Ian had the men at the head of the line of women to lead them to the military vehicles that were waiting at the base of the stairs of the temple. He, along with ten or so men still inside the temple, did a quick sweep of the place. They checked in the dimly lit back chambers and the rooms on the upper floors of the temple to ensure that no one was hiding. After the quick search, he and his ten men returned to the other twelve men who had remained standing with the priestesses. Ian's attention piqued once again on his newest quarry, the head priestess named Aurora.
The military vehicles were big, black and shaped like a large rectangle inside. Seats lined each of the interior walls. Ian sat on a short bench behind where the driver was located so he could have a broad view of all of the women, but also to discreetly glance at Aurora, who was to his right on a long bench. He saw that she seemed to be peacefully sitting with her eyes closed and many of the other priestess' followed her example.
My guess is they are meditating and praying. They will need it for what the emperor has in mind them,
Ian thought.
Aurora's heart was hammering in her chest. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the smoldering gaze of the one called Ian. He was massive and intimidating. He was everything dangerous, rogue, and rebellious. He unsettled Aurora's peace of mind. She only allowed herself a moment to wallow is her own self-pity to understand how she, at the young age of twenty five, was in this situation. The dry acrid air of the city blew through the glassless windows of the military vehicles the priestesses where being driven in. The ride was mostly smooth with a couple bumps along the desert, rocky terrain of her homeland. Aurora quieted her mind as she was determined to get herself into as relaxed of a state as possible. Her people needed her.