Lady Dragon, Tela Du

by Kendra E. Ardnek

  The back of the closet was gone. Instead, a hallway of shelves extended as far as she could see. Not all were empty anymore. Incredibly fine dishes were scattered here and there.

  Ashley was already ahead of them. Reuben pulled Petra through. Laura entered last and shut the closet door behind them.

  The closet seemed to go on and on forever, yet somehow it only felt like a few minutes before they emerged in a kitchen.

  “Loray,” Ashley breathed, spinning around. “Loray’s kitchens! I’m home! But … but where is everyone?”

  “It’s been fifty years since you left,” said a higher-pitched version of Laura’s voice, in the barest whisper. “Fifty years under Amber and without your true kings and queens. Loray has been all but abandoned.”

  They turned back to see a young girl, six at the most, leaning heavily against the closet doorframe. The shelves behind her were filled with dishes, and the hallway was gone.

  “Laura?” asked Reuben, kneeling down to be at her eye level. “Is that you?”

  “Am I younger? Doors do that to me, sometimes.” She gave a small smile and then swooned forward into his arms.

  Part 3

  The

  Book

  daughter

  Chapter 1

  “Robert, are you and I the only ones in this house?” Summer asked, finding her brother in the kitchen.

  Robert glanced up momentarily from the newspaper comics he was reading, before he answered, “Reuben was in and out about an hour ago, but right now, Dad’s at the shop, and the other two are across the street at the Ardens’.”

  “There’s a strange energy about today that’s making it very hard for me to read,” said Summer, cutting to the chase as she perched herself on a bar stool beside Robert.

  “Would you believe that Reuben said something similar this morning?” Robert asked. “He told me that he had the strangest feeling that something great was about to happen, a sense of being on the verge of some decision, the result so much larger than him, yet he frustratingly had no idea what that decision could be.” He tilted his head to the side. “Probably a good thing, now that I mention it.”

  Summer frowned and shook her head. “Not quite like that.”

  “Well, that was Reuben, and we all know that Reuben reads too many fantasy and adventure novels.” Robert leaned an elbow against the counter as he stared expectantly at Summer. “So, what do you make of this strange ‘energy’ today, Sunshine?”

  “I don’t quite know,” said Summer, frowning at the nickname. “There’s just a buzz to the air that’s making it very hard for me to concentrate on my book.”

  The doorbell rang, interrupting the thought.

  “What would you like to bet that’s the other Arden sibling?” Robert asked.

  “Tyler?”

  “Sure, Tyler, why not?” Robert nodded in the direction of the door. “We’ve had both of his sisters in and out of our house today, so how dare he stay away?”

  “How dare he indeed?”

  “Why don’t you get the door?” asked Robert. “If it’s Tyler, I think he’d prefer your face to mine.”

  “Suppose I might as well.” Summer slid down from the stool. “I’ve been the one answering the door all day.”

  “He’s sweet on you!” Robert shouted after her.

  Summer rolled her eyes at the absurdity of that thought. Tyler preferred working with his dad on his electrical projects to anything involving a girl, whether it was her or someone else. It was true that he was incredibly shy, but that was no excuse. If he liked her, then he would have let her know somehow, she was certain of that. The Ardens had only lived across the street since forever.

  Setting that thought aside, she threw open the front door to find that it was indeed, of all people, Tyler Arden. Beside him stood a young girl who looked like that kid that Petra used to babysit nearly every day for two years. Summer couldn’t recall her name off the top of her head.

  “Are you ready to go to Rizkaland?” the girl asked, bouncing on her toes.

  Summer narrowed her eyes in confusion as she stared down at the girl. “Where?” She looked up at Tyler. “Explain.”

  “Honestly, I, uh,” said Tyler, looking down, “I’ve no more idea what’s going on than you do. Alyce was sitting on our front porch when I got home, and Dad sent us over here when she suggested it, no questions asked.”

  Ah, yes – Alyce Withawie. Summer remembered now. The kid’s mother had been far too fond of puns.

  Alyce darted past Summer through the open door and down the hall.

  “Hey!” Summer shouted, and then ran after the girl. She heard Tyler shut the door behind her and follow.

  The girl ducked into the stairwell at the end of the hall. Summer pulled up short. Instead of the usual straight stairs that turned at right angles … they curled away from her. It was now a spiral staircase. They were their stairs, with pink carpet and yellow walls, but they were now a spiral staircase!

  Alyce sat on the fourth step up, her eyes glittering with mischief. “You will find that I never joke about anything pertaining to worlds and doors. Are you ready to go to Rizkaland?”

  “What did you do with our staircase?” Summer demanded.

  “Nothing.”

  “Those aren’t our stairs.” Summer folded her arms over her chest.

  “No, they most certainly are not.” Alyce tilted her head to the side, glancing behind herself. “They merely reflect some of their physical properties, combined with the physical properties of a staircase in Rizkaland. Technically, they aren’t stairs at all, though these act like them. In fact, they don’t even actually exist. This is just a buffer of sorts so you can pass through the nothingness between universes. I call this the corridor effect.”

  “Do you even know what you just said?” Summer’s head was spinning. This rivaled even the weirdest stuff that Reuben and Petra could come up with.

  “Of course, I did, I said it, after all,” the girl answered. “Summer, I do understand your hesitation. The path prepared for you and Tyler is not the grandest, but great things will be at the end. You just have to take the step and climb these stairs.”

  “You said that the stairs don’t even exist,” Summer pointed out. “I don’t trust things that don’t exist.”

  “They don’t, but they do. They are perfectly safe as long as you hurry. I can only keep them open for so long, and I’ve already had to open a more difficult door earlier today.”

  Summer gave her hair a toss. “And what is this Rizkaland place?”

  “It’s another world – you’ll like it there. Your parents certainly did – they lived there once when they were your age, as kings and queens at that. Exciting, don’t you think? In fact, now that you mention it, they might not have married were it not for Rizkaland, and therefore you would not exist. Perhaps you might find true love there yourselves.”

  “I’m not worried about finding love right now,” said Summer, rolling her eyes. “I’m barely sixteen, so there’s plenty of time for me to test the waters and figure out what I want. ‘True love’ is just a marketing scam run by people who want to sell romance novels and movies.” She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Tyler who stood just behind her. “As for him, I doubt he’ll ever be interested.”

  “We’re wasting time,” said Alyce, standing. “I can only hold doors open for so long. Please hurry so it won’t collapse on you.”

  “And what would happen if it were to ‘collapse’?” Summer asked.

  “I’m not entirely certain, because I’m always careful to make sure it doesn’t happen, but … you could die. That’s why I suggest hurrying.”

  “There’s a chance I could die? That’s it, I’m out.”

  Summer didn’t see the girl move, but suddenly Alyce stood behind them, arms folded over her chest. “You’re not out, you’re in. Run.”

  The word run was little more than a whisper, but it somehow shook the whole house, and before Summer knew what she was d
oing, she and Tyler were ten steps up the staircase.

  Alyce entered after them and closed the stairwell door behind her. No one said anything while they made their way up the spiral. Summer, for one, was too disturbed to say anything. Their steps echoed strangely, as though the steps were stone and not covered with pink carpet.

  Around and around they went. The stairway stretched much farther than it had when it was straight. Summer was just beginning to despair of ever reaching the end when Alyce finally darted past and pushed open a trapdoor in the ceiling.

  Summer hadn’t even noticed that they had finally reached a ceiling.

  “We’re here,” the girl announced, scampering up the final few stairs and through the trapdoor.

  “Where is here?” Summer stepped around her and into an austere stone room. It was about the size of her bedroom, perfectly circular, utterly empty, and lit by slit-shaped windows.

  “Rizkaland,” said Alyce, closing the door, a thick, rough slab of wood that blended perfectly with the floor, once Tyler and Summer had emerged. “This is a tower prison cell, though Amber doesn’t take prisoners very often, and doesn’t particularly like to use this cell when she does.”

  “And why did you bring us here?” asked Summer. “What was the point? Are we prisoners now?” She stepped towards one of the windows and peered out as best as she could.

  “This is the only door in this castle that connects to your world,” Laura answered. “You’re just visiting jail right now.”

  “Are my eyes playing tricks on me or are those trees over there blue?”

  “Rizkaland’s trees come in many colors,” Alyce answered. “Now, are you two done visiting so we can descend to the main castle?”

  Summer turned back around. “But there’s only one door, and it leads back home.”

  “Does it?” Alyce raised an eyebrow, and for the first time since they reached this room, Summer actually looked at her. Minutes ago, back home, Summer would have described the girl as nine or ten. Now Alyce was at least sixteen, as she was quite a bit taller and her figure was filled out. Even her outfit had changed. Instead of the blue jeans and a pink t-shirt, she now wore a green dress that had almost certainly come out of the Dark Ages.

  “How did you … change like that?”

  “To be honest, I’m not even sure how this happens,” said Alyce, smoothing a hand down the fabric. “It’s not even consistent, and that’s the annoying part. Sorry, I didn’t warn you. I sometimes forget how startling my age change can be.”

  “Um, yeah. And weird.”

  “But you’re still Alyce, aren’t you?” asked Tyler. “You didn’t kidnap her while we weren’t looking?”

  The girl giggled, shaking her head. “Yes, it’s still me. Actually, my name is Laura. Alyce is just an alias I enjoy using. Now, would you two like to go down?”

  “But the door is…” Summer began, pulling the trapdoor back open. “Is…”

  “Perfectly normal again? Yes, I closed it. We were all out, so there was no longer any reason to hold the door open.”

  Instead of the spiral version of her staircase, the stairs in front of them were solid stone. While Summer and Tyler stared, Alyce or Laura or whatever her name was, ran past them and down the stairs, her shoes clicking noisily as she quickly disappeared.

  “She’s strange,” said Summer.

  “Definitely,” Tyler agreed. “To be honest, though, she’s always has been, even when Petra would babysit. She’d have this look in her eye, as though she always knew more than was going on.”

  “So, should we follow her?”

  “I don’t think we have many other options,” said Tyler. “Come on.” He started down the stairs. Summer followed.

  “This is incredibly surreal,” she commented, wanting to talk so she wouldn’t start thinking and then start panicking. “How on Earth are we in this castle when just minutes ago we were in my house?”

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Laura appears to have had something to do with it.”

  “So do you think she was telling the truth about our parents? That they came here once?”

  Tyler shrugged. “Honestly, after what just happened, I think I’m willing to believe that there was at least some truth to her words. Also, I saw my dad get electrocuted today, and it didn’t even faze him.”

  “What?”

  “The electricity at the Lianos’ house is a mess,” Tyler explained. “And Dad … literally picked up a live wire with his bare hands. He didn’t realize I was watching, and I didn’t say anything about it, but there was no mistaking what he did. It was sparking and everything, and the strangest part was that he seemed to be controlling the sparks.”

  “So, you’re saying that because your dad can pick up live wires, all of this makes sense?” Summer failed to see the logic.

  “No, I’m just saying that it may have something to do with this.” Tyler answered. “You have to admit that this is all very strange.”

  “I believe I’ve already mentioned that.”

  “Oh, right, you did.”

  Neither said anything else as they on continued their way down. Summer wasn’t sure how, but somehow this staircase seemed to last even longer than it had when there was carpet. Also, it took more exertion than the way up had. There had been a sense of timelessness in the carpeted version of the staircase, as though the climb had been merely a dream. This stone staircase was very much real.

  Finally, they reached the bottom. Tyler pushed open the door at the end, and they found themselves in a large, grand hallway. It was lit by strange torches that burned pure white and gave off no smoke, and the floor was covered with a long, thick red carpet and Laura was nowhere in sight.

  “Which way do you think she went?” Summer asked, leaning into Tyler, trying to calm her pounding heart. Something about this place felt very off to her.

  “No idea.”

  “Which way do you think we ought to go? I’d rather we didn’t split up.”

  “Same here. Um … let’s go this way.”

  He started walking left. She saw no reason to argue, she followed him. After the echoing clicks and darkness of the stairway, the hush and brightness of this hallway was uncanny.

  Chills ran up and down Summer’s spine, and her heart thundered in her ears. She wanted to find the end of this corridor. She had to know who lived here.

  Quickening her step, she caught up to Tyler and slid her hand into his. He stopped short and looked down at her, confused.

  “This is a big hallway. It makes a girl feel small,” she said, glancing up at him with a small smile. “And when girls feel small, they like to hold the hands of big, strong men.”

  “Ah,” he said. “I … see.” He was terrible for flirting.

  They continued. More hallway. More strange torches, more red carpet. Was there no end? Sure, there were doors, but they, like as not, would lead into more tower prisons.

  Then one of the doors opened and a girl, wearing a red dress and too much jewelry, stepped into the hallway. She approached them, a sneering smile curling her lip. “Hello, what have we here? I don’t remember inviting you,” she said in a thick accent.

  “Petra?” breathed Tyler.

  As soon as he said it, Summer saw the resemblance. Had the girl been wearing glasses, purple, and her hair in a braid, it would have been Petra.

  “My name,” said she, “is Amber.”

  Chapter 2

  Laura was thoroughly unconscious. No amount of poking or shaking could rouse her, so since she was now a young child, Reuben scooped her up, laid her head against his shoulder, and carried her against his chest.

  “Okay, where am I taking her?” he asked.

  Ashley bit her lip and glanced down at the floor, feeling very lost and helpless. If Loray was empty and everyone was gone…

  “We ought to take her to Rintaya,” Petra said decisively. “If nothing else, she’ll be able to provide a bed for her to sleep in.”

  “Good ide
a,” said Reuben. “Which way is Rintaya?”

  “To be honest, I have no idea,” Petra admitted. “We’re in a kitchen that we haven’t been in before.”

  “Who is Rintaya?” asked Ashley. That wasn’t a name she knew.

  Petra turned to her. “She’s…” She paused and her expression softened. This was the first kind look she’d ever given Ashley. “You’ve said that your mother is dead, is that correct?”

  Ashley bit her lip and nodded, the formless grief churning in her stomach.

  “Then Rintaya would be your step-mother.”

  “My…” Ashley’s world tilted and spun around her. “So, you mean that my father remarried?” Of course, he would have.

  “He did,” said Reuben. “But I think you’ll like Rintaya. She’s a wonderful woman, and your father loves her very much. And she loves him.”

  “He couldn’t remember us,” Ashley whispered. It didn’t wash away the feeling of replacement that had overwhelmed her.

  “You grew up here in this castle, didn’t you?” asked Petra, putting a hand on Ashley’s shoulder. “Can you lead the way back to the Bookholder’s library? I’m afraid that Reuben and I are quite turned around, and I don’t think Reuben wants to hold Laura for the rest of the day.”

  Ashley gave a heavy sigh and nodded. Her mind was so very far away from that thought. She pulled away from Petra and shoved open the kitchen door, taking a deep breath as she plunged into the empty hall. She didn’t even care if they followed her.

  Her steps echoed in the hallways, so empty, so lifeless, so hollow. Fifty years. She’d been gone for fifty years.

  She’d always understood that she wouldn’t be returning to Rizkaland until it was time for the Final War, and it was an established fact that Amber would rule for fifty years before the war was fought. Yet even with the knowledge, it was only now that she fully grasped the meaning of those fifty years. It was only now that they finally crushed down on her with all of their weight. She’d come home only to discover that her world had moved on without her.