"Hey Travis, can I ask you something?" Aaron asks as the group keeps walking towards Lucrua. Only four hours until camp.

"Shoot."

"Why are you helping us out? I mean, you barely know us and we don't know you. So why help us?"

"It's the humanly thing to do. Plus I'm trying to get to Lucrua too."

"Mind telling me why?"

Travis shrugs, "Depends. Will you judge me for it?" No answer. Travis tsks and turns his head away from Aaron, "I better get back to navigating the group. Wouldn't want to get lost. Your girlfriend looks mighty alone, eh? Maybe you should finish out the walk with her."

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"How are you feeling?" Aphmau puts her hand over Aaron's forehead.

"Nothing a good night's rest can't fix." He coughs and leans his head back on the tree.

"We'll be to Lucrua by noon tomorrow. First thing we do is getting you medicine." She sits down next to him, "I know you're stressed. Take it easy, okay?" She pecks his cheek and lays her head on his shoulder.

"I can't take it easy. Not as long as he's around." He refers to Travis, who's talking with Travis and Blaze. Katelyn's already asleep, propped under a tree.

"Tell me what's the worst thing about him."

"He's a stranger who sticks to us like glue. If you haven't noticed, the people here are strange. Especially him. I don't know why he stands out the most, but... he's so weird and difficult to handle."

"This isn't the world we're used to, of course everyone will seem strange. Yes, Travis is odd, I'll admit that, but he's helped us a lot. Got us out of jail and now he's helping us get to Lucrua. We'd be back at that Surmise Falls right now if he never came along." She defends him.

"The dude doesn't even "have a backstory". I don't trust him. If the man can't share something about him, I can't trust him."

"You sound crazy. Now tell me the best thing about him." Aaron scrunches his face up at the thought. "Stop playing. Answer the question."

"He's helpful."

"It's okay to not trust him, but this is strictly business. After we find my father, we leave and Travis stays behind. Does that sound like a deal to you?"

Aaron nods, "Good." Aphmau says, "If we keep walking, we'll be in Lucrua first thing in the morning. You think you'll be a bit better by then? At least to finish the walk?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Hmm."

"Hmm?"

"You're lying. You look and sound miserable." She feels his forehead to see if it's burning up. Turns out she was right. He was hotter than he was in the morning. "We're stopping so you can rest."

"No, we can to get your father and we aren't stopping until he's safe."

"Aaron, you have a fever. You really think I'm really going to let you work in this condition. We can stop for a night."

"You... I just want you to be happy. To have your father back. I don't want to be weak." Aphmau chuckles,

"Now you sound childish. Ever the strongest kings have his moment. And I'm doing good. But you aren't. We're setting up camp so you can rest up for the walk to Lucrua. Then we'll find something for your fever. Okay?

"Thanks, Aph. You're amazing." 

"Just taking care of you."

~~~

"I'm heading out for more wood. Be back soon." Aphmau tells the group before stepping over Aaron's legs.

"Are you sure you should be alone? We don't know what this place is or how different it is from Phoenix Drop." Katelyn warns her.

"I think five minutes getting some wood won't kill me. I'll be back." She starts walking towards the trail and disappears into the night. Travis nudges Garroth in the arm, pointing towards the road went down.

"Here's your chance to tell Aphmau how you feel about her." Travis whispers.

"Are you crazy? She has boyfriend now, who is a king at that. Look, I get you're trying to help me, but I lost my shot six years ago."

"Stop being a baby," Travis rolls his eyes, "I never said you guys had to get together. Just tell her how you feel and once she rejects you, it might be easier to get rid of the feelings you have for her." 

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

"Sometimes you are a gullible idiot. Just go tell her and come back like nothing happened. But I do want details for when you get back."  

~~~

Aphmau starts walking back when someone steps in front of her. "Oh my Irene!" She drops the woods to kick the figures in the shins. The figure makes a groan, falling onto the ground, holding his area.

"Aph, chill! It's just me!" Garroth groans again. Aphmau gasps and holds out her hand in front of him,

"I'm so sorry, dude." She pulls him up, "I've been on my feet every single we got here."

"Still worried about Zach?" 

"Of course! Irene knows what Zane and Ein are doing to him! For all I know, he's possibly dead. I mean, I hope not, but I'm not resting until I see him again and we're out of this hellhole."

She begins to pick the woods back up. Garroth bends down and helps her out, "I honestly think you're overworking yourself. You're carrying this group and you need a break."

"Garroth, my father was kidnapped by your brother and doing Irene knows what to do. But Aaron's too sick to continue so we had to stop. We don't have the time, but we still did it. Not only am I carrying the group, I'm also caring for the group. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't tell me what to do."

"I'm sorry." Aphmau stands up with the rest of the wood. 

"Whatever, let's just get back to camp and set up. We have to get to Lucrua to get medicine for Aaron and then we keep looking."

"Actually, before we go," Garroth stops her again, "I have something to tell you and I can't wait anymore and I think this the only time I'll get you alone."

'I... um okay then. Um go ahead."

He takes a deep breath, "So we've known each other for a while now. A few years. Well, to be exact, eight years. We've known each other for eight years. A great eight years, that is. Hey, that rhymes-"

"Garroth? We don't have all night for you to make a nursery rhyme."

"Right, sorry." He clears, "What I'm trying to say is... Aphmau, I like you. Like, I really like you. I don't know why, but I see you all grown up and with Aaron and it just... makes me crazy."

Aphmau clears her own throat, " Ha um... where do I begin? Wow um-"

"You don't have to say anything. I just wanted to tell you before I get too crazy."

"No no I do have to say something. You like me now? NOW you like me? When I'm with this amazing guy and my father is in danger, and you thought now was to the time to tell me? Or like me? Garroth, I liked you years ago!"

He's shocked at the words. "Years ago, I liked you. For a damn long time too. But you didn't care. You left me because of what everyone else thought and you hurt me. You really hurt me." She chuckles for a second, but then stops. "Then, years later, here I am. Standing up for myself, grown up. You didn't notice me then. You noticed when I came back with Aaron. I bet you only came along because I went the portal WITH Aaron." 

"Aph-

"You don't like me. You don't like the idea of me moving on with someone who actually likes- no, loves me for who I am-" Garroth slams the wood out of Aphmau's hands and grabs her waist and pulls her close.

"I'm taking this opportunity."

"Let me go-" Garroth closes the gap between them, pulling her closer, if that was possible. Aphmau tries to push him again, but he's too strong. She didn't know how to feel. Angry? Frustrated? Sad? Unlucky? All of the above? They all fit.

She feels someone pull Garroth off of her and he gets tackled to the ground. Aphmau gasps and steps out of the way to see who it was.

Oh crap.

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I am so sorry I haven't published a chapter in two months. But I am posting it so all books are updated before 2020. I'm sure this is the last one.

Until next decade,

~Purplla 💜