Behind the Mask | Garroth x Reader

| Part Thirty Four | The Cave |

Despite how close Brightport and Phoenix Drop are, it's still hard to see from either village. The tower overlooks most of the village. Most of the people out were O'khasis guards, but there were actual Brightport residents who were at work.

Part of me wanted to call out to Raven, for him to bring a letter to Garroth to inform him of what Zane has in store. But doing so might make my identity known, and it might make Garroth panic and place himself in harm's way. I can't have Garroth come here. Not if Zane is going to come back here.

"We will make it home. We have to." I look down at the ring and brush a finger over the gem. A promise I know he can't hear, but one I'm sure he knows we will try to accomplish.

I make my way down the tower to see Lady Aphmau still pulling up the floor and not finding the escape hatch that was added to her house. Lord Burt apparently had the house made for Lady Aphmau in the case she needed to come to Brightport if there was a 'Zane-related incident' where she wouldn't be safe in Phoenix Drop.

I approach Kiki on the bed and press my hand to her forehead. She was burning up and growing weaker by the minute. The one thing I didn't have in my supplies was a common cave root. Even the smallest bit of root I could grind down to make something to ease her pain and reduce her fever. In my current situation Lady Aphmau isn't letting me step outside nor will the guards let her leave his house.

"My lady, please, take a break." I sit by Kiki's side and take her hand into mine. "You're the only one here who knows how to wield a sword, we may need your help if things get worse." I reach into my bag to pull out a small vial and offer it to her. She didn't think twice about downing the contents of the vial and sitting beside me.

"What is this for?" She tapped the glass before handing it back.

"To replenish your energy. It won't be as effective as sleeping, but think of it as a small boost to remove your fatigue." It wasn't something I was taught, but rather something new that I was working on. It helped considerably when I was working on medicine or studying for a long period of time. But to know that she trusted me enough to drink it without me explaining what it was first showed that she trusted me and my work.

She lets out a sigh and looks over at the pile of wood she made on top of a poor table. She went to stand when a strong vibration reached both of us. The loose panels on the floor rattled with each pulse. Lady Aphmau instinctively grabs her sword and stands protectively in front of the two of us.

Little by little the stone beneath the panels cracks and crumbles down. Lady Aphmau readied her sword and inched closer, but stopped the moment a head of ginger hair with goggles popped out. The figure looked around before stopping on us.

"I didn't think anyone would be here. I'm sorry for breaking your floor. There used to be a hatch here I would use." She pushes herself out of the hole and dusts herself off.

"Wait, so there is a way out?" Lady Aphmau moves to the hole in the floor and peers down.

"I mean, yeah. There is a system of tunnels down there I have been maneuvering through to avoid the O'khasis guards." Lady Aphmau quickly approaches the woman with a smile.

"Our savior. We need out of the village as soon as we humanly can." She looks to Kiki who is still curled up on the bed. "She needs proper medicine and we don't have any here."

I make my way over to the hole and look down. The slightly cool draft hit my face. It was a full cave system. "I might be able to find the root. If I can get even a small handful, I can make the medicine she needs."

Even the cave close to Phoenix Drop has the roots I would need. With the two villages being so close I was sure that the roots could be found here as well.