make camp there for the night," Their boss announced, looking at his men. "Let's move up and stage at the cave entrance."

The thieves guild members nodded and began to move.

Their leader looked back at me over his shoulder with an amusing look, "We're going to be moving again. Try not to bump into me."

I rolled my eyes before looking at him with a narrowed gaze, "Then don't abruptly stop next time."

His brows raised before he gave off a slight chuckle, "So feisty."

I scoffed at his remark as be looked back forward and began to walk off. I followed him as we made our way to the cave and stopped in front of it. The thieves guild members stood in a crescent formation around the entrance, with some of them looking at their boss for further orders.

"Squads one, there, and five," Their boss said, looking at the thieves guild members. "Go inside the cave and clear the area. Let me know when it's secured."

Several members nodded in response to the order before breaking the formation and moving into the cave. I lost sight of them as they were consumed in the blanket of darkness.

"Hopefully, they don't get eaten," I said derogatorily.

Their boss chuckled and looked back at me, "I'm sure the beasts wouldn't like the taste."

I raised a brow at his comment before my eyes flicked back to the cave entrance as a figure came into view. Their boss looked back forward and looked at the thieves guild member in the cave.

"The area is secured, sir," They said.

"Good. Everyone move into the cave and make camp," Their boss ordered.

The thieves guild members standing outside the cave nodded and followed his command, moving intricately into the cave. I followed their boss as we walked inside with their men, and everything became incredibly dark from the lack of light inside the cave.

Several of the thieves guild members walking around us took torches out of their dimensional rings, and the fire mages in the group lit them on fire.

I blinked a few times from the sudden appearance of the light, letting my eyes adjust. I looked around, studying my surroundings, seeing the cave was basically just one big tunnel. Stalactites covered the ceiling with droplets of water, occasionally dripping down and hitting my head. The walls of the cave were covered in moisture, and the ground beneath us was a mixture of sand and gray stone.

We continued to walk further into the cave until the rest of the thieves guild members came into view. They were standing in a defensive circular formation and looked in our direction as we approached.

Their boss stopped and looked at everyone, "Start setting up camp!"

The thieves guild members nodded and began to break apart the formation and spread out through the area. I curiously looked around, seeing how some of the members took out tents and began to set them up while others used earth magic to create teepees.

"Squads two and four, you'll be on guard duty first. Then one and three, then five and six. Any questions?!" Their boss yelled out, looking around, getting nods or head shakes in response.

Their boss looked back at me, "Follow me."

I raised a brow, "Not like I have a choice."

He chuckled before he looked forward and began to walk off. We walked to the center of the group and came to a half to a large open area. I watched curiously as their boss waved their free hand. The earth and dust in front of us began to shift, rising from the ground and taking shape.

My brows raised in surprise, and slightly impressed as the earth took the shape of a small adobe-style house with an open doorway and two open windows on each wall.

He looked back at me, "We'll be staying in here."

"What?!" I snapped, with my eyes narrowing on him. "Like hell, I'm going to sleep in the same shitty ass building as you."

He raised a brow before he nodded, "Ok. I'll give you two choices." He gestured around us, "Option one, sleep out here in the open and take your chances with my men."

I looked at the men around us, seeing some of them staring at us. Some of them had lewd and hungry looks in their eyes as they looked at me, which sent a shiver down his spine.

"Option two," He said, and I looked back at him. He gestured to his makeshift house, "You stay with me."

"Tsss," I clicked with my tongue. "Not much of a choice."

"It's the only ones you're getting," He replied immediately with a stern tone. "Now chose."

My gaze fell, weighing my options, but it didn't take long to choose which option was obviously better.

My eyes flicked back to him in a narrowed gaze, "Your place it is, then."

He chuckled, "Good girl."

I rolled my eyes as he turned, and I followed him as we walked toward his makeshift house.