Part Thirty-Three

Zora woke up to the smell of jasmine and she felt calm and secure, which in a way was pretty strange considering she was tied to a chair in what looked like a cellar. She looked around curiously, there was something she was supposed to remember, something... oh if it was important it would come to her she was sure of it.

A woman stepped out of the shadows near the stairs, half her face was covered with a mask but Zora still thought she seemed really nice and friendly and she smiled at her.

"Argyle really knows what he's doing... that's some powerful stuff right there." The woman said and Zora thought she might know who this Argyle might be but she couldn't quite place him.

"So, Zora... is Zora your real name?"

She thought a while before answering. "Yes, I think it is... I sometimes call myself other names but this one feels right."

"Who sent you after us?" The woman walked closer, her hips swaying a bit and making her skirt ripple, something that Zora found very distracting. The woman reached out a hand and tilted her face upwards. "Answer the question, Zora."

"Oh, uhm... it was a man. A tall man. He had a vest and very blue eyes." Zora smiled at the woman proudly.

"Does this man have a name?" She still held Zora's chin gently, looking into her eyes.

"I bet he does. Most people have a name, it makes it easier for others to call them. So he probably has one too." The woman sighed and released Zora's chin pinch the bridge of her own nose. She muttered something Zora couldn't make out.

"Ok, ok... what is this man's name?"

"He said to not call him Lord Amberfitch but instead tell everyone his name was Bob, I think it was Bob, could have been Rob. I'm not sure, my head is a bit fuzzy."

"And where did you meet this man?"

"He came to see me at the bar." The woman looked disappointed and Zora felt sad that she couldn't be more helpful.

"So you do not know where he lives?"

"No, he said he didn't want visitors in his airship so I couldn't come there."

"I see. Thank you." Zora smiled. "A final question. Where are you from?" Zora knitted her brow. Something felt wrong about that question, like there was something she should remember. But she really wanted the nice lady to like her so she shrugged.

"I was raised in the Temple of the Forgotten God." The woman nodded before taking something from a pocket in her skirt.

"Thank you again, Zora. Now sleep." Zora breathed in to answer but her nostrils filled with the scent of lavender and before she could utter a sound her eyes fluttered close and she fell into a deep dreamless sleep.