The next time she went to the shop, the bell jingled as she opened the door. It would take a moment for her to realize that her stuff was in a box by the door, and her desk was empty.
An unfamiliar face popped their head around the corner. A boy, maybe a little younger than Aspen, came up to the desk, looking at her. "Ah, sorry to make you wait, Ma'am. What can I do for you?"
He shied away, looking nervous. "Oh, uhm, in his office. I'll get him for you, if you'd like to sit in our waiting area."
The boy knocked on the door, speaking quietly. There was a pause before he returned to Aspen, somewhat nervously. "He's very busy right now, ma'am. May I take a message?"
"I will not," she replied fiercely. "He can't just kick me out and keep my friend without telling me!"
He looked extremely confused and nervous. "Please, ma'am, just... just let me take a message. It's..."
At first, the room inside was so dim that she wasn't able to adjust properly. Soon after, though, she would realize that the entire room was ticking. Large gears moved in the floorboards, and levers were reaching out of every wall. There were screens at the end of the room, and Mr. Pemberly was in front of them. He turned, and his eyes were sunken from a lack of sleep. It was hard to recognize his expression, but she would see him take a deep breath. "Ethan! Summon the guards!"
