The Last Keyholder

by Jamie Summer

  “We only had a piece of paper one of your predecessors found. We couldn’t crack the code, so we needed to move on to the next one. We’ve studied you for a while, ever since you lost your sister. You were the perfect candidate, considering all the guilt you carried inside you.”

  Tears welled in my eyes at the mention of my sister, but I refused to let them fall. There was no way I was going to show weakness in front of this man.

  He continued. “Anyway, imagine my surprise when you not only solved the first clue, but continued to do so throughout the quest. It was rather unfortunate that those monkeys who work for the keyholder tried to kill you a few times, but that was why you had Nathan with you.” He spread his arms wide. “Now look at us. All together again. Makes me feel almost nostalgic.” The satisfied smirk on his face sent a shiver down my spine.

  “Why do you want to find the keyholder so badly? What’s in it for you?” I wanted to know, unable to figure out this piece of the puzzle.

  “Finding the keyholder will finally get me the glory I’ve been waiting for. For centuries, my family has been trying to find him. The myth says whoever finds him will have control over any event in history, as well as anything that might happen in the future. It’s the power to change everything. Think of all the things we could do.” A smile spread across Joseph’s face.

  Once my mind caught up with his explanation, I reacted. My hand came up, slapping him across the face.

  “Ouch. That wasn’t very ladylike.” The evil smirk hadn’t left, but I didn’t miss the glint of darkness in his eyes as he watched me closely. I saw him for the predator he was. “If I were you, I’d think long and hard about my next actions. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to the people you love, right? Think about your mom and dad.”

  “Keep your hands off my parents,” I hissed.

  He laughed. “That’s the spirit.”

  I took a step forward, positioning myself to slap him another time, when Nathan stepped in front of me, blocking the way. His gaze darted to mine.

  “He’s not worth it,” he whispered.

  While every fiber of my being wanted to do as I was told, the last thing I wanted at this point was to heed advice from the man who broke my heart…twice.

  “Em, he’s—”

  “Spare me.” My voice was cold, mirroring the temperature my heart had taken on.

  “Oh, lover’s quarrel?”

  I wanted to wipe that smirk of Joseph’s face, but Nathan still blocked my way.

  “Well, this is nice, but I believe we need to get down to business, don’t we?” Joseph said, then walked off toward the side of the cemetery where a crypt stood. I couldn’t remember much about who was put to rest there, just that it was some wealthy family from long ago.

  “What do you expect to find there?” I yelled, but he didn’t stop or acknowledge my words. Instead, he continued walking. Not thinking about what I was doing, I followed. I heard Nathan a few steps behind me, glad he kept his distance.

  The guys dressed in black started gravitating toward the burial chamber, but didn’t let us out of their sight for a second, as if making sure we wouldn’t make a run for it.

  Joseph reached the entrance of the chamber and pushed the heavy stone door open. I was surprised there wasn’t a lock on it that prevented people from entering, but didn’t have enough time to wonder about it too much. Instead, I ran after Nathan’s brother. The moment I entered the chamber, I felt coldness seep into my body. Ice spread through my veins. There was something about this place that made me want to run. There was danger in the air, a subtle hint of it in every corner.

  “This is the right place,” Joseph whispered as Nathan entered. “This is the spot I’ve been searching for all my life.” His hands touched the cold, damp wall, as if it would reveal all its secrets. “Search the area and see if you find anything that looks vaguely suspicious.” Six of his men passed me and started searching the chamber for any clues. They studied the walls, corners, even tried to open the actual graves.

  “Sir, I think I found something,” one yelled after a few minutes. Joseph walked over. I was curious and followed, Nathan beating me there. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who wanted to see what the search found.

  I couldn’t see much because Joseph’s back hid whatever discovery they’d made, but his excited exclamation made it clear they had found something.

  “It’s exactly like the one on the picture. This has to be it.”

  As he turned, I saw the small dark key in his hands and gasped. It was an exact replica of the key symbol we found in Lucerne. The intricate design, a few lines woven together, was something people used in the earlier ages, not in this century. If I had to guess, this key was at least two hundred years old.

  “Now all we need is a lock,” Joseph concluded. His men continued their search. It didn’t take long until another guy yelled from the other side of the chamber. He stood beside one of the graves, pointing at something in the stone wall.

  “This looks like it might be a lock,” Joseph said the moment he laid eyes on it. I resisted the urge to walk over and check for myself. This wasn’t right. We shouldn’t be here.

  The closer they came to finding what they were looking for, the more my unease grew. Something evil lurked in this chamber, and it grew worse the more time we spent here. Did it get just colder in here? My teeth chattered and I took a few deep breaths, willing some warmth back into my body.

  “We should go. I don’t have a good feeling about this,” I whispered to no one in particular.

  “Are you scared, little Emlyn? I guess I can’t really say as I blame you. However, where’s the woman who would’ve done anything to get her dead sister back? Where’s the woman who should’ve prevented little Jess from getting behind the wheel that night? Is she still there? Or has she tucked her tail between her legs and admitted defeat?” Joseph teased, his head turned toward me. The taunting smile on his face didn’t make me want to slap him anymore. Instead, all it made me want to do was run.

  “Enough!” I yelled at the same time as Nathan.

  “Yes, little Emlyn. I guess it is enough. Let’s focus on what’s important, shall we?”

  Without waiting for an answer, Joseph refocused on the task in front of him. He ran his fingers along the hole in the wall. The key was in his hand, ready to be used.

  “Here goes nothing,” he whispered and put it into the lock. It fit perfectly. He turned it, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did.

  “What the fuck?” he yelled, kicking the wall with his booted foot. “Why is it not working? I know this is the right place.”

  I released a breath, relief rushing through me. I glanced back at Nathan, seeing he felt the same. Some of the tension had left his shoulders. I wanted to say something, then remembered I was still mad at him.

  A screeching sound caught my attention. The sound of stone moving against stone. I turned back and gasped when I saw the walls in front of Joseph separating, creating a walkway right in the middle.

  “That’s what I’m talking about,” he triumphantly said and clapped the shoulder of the guy next to him. “That’s what I’m talking about,” he repeated, satisfied. His eyes met mine. The glimmer of challenge was back in them. “Ready?”

  I wasn’t. Absolutely not. I was still trying to figure out how something like a secret walkway even existed in the burial chamber. In my hometown. A town with merely a thousand inhabitants. A town where nothing bad ever happened.

  “Nathan, would you please help Emlyn walk? Apparently, she is unable to. You’ve been such a good brother so far, doing everything you’ve been told. So, please, help her forward, will you?”

  My head spun toward Nathan. I saw his fists clenching in anger.

  “I will not. I have no idea what you think is down there, but this is as far as we go. We got you here. The rest is up to you,” he told Joseph, his voice low, determined, leaving no room for discussion. I would’ve almost admired it…if I weren’t
reminded of the fact that Nathan was the one who had led me here in the first place. That it had been his job to lead me here.

  God, I’d been so stupid.

  When I thought about it, though, it explained so much. His reluctance to let me go off on my own, him being with me, even though he’d told me there was nothing between us. So much of it made sense.

  “We’re not going down there,” I heard him say, but I wasn’t going to let him talk for me anymore.

  “Whatever you think you’re doing, you’re on your own. I came here to say goodbye to my sister, nothing else. I’m done with this whole keyholder business.” I turned on my heels, but before I made it two steps, strong hands engulfed my arms from both sides, keeping me in place.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Joseph hissed. I glanced between the two non-descriptive guys keeping me hostage. “Let’s take a walk, shall we?” And with that, he vanished into the opening in the wall.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The small, stony walkway was barely big enough for one person. The ceiling was only about five feet high, meaning everyone had to duck in order to move along. Whoever built the path must have been short. Everyone, except Nathan and me, carried a flashlight that illuminated the way.

  We continued for ten, fifteen minutes without seeing anything of significance. There was nothing but stone around us, and the farther we walked, the humidity and wetness started to cling to me. The others didn’t fare any better, but I couldn’t care less about their wellbeing. The only one I tried to catch a glimpse of, despite my better judgment, was Nathan. He seemed to be doing okay.

  “There’s something up ahead, boss,” a voice from the front called, and Joseph, who was a few steps ahead of me, yelled at them to move to the side. I had no idea how he would pass his men, but he squeezed through, managing to make his body smaller and more flexible than a man should be. A loud crunch echoed.

  “What was that?” I asked, my heart rate picking up.

  “The walls are old. Wouldn’t surprise me if there are all kinds of noises they make all day long,” the guy closest to me remarked. His words didn’t fill me with confidence. Somehow, it sounded way more dangerous than the usual crunch you hear with age. It almost sounded as if a piece of the wall had come off. Could it be possible?

  The noise came again. And again. Everyone was quiet as they listened to it. As it continued in rapid succession, I finally realized what was happening.

  “This thing is gonna collapse. We need to leave. Now!”

  The guys laughed at my plea.

  “Boss said you’re a scared little chicken. Don’t fret. We’ll keep you safe,” one mocked. Despite my desire, I refrained from banging one of the guys’ heads against the wall. I doubted it would feel as satisfying as the mere thought was.

  “Keep moving,” Joseph yelled from the front.

  One of the guys grasped my arm, moving me forward. We followed the tunnel into nothingness. Dread settled in my heart. I knew the farther we went, the closer we got to not making it out alive. I was certain of it. I tried to bolt more than once, but never managed to get far.

  You could barely see, the flashlights only lighting a few feet in front of us. I suddenly felt a soft breeze, my eyes widening as I stepped into a huge underground temple.

  The room was at least as tall as a two-story house. It was empty…except for the huge statue in the middle. I studied the monument, something about it seeming familiar. It depicted a man dressed in a long robe. Despite the hood he wore, his face was visible.

  The man had the same evil and menacing glint in his eyes Joseph did. The only difference was he was older. There were age lines on his forehead, and his skin showed clear signs of years long past. Whoever made the statue had a great eye for detail and took his time with it. The wavy hair peeking out of his hood hung down to his shoulders, each strand carved with the utmost of care.

  “Is that him?” one of the guys asked.

  “I think it might be,” Joseph said, circling the statue a few times before coming to a halt next to me. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” he marveled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen something quite as exquisite as this statue before.”

  I didn’t share the sentiment, but stayed quiet.

  “If that’s the keyholder, I don’t think the ability to change past and present will be yours anytime soon,” Nathan remarked. He’d taken a spot on the opposite side of me, and I didn’t miss the angry glare he shot toward his brother.

  “Uh-huh. Always the pessimist.” Joseph grinned. Something about the way his eyes danced with happiness made me wonder if he knew more than he let on. “You should know me better than that, brother. I always know what I’m doing.”

  Nathan’s stony exterior crumbled. His eyes widened and mouth opened, as if he couldn’t believe what his brother was doing. I felt like an outsider not getting the joke.

  Joseph suddenly grabbed me. I yelled out at the jerky movement.

  “Over here,” he growled, giving me a hard push. I fell from the force of it, hitting my side on the statue. Pain exploded inside me, and I had to bite my lip in order to not cry out. I cowered in front of the stone structure, trying to get as much distance between Joseph and myself as possible. “Don’t move.” I did as I was told, paralyzed with fear. His sudden change in demeanor made my panic flare up.

  I watched him go over to one of his men and grab a knife from the guy’s belt, stalking over to where I sat on the ground. His hand reached for mine, but I pulled away before he had a chance to take it.

  “Don’t make me hurt you, Emlyn. Let me assure you, that’s nothing you want,” he threatened. I felt it in every bone of my body. The man in front of me made all my alarm bells go off.

  My eyes darted toward the exit, calculating my chances of making it there before anyone caught me. They weren’t good. There were too many of Joseph’s goons around.

  “Give me your hand.”

  He made another grab for it. This time, I wasn’t fast enough. He quickly sliced my palm with the knife. Blood flowed instantly. Although it wasn’t deep, I felt myself getting light-headed. He forcefully pulled me up and pushed my palm against the statue.

  “What are you doing?” I yelled, struggling against his grip.

  “I’m waking the keyholder,” he stated, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He held my bleeding hand over the statue’s chest, the blood running down its stomach and legs. Joseph continued to hold me in place, watching the red liquid drip all over the statue.

  I had no idea what he thought was going to happen, but nothing did. The tense mood in the room was unbearable.

  “No!” Joseph’s voice shattered the quiet around us, echoing along the empty walls. “It has to work. We did everything right.”

  He let go of me. I crumbled to the ground in a heap of emotions and exhaustion. Nathan ran up to me, his hands grasping my face as he knelt in front of me.

  “I’m okay,” I assured him.

  “Let me see the cut,” he demanded. I thought about telling him where to stick his request. I was still mad at him, having no idea what role he played in this whole charade, but I was tired and wanted to go home. The sting in my palm got worse by the second, so I held it out to him. “We need to wrap it before too much dirt gets in it. Otherwise, it’ll get infected.” He ripped off a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around the wound.

  “You!” Joseph’s voice startled us both. His brows were pinched together and his lips set in a tight line. “Get over here. It’s your fault this happened. Fix it!” He grabbed me before Nathan had a chance to pull me out of the way. His brother’s goons kept him from coming to my rescue, and I saw the anguish on his face at not being able to help me.

  Maybe he had told the truth. Maybe he honestly hadn’t remembered his supposed mission. Maybe not everything we had was a lie. I wanted it to be true.

  Another pull from Joseph brought me back to the present. I found myself pressed against the wall, knife against my throat. Fear
surged through me as I felt the blade nick my skin. My eyes widened at the deadly glint in Joseph’s eyes.

  “What did you do? Did you fool us? Is this not the location of the keyholder?”

  “You found the key yourself. The same key we’ve seen pictures of on our journey. This is the right place. I have no idea what the issue is,” I replied, surprised my voice sounded calmer than I felt. Instead of my answer satisfying him, it only angered him more. The knife dug deeper into my skin.

  “Joseph, think about it. What exactly is she supposed to have done? I’ve been with her the whole time,” Nathan said. If I didn’t have a knife so close to my body, I would’ve pointed out that, in fact, Nathan hadn’t been with me all the time. Moot point right now.

  “Because you’re such a trusted ally? Tell me, dear brother. What kind of feelings do you have for this little bitch here?”

  I flinched at the harshness of his question, but couldn’t deny I was curious to hear the answer. Nathan’s eyes met mine, and I knew the exact moment he decided what his answer was going to be. The gentleness and love I saw were replaced by an emotionless and uncaring mask.

  “I don’t care for her at all,” he answered.

  A laugh escaped Joseph’s lips. “Is that so?” His mocking tone told me more than the evil glint in his eyes ever could. “So you wouldn’t care if something were to happen to her, right? I could do whatever I wanted with her.” He pulled the knife away from my skin.

  For a moment, I thought he’d reconsidered, then his face was back in front of me. His lips pressed against mine, urging me to partake, but I was too stunned to react. When my brain caught up, I tried to push him away, but he was too strong. He didn’t budge an inch. I couldn’t see Nathan, but I heard his low growl.

  Joseph’s lips glided along my cheeks, down my throat. “Ah, I see. You definitely don’t mind me doing this.” His tongue skimmed along my collarbone, making me shiver in repulsion. When I tried to fight back, he held my hands above my head with one hand, effectively pinning me against the statue. And him. “And you don’t mind me doing this, do you?” His free hand moved along my stomach, my waist, and back up again. I closed my eyes, unable to look at him any longer. “Open your eyes.” I didn’t comply. I couldn’t. “Open your goddamn eyes, Emlyn, or I will get the knife out again.” My eyes shot open. “That’s better.” He grinned and kissed me another time, his tongue pushing against my lips to open for him. I fought with everything I had, but Joseph was stronger than me…in more ways than one.