Unlocking Adeline (Skeleton Key) (28 page)

He can’t be telling me this. If this was true then she wouldn’t have left.

“Ye are lying to me. She left the moment I handed her that key. That does not show the commitment of a girl who wanted to stay.”

“Ahh, yes, well I can’t answer that for ye. It may be due to the excessive force ye had on her.
Demanding
that she left. Or maybe it was the way ye treated her. I’m sure it didn’t help that she saw ye leaving Farah’s cottage, half dressed. Or the fact that Farah made it clear to her ye both wanted her gone. Or
maybe
because Farah tricked the errand boy into swapping out the letters to the chef, which I just got him to confess. Wanted to come by and let ye know. But yes, it will forever be a mystery what drove her to leave.” Christof now tapping his fingers against his chin, “But either way, I am saddened that she is gone. Certainly can’t blame her for leaving. I too, would run after the failed trust ye had in her.”

I get up from my chair, slam it against the wall, and prowl toward my brother. “I dare ye to tell me how to treat people.” I get in his face, but he doesn’t back down.

“Ye can be mad all ye want, Brother, but ye drove her away, no one else.” I go to swing when we both hear it.

The sounds of rumbling.

Thunder.

Someone is using the key.

I push past my brother, but he is high on my tail. Storming through the castle, I make it to the entrance and see Ellie running up the stone path toward us.

“What is it? Who just entered?” I demand meeting her halfway.

“Sir… sir.” Out of breath, she is unable to reply.

“Oh, just say it, Ellie.” My patience is running thin.

“It’s him. It’s Richard McAllister. He has returned, Sir,” She heaves.

My blood immediately begins to boil. “That son of bitch has some nerve to return here.” I growl, storming toward the center of the village. I will get my hands on him and end his life, something I should have done when I first saw him a year ago.

“But wait, Sir, there’s more!” Ellie runs after me. “He is carrying Miss Adeline, Sir, and she does not look well. Her eyes were closed, and she looked… She looked as if she was….” I stop in my tracks to make eye contact with Ellie. “What do ye mean he’s
carrying
her, why?”

“I’m not sure. Her skin is very pale and she had not woken, even after her father ran with her to the sorcerer, Sir.” My heart stops. In my chest, a sudden feeling I cannot explain. Panic? Uncertainty? Why has Richard returned, and why in God’s name is he carrying his daughter?

I run.

I don’t stop until I get to the entrance of Greta’s cottage. A gathering has formed and I have to push my way inside. Breaking through the barrier of villagers, I stop in my tracks. Ellie was telling the truth.

“What is going on? How dare ye return here, Richard. Ye and yer daughter made yer choice. Ye are not welcome here.”

Surprising me, Richard turns to me, eyes blazing. He comes at me and immediately, two of my guards blocking his attack.

“Ye were supposed to take care of her! Ye promised! Ye promised! Is that how ye run things now? Ye decide one is no good and ye send them home on their death bed!?” He tries to come at me again, fighting through the hold he’s in.

“I did no such thing. Yer daughter chose to leave on her own, and she left in the same health she entered.”

“Liar!” He breaks down crying. “Look at her! Look what ye have done. Ye take yer hatred out on me, but please not my daughter. Please. Save her. Please don’t let my daughter die.”

The words confuse me.
Die?
Why would Addie be dying? “I give ye my word. Let Greta heal her and I will stand trial. I will pay for the sins I have brought on Wren. I will trade my life for hers. Please, don’t let her die.”

Again that word. It rings like a loud drum in my ear. Why does he keep saying that? “Stop! Stop saying that. Adeline left here fine. There is nothing wrong with her.” I speak with truth, but the look on Richard’s face is telling otherwise. I peer over to Greta who looks sullen, and again to Ellie, who is in tears.

“Where is she?” I demand. I need to see her for myself. Prove this is just another scam of hers. I won’t let her trick me once again.

At my request, everyone slowly moves, providing an open path to the counter where I now recognize Adeline. I inhale a gust of air.
Oh, Addie.
The look of her almost brings me to my knees.
No. That can’t be her.
My legs refuse to move. I refuse to believe that is her lying on the counter, pale and frail looking, and she isn’t moving. When my feet finally give in I slowly make it to her. “Christ Almighty.” I place my fingers around her small hand, feeling the clamminess of her skin. “What happened to her?” I turn, needing answers. “Release him. I want answers and I want them now. Who did this to her?” My guards release Richard and he stumbles forward to his daughter. I begin to block him so he cannot harm her, but then I remember he’s the one who brought her here.

“She came home like this. I heard some ruffling in the living room, late one afternoon, two days ago. I came out to find her bleeding from her stomach. She was unresponsive. We rushed her to the hospital. She had three stab wounds to her side. They were able to stitch her up and stop the bleeding, but her fever wasn’t breaking. They couldn’t help her. It’s then it hit me. She was poisoned. The only thing that would cause this was the metal from an Ironbark Skewer dagger.” Richard lifts the side of Adeline’s hospital gown to show her stomach.

“Bloody hell,” I gasp, bringing my focus on Adeline. I take a deep breath and lift the sheet higher to see the full wounds, purple and infected. The green lining around the wound indicates he is correct. She was indeed stabbed with an Ironbark. Someone tried to kill her.

“I don’t understand. I gave her the key. She left with it. I heard the thunder shortly after. She chose on her own to return home.” I feel the panic begin to set in. How did this happen? As horrible as I was, I was only giving her an out. I can’t imagine she would have wanted to stay after the bastard things I said, but she didn’t stay and fight. If she didn’t want to stay here, and make a life with me, I wasn’t going to force her. I may have wounded her with my words, but this…

“Please help her. Please, don’t let my Addie die.”

His pleas are like knives scraping all over my mind and body. I lift my hands and thrust them through my hair
. This is not happening. This is not happening.
“Greta.” My voice cracks, giving away my worry. “Help her. Give her an antidote, now,” I order. Reaching for Addie’s lifeless hand, another feeling flies through me. Fear. No one is moving fast enough. “Well, what are ye waiting for, dammit! Mix something together! Use yer magic!”

“Lockelan, I can try, but she has been infected with the poison for more than one should be and still be alive.”

No. No.

“No, ye will make the antidote and ye will heal her. Now.” There is no other solution to this.

“Loc—”

“NOW!” I boom. I can’t. I can’t even imagine that there is another option but for her to wake up. The room feels like it’s spinning. I try to get air into my lungs but I’m struggling to breathe. I turn, leaning over Adeline’s still body, brushing away her loose hair. I know she loves when I do that. “My sweet Adeline, who did this to ye?” Who would do something like this? “Yer going to be fine. Just please wake up. Don’t be stubborn, alright? Just fight it. Yer going to be fine,” I repeat the same line over and over, hoping I believe my own words, but there is a tugging feeling in my chest that fears the worst. “Greta!” I yell again, this time choking through her name. “Please. Make the antidote. Give it to her.” I focus back on Adeline.
God, she doesn’t look well
. Her skin, it’s pale and becoming almost a translucent fade.

“Addie, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I let ye leave.” I press a kiss to her forehead and another on her cold nose. I press my forehead to hers and can feel the chill.

“Greta,” I call her name again, but this time is more of a soft plea.

“I’m here, son. I am going to have to ask ye to step aside. I need to do my work.”

“I’m not leaving her,” I bark. “Ye will do what ye need to do with me here.” I refuse to leave Addie’s side. Greta takes a look at my expression and doesn’t argue.

“Alright, son, but I need ye to move some so I can address her wounds.” I stand still, holding her hand while I watch Greta work. I order everyone to leave the room except Richard and my brother.

Greta tends to her potions, mixing together oils and herbs with an array of colored powders. Once she has created a salve, she lifts Adeline’s gown, revealing her horrible wounds. Just as explained, she has three vicious dagger shaped cuts, searing her perfect skin. Richard begins to sob at the sight of his daughter. If I wasn’t fighting so hard to keep it together, I might soon too. The comfort of my brother’s hand, resting on my shoulder, is the thread that is keeping me together.

“Wrap thee in love and protection. Bind the sickness and take flight from this soul.”

Slowly, Greta begins to spread the salve onto her wounds while repeating a spell. I stand impatiently waiting for change, for anything, until Adeline’s body begins to shake uncontrollably. Richard sobs. “Oh God, not again. She’s seizing. Her body is fighting it, oh God.”

Greta steps forward, placing her hands on Adeline’s hips. “Hold her body down so she doesn’t hurt herself more,” she quickly instructs.

I grip her shoulder blades and Christof grabs her legs. “What is happening!?” I bark.

“Yer chosen is just being stubborn. It shall pass. Just hold her now.” Greta begins reciting more of her magic and thankfully Adeline’s tremors subside, and her body becomes limp once again on the counter.

“What? What now? What should be happening?” I’m asking question on top of question, not getting an answer fast enough. I just need her to wake up. I need her to open her eyes, so I can tell her how damn sorry I am for what I said, and admit what I should have a long time ago.

“Now we wait. We will clean her wounds every four hours. We will have to force this liquid down her throat.” Greta brings Adeline’s gown back down, covering her. “Lockelan, please, will ye carry her to my bedroom so she is more comfortable?”

“No, I want her in the castle. In my bed. So I can watch over her.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be wise to have her so far from—”

“Ye will stay in the room next to mine until she wakes.” Greta offers me a sullen look.

“She will wake, dammit!”

She nods. “Okay.” She doesn’t reassure me. She just allows me the comfort of agreeance.

I bend forward, lifting Adeline in my arms, the weight of her too light. She feels so fragile. I want to shake her awake, so she opens her eyes to yell at me. Fight me to put her down. Bringing her cold body to mine, in hopes to offer her some of my body heat, I turn, demanding orders from Christof.

“I want to know who did this. This happened to her before she went through that door. The marks are evidence of the Ironbark Skewer dagger. Someone tried to kill our future queen and I want to know who.” I take a moment to gather myself. I don’t want to show weakness in front of my men. Christof steps forward and I automatically block Adeline’s body.

“Brother, I will not hurt her. Trust in me, we shall find who did this. My devotion to her is just as strong as yers. We will bring whoever did this to justice.” My brother’s words offer some comfort. I feel extreme guilt for believing he would ever take Adeline from me. When all he ever did was help her. He welcomed her into our world, when I only offered her my cold shoulder. He helped her fit in, when I did nothing but force her to hate me even more for taking her. He was the one who didn’t turn his back on her, as I did.

“Brother, stop. She knows. Ye do not need to torture yerself. She knows.”

As if he knew the torment flooding my mind. My eyes close, as I nod. “Thank ye.” My words are soft-spoken as I lift my head and meet his assuring eyes.

“I must go. If there is anything ye need, send for me.” With that Christof is off, leaving me with Greta and Richard. Adeline hasn’t as much as twitched in my arms, and it causes me to grow even more restless. I begin to move. I need her in my room, where I can protect her. It’s when we exit Greta’s cottage, that I witness the entire town in a line formation. I look around to see close friends and villagers with lit candles, some kneeling and praying. All are wearing the Wren colors, to show support for their future queen. It’s then I realize I am so close to breaking. With the last bit of strength inside me, I turn to the townspeople and speak.

“Someone has done an injustice to yer future queen. This town will not rest until we find out who has committed such a crime. If ye know anything ye shall come forward. And Lord help anyone who is to blame.” I finish on a struggled breath, weaving through the formation of people as flowers and signs of support fall at my feet. I don’t stop to speak to anyone, for today proves that I am not as strong of a man as I thought. I want to fall to my knees and pray. To plea for the woman who wrecks all of me, to open her beautiful blue eyes. I will welcome her deserved anger and hatred for me. I’ll even beg for one of her bloody face slaps.

I barely remember the trip back to the castle or up the stairs to my master room. The fog barely lifts as I place Adeline on my bed, making her comfortable. Greta is close behind me, along with Ellie. I want to yell at them to leave. I want to be alone with her. But I am a not doing well myself and I know right now I need them.

I cannot help but be on edge. Any time someone goes near her, I panic. Ellie looks scared of me and Greta looks wary. But I can’t trust anyone right now.
What am I saying?
I shake my head. I trust Greta. I need to. And Ellie would never harm her. She has treated Adeline like her own daughter.

“Who would do this to her?”

I don’t realize I’ve spoken out loud until Ellie replies, “Sir, if it is okay to speak, I believe—” A knock on the door has us all on alert. As the two women guard the bed, I reach for my blade. When the door is slightly ajar, I see Farah peek her head in. I sigh in relief.