Darkness Drops Again

Part Four

Gravel crunched underfoot and Audrey felt a chill as if she were in a dream, her thoughts tangled with awe. The city of Atrium was in the trees. Buildings towering up and leaning against each other. Bridges, ropes, and wires cross-hatched the canopy above leaving splintered shadows on the ground. The shock of color amongst the nature she realized were people moving to and fro. All of this was captured in the streaky orange sunset.

"Wow," she breathed, adjusting the broken door in her grip.

Chard sent her a curl of a smile as she led, bounce in her step, to a giant tree off the side of the path. The woman pressed something on the tree and a disguised door released. Nudging it aside revealed the hollowed inside and a platform held with vine. The boards creaked as they stepped on. The door snapped closed pitching them into darkness and then the platform jerked up making Audrey's stomach jump up into her throat. She stumbled forward, blinded, when it opened onto a walkway.

"It's all up in the trees," Audrey said, staring out at what was a very convincing, if not unusual city.

"Well, yeah. Safer." Chard motioned and led them further into the city, across rickety wooden bridges, under lines of clothes, and pass a floating garden.

Transfixed by the unattached patch of wildflowers, Audrey didn't notice their pace slow.

"Ah, well there she is!" The brash voice startled her and Audrey jerked her attention to the group they'd come upon. The man addressing Chard stood with a wrist resting against his hip. His lips were in a full, smug smile and he looked too perfectly coiffed for living in tree tops.

Chard went stiff and the sudden sense of unease crept over to Audrey. She stepped up alongside her guide and had to endure quick look of appraisal and a just as quick dismissal from the man.

His smile widened, showing white teeth. "I didn't think you'd come back."

"Of course I'd be back, Aric." Chard made a move to get pass him, but he blocked. Audrey grimaced. She knew the type, self-important, and didn't feel like dealing with him. The most important thing was getting somewhere that she could think and maybe try and squeeze some information out of Chard. She squat and set the pieces of the door down, stepping around them and toward the two.

She meant to intervene, but Chard stuck out her hand. "It's OK," she said glancing at her sidelong.

Aric snorted, looking at her again. "What is this woman even wearing?" He brushed her off again and leaned in toward Chard. "I see you're busy here, but I just hope you know... I'm glad you're home." His threat hung on his trying-to-be-charming smile. Taking a step back, his group parted for him and he led him away.

Chard let out a breath, her hand dropping to her side.

"What was that about?" Audrey asked as she gathered back up her broken door. The rough wood reminded her of the events that led her to Atrium and a stark reminder of her mother stilled her. She'd disappeared a year ago. Glancing down at the door, she wondered if maybe her mother had gone through the door too. But if she had... it wasn't broken, so why didn't she come back?

"His dad's the duke, so he's been self-important since birth," Chard grumbled as they walked.

They passed a building with opened windows, sweet bready smells wafted out.

"Why didn't he think you'd come back?"

Chard shrugged and turned them down an alleyway. They squeezed through the middle space and popped out onto another street. The bridge swung under their feet and ahead of them a tree house stood harsh against the other buildings. Towers spire up into and beyond the canopy. This was where Chard led them.

"This is your house?" Audrey asked as they passed through the wrought iron fence that separated it from the rest of the town.

"Well, it's actually my dad's." She tried the front door, but it didn't budge so they moved around the side to a different door. This one sprung open. Dust rained down on them and Audrey coughed. Her arms were starting to get stiff from carrying the door, but the gloomy, dim interior left her lingering at the doorway.

"Dad?" Chard went into the house. She slipped off her coat, tossing it at one of the dusty tables. "Dad?" She went around a corner.

Swallowing, Audrey stepped in and shut the door behind her. A light throb started behind her eyes as they tried to adjust. She followed the sound of Chard searching for her father. Doors punctuated the hall at various intervals and odd decorations hung on the walls. Animal heads, some sort of familiar, others not. She paused at a clump of wiring. It felt out of place, coiled around itself.

"Audrey!" Chard leaned her head out a door further up the hallway and motioned.

Light poured out of the room, and so did an off smell. Inside are beakers and flasks and burners were arranged in a chaotic way on a table. Behind it all, a older man hunched over a book, glasses pinching the tip of his nose.

"Dad."

The man straightened, pushing his glasses up. His blue eyes grew twice their size, but he gave her a warm smile. "Hello! We haven't had a guest in a while." He moved around all his equipment and stretched out his hand, but dropped when he noticed the door. "Oh my."

Chard rocked on her feet. "Yes."

"What?" Audrey gave them both confused looks.

"That's an enchanted door," the man said.

"Yeah, Chard said as much. I need it fixed."

He held out his hands and with relief, Audrey handed it over. The man peered down at it, turning the pieces around and around in his hands. "Paticular work. I haven't seen it in ages." He looked up. "Chard said you came through it."

"Uhm... yeah."

"Where are you from?"

"I'm from New Mexico. Well, I mean... the United States." He gave her a blank look. "Earth?" A panic rose in her throat when the look continued on. Was she no longer on Earth?"

He shook his head. "Well. It doesn't matter. If you can get this door fixed, it'll take you back to its last opened location." He dropped the pieces on an open space on the table. She winced, hoping they didn't break more.

"How do I do that?"

"Well, that's the question, isn't it?" He smiled and shrugged. "I only have memory of these things from my childhood, certainly have never seen one function." He scratched the bristle at his chin. "Though I suppose Liev may know something about it."

"Who's that?"

Chard butted in, her face bright with delight. "Only the greatest mage alive!"

"Ok, so where can I find him?"

Chard's face dropped back to her usual stoic. "Likely, he's in capital city. He works for the Queen."