Unlocking Adeline (Skeleton Key)

by J. D. Hollyfield

  “Thwang you,” I mumble, as I try and swallow a cheek full.

  “So, I am not a mind reader, but… I think ye may have misread what ye saw.”

  I spit out the un-chewed cake pop and gape at Greta. “Greta, you’re a sorcerer, you can see the future! How are you not a mind reader?” Ugh, she is not helping. I should have kept what happened to myself.

  “Not everything I do or say has to be about magic, honey bunny. It’s about common sense. I don’t think Locke would jump the bones of that weasel, even if ye weren’t around. She has been chasing after that boy for years. I believe he made a bad judgment call here and there, when they were younger, but we’re all human. Too bad for him, she took it to the moon. She read between those lines to mean he loved her. And that if he wasn’t bound to a tradition, he would be with her.”

  “But if he doesn’t marry me, then he isn’t bound. He is more than capable of being with her,” I sniffle, taking my sleeve and wiping at my nose.

  “Sweet girl, for someone who is so fierce, ye sure are blind sometimes.” Her name calling doesn’t sit well with me and I stand to leave. “Oh sit down. I made homemade gummy bears, and if ye run off now, ye won’t get any,” she lectures me.

  “Gummy bears? Those are my favorite.”

  “I know, so sit down.” Feeling like she has me trapped by her magical house of sweets, I sit, keeping my pout face in full affect. “Addie sweetie, sometimes things are closer than they appear.”

  At that, my eyebrows raise.

  “Greta, you just recited the warning sign on the side view mirror of cars, seriously?”

  “Ah well, sometimes the best advice is right in front of our faces then. Locke feels what ye feel. He just doesn’t understand it. I heard what he did the past three days. Hell, practically the whole kingdom has heard how he’s whisked ye away, showing all the greatness of what ye can do if, and when, ye decide to stay. Have ye ever thought about those things that he showed ye? They have nothing to do with things ye would do if ye were with Christof? Those aren’t his brother’s passions. Those are his. He showed ye a piece of him.”

  “He did?” He did! Why didn’t I see it then?

  “What if he took ye to see the children and ye hated it. Hated everything that he believed in? It would have proved to him that the marriage wasn’t a good fit. He doesn’t want a wife who will pull him away from doing good. He saw ye melt for those children. Debate with the townspeople over wages and save that child during the construction mishap. I think Lockelan fell even more in love with ye than he already secretly had been.”

  He’s in love with me? I don’t know what to say. I never thought about it that way. I always thought that he was showing me stuff because that’s what was expected of me or what Christof was involved in. There was always that small hope that Locke was finally letting me in, but then he would turn at the drop of a hat, shutting down on me. It wasn’t until the third day that I started to feel like he was hiding something. “Why didn’t I put it together then?” I say, more to myself. How the kids melted when they saw Locke, how he knew all the horses names when we met with Oliver. How Fredrick even told me Locke’s mark on Drumberg.

  “Why? Why wouldn’t he just be honest with me?”

  “Because he was testing ye maybe. Locke is very guarded as ye can see. He doesn’t trust well. I also don’t think he wants all the pressure of becoming King. He wants to do what he loves and live his life.”

  I’m in a state of sugar high and shock right now. I don’t even know what to say, how to feel. Does he feel the way Greta claims he does? Can he? Shit, do I feel that way? Can something happen this quick? My wrist begins to heat at the thought of us becoming a family.

  “What do I do, Greta? I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do.” And I don’t. It’s been a constant roller-coaster since the day he took me. He is so intense that I don’t know whether to ride the wave with him or jump ship to safer ground.

  I don’t know if I love Locke. I don’t know that he can love me. But I know that something gravitates us together. And when I’m with him, truly with him, my body wants nothing more than to be wrapped around his, and never let go.

  “Honey bunny, I think ye know what ye want, but I also think ye need to give it some time. Say, possibly until tonight, because I have a bunch more recipes to make and I need yer help. Then it’s sangria and The Bachelor time.”

  I just shake my head at her. “Fine, you have a deal. I kind of promised Christof a date with Maria, so I need to lay low until dark. You have yourself a Sous Chef. What’s first?”

  “Cookie monster cookies.”

  Go figure.

  I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun baking. My mom didn’t bake much, so we never got the true effect of making homemade anything. Greta put me to work while we made peanut butter cup brownies, blueberry cobbler, followed by a glazed lemon pound cake. The final thing on her menu was sangria. I tried to object, since I wasn’t a fan of wine, but she waved me off saying it wasn’t wine. It was magical wine.

  To my surprise, it was fantastic. We sat down and watched three episodes of The Bachelor. I wasn’t going to be shocked if she told me she had a DVR, but instead, she threw me for another loop, with “Duh, I can see the future, two of the three episodes haven’t happened yet.” Of course, they haven’t.

  Every time a girl cried, Greta forced us to drink. Since that show is filled with a bunch of babies, I was pretty toasted by the time I hugged her goodbye and went on my merry way.

  I stepped off her porch into the dark night and nearly biffed it, laughing at myself the whole way down the path. I mean seriously, who cries because she was placed next to a taller girl than her? Chicks are nuts, man! I stumble again over a rock this time, almost smacking my face into the ground. Thankfully, I catch myself and land on my butt. As I sit on the ground, trying to shake off this drunkenness, a boy approaches me. “Miss, are ye Lady Adeline?” he inquires.

  “That I might be kind, Sir, what can I trouble you with this fine evening?” I giggle. I kind of like my new slang. He hands me a note and runs away. “Wait! What is this?!” But the boy doesn’t stop to answer. I look at the paper while turning it over. Finally using my brain, I unfold it to see that it’s a written note, addressed to me.

  My Dearest Adeline,

  Please meet me in the wood shed. I must talk to ye. It’s important.

  Lockelan

  I hiccup as I try and read the letter again; making sure I read it correctly. The way the letter started out, I was thinking it was from Christof, until I see Locke’s name signed at the bottom. Both anger and excitement run through my mind as I pull myself up from the ground. Maybe Greta was right. He’s going to confess his feelings for me. But then he better confess what the hell he was doing with Farah. I turn directions and head toward the wood shed, stomping my feet like I mean business, or more like trying not to fall over. I’m seriously starting to question if Greta roofied me.

  I make it to the shed and the door is open. He must already be inside. I walk into the darkness, trying to force my eyes to adjust. “Locke?” I call out his name and I am met with silence.

  “Locke, are you in here?” I call again, as I hear the door slam shut. I turn, “Hey!” It’s now completely pitch-black. I stick my hands out, trying to reach for anything in front of me. “Open the door! I can’t see!” I yell to whoever shut the door. Three more steps and I feel a wall, working my fingers alongside the wooden surface, I finally feel the doorknob. It’s when I try and turn it that it doesn’t budge. “Hey! Someone let me out of here!” I bang on the door. “Locke, this isn’t funny! Let me out!” I’m starting to get a little nervous. I don’t particularly like the dark and I’m beginning to panic. The room is small and who knows what sort of animals are hiding away in here. As I pull at the knob once more, I begin to smell smoke. Turning around in the dark space, I glance at my feet and that’s when I notice the colorful flames of fire.

  “Oh, you have to be kid
ding me. Help!” I turn back banging on the door with more power until the heat from the flames make it too hot to stay close to the door. I’m forced to back away into the darkness of the shed. I’ve never been in here, so I’m not sure if there is a back way out. I continue to back up when I hit a pile and trip backwards. Hitting my head, I try and sit up, but the smoke has taken up a good portion of the room and I begin to cough. Pulling up my dress, I try to cover my mouth, needing to get back on my feet. I force myself up, reaching out to feel what’s around me. Wood, clearly. I work my way to the back of the hut, hoping to escape the nearing flames. I scream once more for help, but the smoke sucks into my lungs and instead I burst into a fit of coughing spasms.

  “Oh God,” I cry. I’m going to die in here. “Help! Please,” I beg once more when a log slips from under my feet and I go tumbling down, knocking the wind out of me. I lay helpless on the floor, the flames crawling closer to me and no one to hear my screams. I start to cry some more, but the smoke burns my eyes. I cover my mouth, but it’s pointless because no matter what, I’m starting to struggle to breathe.

  The fire lets out a loud crackle and a small explosion sounds by the door. I roll, trying not to get hit, but I also smack my head on another log, dizzying myself.

  It’s then I hear screams above the sounds of wood breaking, and finally light, besides the glaring fires, shining through. “Adeline!” I hear my name being shouted, and I want to call back, but the burning in my throat denies me.

  “Adeline!” There it is again.

  “Help,” I call, just above a whisper, exhausting the rest of my energy. Laying my head on the dirt floor, I give in to my fate.

  “What do ye mean the door was sealed shut!?” The booming voice belonging to Locke rattles me awake. I open one eye, but shut it because it feels drier than the Sahara Desert.

  “Sir, when we saw the flames, we tried to enter the shed, but it was secured with a post. As if someone had sealed it shut.”

  “I want to know who did this, and I want to know NOW!” Locke’s voice rattles my brain.

  “Can you please stop yelling,” I groan, his loud voice not helping my headache.

  Locke is instantly by my side, brushing away at my burnt smelling hair. “Adeline, are ye alright? Jesus, please say something.”

  “Is my hair burnt off?” I ask, since it’s important to know if I’m bald, for one. I open an eye again to an angry, but confused Locke. “No, Addie, yer hair is fine. What were ye doing in the wood shed?”

  “I was meeting you there,” I rasp, starting to cough.

  “Shhh. Take yer time. Meeting me there, why were ye meeting me there?” he asks, petting my hair away from my face.

  “Because you sent me the note to meet you.” I mean duh, I don’t really think this is the time to play hard to get.

  “I’m serious, Adeline, why were ye in there? I sent no such note.” I open both eyes and stare at him. He looks like he’s telling the truth.

  I go to sit up and my bones feel achy. “I was walking home from Greta’s and a boy came out of nowhere, handing me a note. It said it was from you. That you needed to talk to me. That it was important and to meet you there.”

  He looks at me for some time, as if questioning me somehow. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask.

  “It’s just that…” He pauses. “Are ye sure it was Greta ye were with?”

  What is this? Does he think I’m lying? “Um, yes, I was with Greta. Where were you!?” I throw his accusations back at him.

  “I’m not the one who has been gone for the past day and a half. Not to mention when we found ye, ye smelled like a damn alehouse. I’m surprised by yer breath alone ye didn’t blow up the place. We had to let ye sleep it off, not knowing if ye were dead or sleeping off the ale!”

  He is going to eat my fist. I sit up, lifting my arm to swing. How dare he question where I’ve been while he’s been running around with his damn mistress? “You big ogre, you better get away from me or you’re gonna be sorry! Don’t you question me where I’ve been! Where have you been! Huh? Oh, and how’s Farah, by the way?” My anger skyrockets and I’m about to blow through the roof. His eyes are also on fire, and I know his temper is about to ignite.

  “What does Farah have to do with this? I was looking for ye, but ye were preoccupied. How’s my brother? What, did I not do it for ye? Did ye have to—”

  Yep. I swing.

  I also miss, practically throwing myself off the bed. Locke catches me, immediately locking my hands in place. “I suggest ye cool down before I help do it for ye.”

  “Oh, I’m not cooling off anytime soon! I’m just getting started!” I fight in his arms. He’s a dead man. That’s when he stands abruptly, throwing me over his shoulder. “What are you doing, you big ofe! Put me down!” He doesn’t respond, nor puts me down. He walks out of my room and down the stairs. He doesn’t stop until he is outside of the castle, the sun shining above. Geez, how long did I sleep for?

  “Locke, put me down, where are we going?” I ask, trying to decipher his intensions while upside down.

  “I’m helping ye cool off, Princess,” he says, fury in his voice. That surely doesn’t sound good for me. I look around, wondering what he is doing, when I see it. The lake.

  “Oh, no, you put me down right now, Locke or I swear to God I’m going to—”

  He tosses me, with ease, right into the lake. While I go under, I scream every obscenity I can think of. As I pop up above water, I see him standing there looking smug. That’s when I begin to flap my hands. “Help! I can’t swim! Help!” I dip under water for a few seconds, bobbing back up, again screaming for help. The look on Locke’s face is pure horror.

  “Oh shite!” He doesn’t bother undressing, just dives into the water for me. He makes it to me, just in time for me to go under once more, before I feel his arms wrap about my waist.

  “I got ye, I got ye. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. Are ye okay?” He holds me trying to get a good look at my face. Brushing my wet hair away for my eyes, he sees it.

  “Ye can swim, can’t ye?” he says.

  I wrap my arms around his neck. “Well, I hope so. I won State my freshman and sophomore year on the swim team.”

  It’s then he realizes that I tricked him. I smile over my win, and I watch his eyes do their thing as he attacks me. His mouth, the wetness of both our lips colliding as he kisses me. And God, do I kiss him back. “Ye drive me completely mad, ye know that, right?” He kisses me again. As we wrap ourselves around one another, fighting to get closer, that feeling arises in me again. Such deep sated emotions that threaten to suffocate me. We attack one another, fighting to get closer as if needing to make up for a lifetime without each other. I allow him to take control and cover every single piece of my skin with his lips. My arms go up into his hair, and I push his head closer as he rips my dress to the side. I’m hoping his plans are to wrap his luscious lips around my already perked nipple, but I can sense he is struggling to float and hold me any longer, I moan, “grass,” praying he understands me. He pulls away, that fire in his eyes. I love that I do that to him. He kicks the few strokes it takes us until he can feel the bottom, and then he’s off. We’re out of the lake and I am being laid onto the lush green grass. Our wet clothes are off instantly and Locke is pushing inside of me.

  “What’s the deal with you and Farah?” I ask, laying my head on Locke’s bare chest. “Would you have married her if it wasn’t for finding me?”

  Locke wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer to his side. “No, Addie, I would not have. Farah and I have been playmates since we were little. She is like a sister to me.”

  “A sister you sleep with?” I reply accusingly.

  “Ahhh, chatty maids. Well, I am a man, and I am no innocent. I have made some mistakes with her. But she knows where I stand. She knows we will never be together. I don’t feel that way for her. And she for me.”

  At that, I begin to laugh. “Yeah right! You must be bli
nd then, pal. She has the look of lust in her eyes. She believes that you and her are going to ride into the sunset together.”

  He lifts his head. “Don’t be childish.”

  “I’m not! Even Ellie told me that she boasts around town how you and her are going to be paired once the tradition is unbound.”

  He lies back down. “Well, Ellie is wrong.”

  I sit up now. “Do you think it could have been her who lured me into the shed? In an attempt to get rid of me?”

  Locke opens an eye. “No, that’s nonsense. Farah might have her faults, but she would never do that. She is a sweet girl. She means well. So get that thought out of yer head. She would never try and hurt me like that.” Hurt him? As if he would be hurt if I had perished into a pile of ash if he hadn’t rescued me? A tiny little flutter sets fire in my stomach.

  “Can I ask you another question then?”

  “Ye seem to be on a roll, so go ahead.”

  I smack him in the chest but he quickly brings me back down. Allowing my cheek to press against his chest, I snuggle in closer wrapping my arms around his waist. “What did you do that whole year you were in Seattle?” I ask, feeling his body tense under me. My question catches him off guard. He didn’t know I knew. “How did… Ahh, Greta.”

  “Yeah, she told me you found me almost a year ago. Why didn’t you bring me home then?”

  There is a long pause before he answers me. “Well, when I first found ye, to be honest, I didn’t know it was ye at first. I expected someone much different than the person ye actually were.” He stops, lifting his head and adjusting us on our sides so we’re facing. “Let me explain why. In my own head I had pictured ye being a stuck up girl, who had everything she ever wanted. No care for others. I went in search for ye already with a chip on my shoulder. I was angry that ye were off living yer own life, all grand, while back in Wren, I was being held down. Forced to the laws of a Book, to marry and become something I didn’t want. But then when I realized who ye were, things changed. I was shocked. Ye were nothing what I was expecting.” He pauses to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear.