Unlocking Adeline (Skeleton Key) (8 page)

“Ye do. Now, let’s go.”

Locke guides me into the large ballroom. For a second, I forget what I am walking into as I take in the stunning scenery. The ballroom, double the size of my old high school gym, is filled with more ancient art. Between the statues stand tall stained glass windows, allowing the moon’s light to shine through. It may be the most beautiful room I have ever been in. As I look around, I take note of the massive amount of people that are gathered. Some sort of folk music is coming from a group of musicians tucked away in the corner, and people are chatting, drinking, and seeming to enjoy themselves. It’s when someone gets a glimpse of Locke that the room quiets and the whispers begin. The area suddenly transforms as bodies turn and eyes focus on us. I try and hide behind Locke’s large frame, but he grabs at my bicep, holding me in place. “Why are they all staring like that?” I lean in and whisper. It’s like walking around school with toilet paper stuck to your shoe or leaving that seven foot size sticker on your jeans.

“It’s because they are intrigued.”

“At what exactly?”

“Ye.” He turns and gives me a devilish smile.
Oh God, the ogre can smile
. How can he look so scary, but so good at the same time?

With no care to take it slow, he begins to walk. Digging my heels into the ground, “Oh no. I am
not
going in there. They look like a bunch of hungry wolves ready to maul me.”

And they do. Some look curious. Some are smiling, but more than most are looking at me with distrust. This doesn’t seem right. Who rips someone out of their world, drags them into another realm, and throws them into a dinner party without any preparation? I’m starting to panic, possibly get sick.

“I think I’m going to be sick, Locke, please. Just take me back upstairs. I changed my mind. I’ll choose jail over this.” I tug at his tight hold on me. Before I am able to get free, Faith approaches us with a warm smile crossing her face.

“My how lovely ye look in that dress, Adeline. I must say, ye are truly a full comely creature on this evening.” She brings her hands up and cups my face. I’m not sure how to respond because I don’t speak in code. I’m not sure that being a comely creature is a good thing.

“Well, thank you bu—”

“Adeline is looking forward to meeting all the people of Wren, aren’t ye, Adeline?” Locke speaks, looking at me while his grip squeezes my bicep.

“Ouch! Geez, yes, I am out of this world excited.” I give him my meanest glare.

“Wonderful Adeline, everyone is beyond thrilled that ye have returned home to us. I hope that everything is to yer liking. Before we overwhelm ye with introductions, please do let me introduce ye to my other son.” Fearing another Locke, I grunt as I turn and notice a handsome man approaching us.
This cannot be his brother.
He isn’t scowling or looking like he wants to rip people’s heads off.

“Ahh ye are correct, Mother. She is as beautiful as the summer’s morning.” The man approaches, offering me his hand. I reach out to give him a handshake, but he takes my wrist, and places a soft kiss to the top of my hand. “It is a pleasure to finally meet ye, Princess Adeline. The stories are held true that ye will truly take a man’s breath away.”

Well shoot; I could probably say the same about him. His charm definitely hits me instantly. He looks nothing like Locke: his features a lot kinder, his hair a softer brown, and a smile that looks perfect on him. “I… um… I…” I forget Locke is still holding my other hand until his death grip reminds me, snapping me out of my fog.

“Well, it looks like ye two will have no problems getting along. This is where I depart, Mother.” Locke lets go of my hand; well more like flings it as if it is on fire, and bends forward to kiss the cheek of his mother. He turns to Christof, showing no emotion. “Brother.” He nods, and off he goes.

Next to us, Faith claps her hands together, breaking the awkward stare of us all watching Locke storm off. “Well, I must attend to the guests. I will let ye two get aquatinted.” She bows to us and turns, making her way over to a hovering group of women.

Leaving us alone, I face Locke’s brother. “I am not marrying you, or bearing your child,” I say bluntly, wanting to get the facts on the table.

Christof grins, applying a soft squeeze to my hand he has yet to release. “Ahh, very up front. I like that in a lady.” Definitely opposite from his bipolar brother, and I have to admit his charming features are not going unnoticed either.

“Well, I just thought we should get that out of the way, and we will get along just fine until I leave, got it?”

“Loud and clear, Princess Adeline.” He gestures by bowing to me.

“Oh, and don’t call me Princess. I’m not five.”

He responds to my request by laughing. “But in this land ye are. Ye are the greatest treasure to Wren. The one who will one day rule this Kingdom, and heir the next king or queen.”

I don’t think anyone is listening to me. “Look, I just learned about this place. Well. I kind of knew, but I didn’t know it was real.
Which I’m still deciphering if it is or not
, but that’s beside the point.” There is still a small glimmer of hope I was roofied at that bar, which means the hallucinogen should wear off sometime.

“How about this? I promise to act like a perfect gentleman, unlike my brother, who seems to look murderous right now.” We both turn to see Locke, who indeed looks just that.

“God, what’s his
problem
?” I ask, not that I don’t already know it. Being a jerk does probably tend to be rather boring.

“Oh, I’m sure he is not happy that I am still holding yer hand. Or that I am going to do this again,” he says, as he lifts my hand back to his mouth, placing yet another kiss to the top of my skin. Once he pulls away, our eyes meet and I sense the mischief in them
. I think I’m going to like this brother a whole lot better.

I return his smile. “I’m not sure it matters, though. He has made it pretty clear he doesn’t like me much. Nor does he plan on challenging you in this so called marriage, that isn’t going to be a marriage, ordeal.”

Taking my hand and wrapping it around his arm, he guides me to the main floor. “Ahh, that is where ye are wrong. But let’s vow that we shall let Locke, in time, admit that himself. Sound like a plan?” He turns, offering me a handsome wink. I nod quickly and turn to the crowd, trying to hide my flushing cheeks.

“So, would ye like to know who some of these people are, before my mother gets her hands on ye and drags ye into the lion’s den of her friends?”

“I’d rather click my heels and go home, but if that is my second option, I guess yes, educate me on the lions.” With a smirk, he nods his head toward a group of older women, all pretending not to stare until we look over their way, and then they huddle, acting as if they are staring at a painting on the wall.

“Those are the Borland sisters. All five of them. They are the master knitters in the village. They hold a knitting party every day after lunch. I highly advise trying it out sometime.” I look at him in horror. I would rather swallow a pack of live bees than sit in a room and knit. “You’re messing with me, aren’t you?” I ask.

He laughs, bending down to whisper in my ear, “I do not joke, Princess Adeline, about anything. Including the hidden intentions of my brother.” He pulls away and winks, causing me to turn back to the last spot I saw Locke.

Fire.

Those eyes.

They are in a way disturbing, but just as intoxicating. He doesn’t break away when he realizes I’ve caught him staring at me. I feel his eyes rake over my entire body. As if the fire in his eyes is heating my skin.

“Yer mark, it is like it’s on fire.” I snap away from Locke when I hear Christof.

“Huh?” I shake off the hold that Locke seemed to just have on me.

“Yer mark. It was becoming hot in my hands, as if it was being summoned.” He smirks, waiting for me to get the hint. I look back and Locke is gone.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I look around the room, pretending I’m searching out the people, when I secretly look to see where he went.
Why do I care?
I stop myself immediately at that thought. I don’t.

“Okay, educate me on another group of lions. How about those?” I point to yet another set of spying eyes, all focused on me.

A
fter giving me a breakdown of most of the women who bite, an announcement was made that it was time to be seated for dinner. This, I was kind of happy about because I was actually starving.

I plaster a ladylike smile on my face, as Ellie drags me away from Christof and off to my assigned seat. I go to sit down when a girl runs at me. Before I have the chance to get defensive, she starts lifting up my dress. “What the hell are you doing?” I bark as she gapes at me.

“I’m lifting yer dress so it does not wrinkle while ye sit, Miss.”

Oh
. “Oh, yeah.”
Dummy.
I mean, who doesn’t know that? Oh, I know! The ones who skipped high school history! Not that they wrote about a woman’s attire or 1900’s decorum in it. I turn, allowing her to ‘poof my skirt’ and I sit. Once I’m seated, Christof’s father, William, nods and an army of servants flood the room with mounds and mounds of trays.

The table, about a mile long, is filled to the brim with food and guests. As the brother duo is placed across the table from me, I sit with Ellie to my left and a girl who looks to be about my age to my right. She is, in modern times what we call, snarling at me.

“Okay. I’m not dealing with this. I’m not going to sit here and have her—” I go to stand up, but am brought right back down by Ellie’s strong hand. “Seriously, what was that for?”

“Ye mustn’t get up until dinner is over.”

I look at the array of food. “Dinner might be over in a month with all this food,” I huff.

”Hush now.” She doesn’t even make eye contact with me.

I make another attempt to get up and she brings me right back down. “What the hell, Ellie?” I raise my voice, and an array of gasps sound from behind us. We both turn to see a group of maids huddled up, gaping at me. I’m about to throw my fifty pound mug at their heads when I’m interrupted by more plates. Platters of meat galore, trays of vegetables, fish, breads, name anything, and it is being placed on the table before me. My mouth instantly waters and I forget about Ellie and the group of mean maids. I may be stuck in the twilight zone, but it doesn’t stop my stomach from growling. I want to refuse the meal, just on principle, but dammit I am starving. I can’t remember the last time I really ate. I go to grab for the warm biscuit in front of me when Ellie smacks my hand.

“Geez, what now?”

“Ye are to wait until all food is served. The head of the table will first give a speech. Then ye eat.”

“Well, why do they put all this food down then? And how long is this speech?” I sit back, forming a pout on my face. This regal living is bull crap. I mean, at my dinner table the food was grabbed and eaten before my mom even sat down. My brother and I were already running back to our rooms before my mother even took her first bite! The memory about home causes me to look across the table, at him. Of course, he is glaring at me. What else is new?

“You have serious issues,” I mouth across the table, causing his eyebrow to rise, the scowl never leaving his face.
Man, that’s talent.

He mouths back, “Welcome home,” and then lifts his goblet to his mouth.

Welcome home?
Pfft!
I am
not
home. My eyes scrunch together. “Not a chance,” I mouth back, matching his motions and taking a sip of the wine. I close to choke on it, not used to the bitter taste. My parents used to drink it on occasion, but I was used to only stealing their beer.

“Are ye alright, Miss?” the snooty girl next to me asks. I turn to my right and notice the girl looking strangely at me.

“Oh yes, fine. Sorry, wrong pipe,” I tell her as she looks confused, almost insulted.

“I am sorry, but it is unladylike for one to smoke a pipe, I hope ye do not share that information with others.” She glares at me and turns back to her food.

“Oh no, no. Wrong pipe, like drinking pipe, lungs, throat—” I eventually stop when I realize she has stopped paying attention to me. I roll my eyes and turn back to my plate. Then back to him.