Chapter 44

Forty-Four

I couldn’t holdJake tight enough. For days now, I’d feared I’d not be able to do this again. This simple act of holding him in my arms, soaking in the feeling of him. Even as I’d blown the palace doors open, I’d feared I’d be too late. Or not enough.

But my Jake didn’t really need me. He could rescue himself. He was the strongest man I’d ever known, and my heart swelled with pride.

“Thanks for coming,” Jake whispered against my neck.

“You didn’t need me.”

“Excuse you, how was I supposed to get home? You’re a very welcome sight.”

Ha, like he wouldn’t have managed to hitch a ride with the dozens of merchants who all adored him. Still, I appreciated that he wanted me here. Even if I was rather useless at the moment.

My parents crowded in around us, hands on Jake as if to verify for themselves he was all right.

Jake lifted his head from my shoulder to give them a smile, reaching out with one arm to hug them too. “I’m okay. I’m fine. Just really pissed off, but it’s all resolved now.”

Actually, now that my relief was dying down, I had a thousand questions.

“How did you get away? Why isn’t anyone chasing you?”

Jake gave me a grin that said he’d been very naughty and had enjoyed every second of it. I thrilled seeing that expression because it normally prefaced something brilliant on his part.

“I negotiated,” Jake announced, waggling his eyebrows in a truly outrageous fashion.

“Oh gods above,” I muttered, already mentally bracing myself. “With the king and queen? Or…?”

“With them, yes. Lookee what I got.”

I accepted the folded paper he handed me, having no idea what he could have done. With Jake, anything was possible, really. He apparently enjoyed blowing people’s expectations out of the water.

This was…a contract? With the queen’s signature and seal, no less. How the hell had he even managed this?

The first line wasn’t too surprising; of course he would secure his own safety first. But then I got to the second clause.

I hadn’t read that right.

I couldn’t have read that right.

Fuck me sideways, I had.

“Jake,” I managed, eyes glued to the paper. “You did not make us a country.”

“Totally did.” He bounced a little on his toes, eyes shining with excitement. “We are now sovereign and independent.”

I looked at this man who held my heart, who I wanted to marry in the very near future, and was at a complete loss for words. I knew Jake was brilliant. I knew he could wrangle miracles where no one else could. But…but this…?

Mom and Dad crowded in on either side so they could read over my shoulder. I felt them both go stock still in shock and knew precisely which part they were on. Seeing was believing, I guess.

“Jake!” someone from the crowd yelled. “Are you safe? Are you all right?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Jake walked toward the crowd, waving high above his head for those farther back to see. “I know I scared you guys when I was taken in.”

“It was so obvious that you were being held hostage,” a stooped-over grandmother grumbled, one hand on her cane. “Those fucking morons. Like we’d be happy about you being taken in by them. Nothing good ever comes out of this palace.”

Sadly true. I couldn’t refute that.

One of the blacksmiths lifted his forge hammer over his head, muscles bulging. “We’ll fight ’em off. Let’s get you free quickly.”

“No need for that.” Jake turned and gestured toward me. “Theon, give me a boost up on your shoulders for a minute? I want to see everyone, make sure they can see and hear me.”

I needed to process that “treaty” he’d given me, and I felt better when I had a hand on him, so I acquiesced without a word. I knelt, gave him a knee up and a hand to help stabilize him. Jake hopped up on my shoulders like he’d done it a million times before when in fact we’d never done this.

He hummed something, what he called his “bardic spell,” and when he spoke next, his voice carried loudly and effortlessly through the crowd.

“Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for coming to help me. For advocating for me. Words can’t express how much that means. I never thought it would come to this, a fight with the government, but that’s sadly what’s happened. You all were right for guessing they’d kidnapped me. I spent several days drugged and hog-tied in a carriage because they wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

They’d done what?! Drugged him?!

Oh, that was it. I was tearing this fucking palace down to the ground. Fire seemed a good way to start.

Jake’s fingers carded through my hair, soothing, like he knew that had upset me. He could try to soothe me all he wanted, but I wanted carnage.

“First, be assured I got my revenge! I destroyed the foundation of the palace.”

The crowd gasped as nearly one, then busted out laughing. I smiled too, although it all felt so surreal that I couldn’t believe it for a second. Jake had broken the palace’s foundation? This place was mammoth, so large that people who’d lived there all their lives still got turned around sometimes. But he’d broken the foundation?

Gods above and below, I loved this man.

“They’ll be too busy trying to rebuild it to come after me,” Jake continued cheerfully.

There was a note of evil delight in his voice I absolutely did not blame him for.

“Now, I did negotiate with the monarchy here. I have complete immunity, they won’t come after me again. PLUS I made Theon’s and my duchy into its own country.”

I really needed details on how the hell he’d managed that.

Grandma in the front row came in closer, peering up at him. “You did not.”

“I did. Theon’s got my treaty, all signed and sealed.”

I took that as my cue and lifted it up for her and the rest of the crowd to see. Most of the people here probably weren’t literate, they couldn’t read what it all said, but they could recognize the queen’s seal pressed firmly into blue wax at the bottom. That was unmistakable.

Grandma slammed her cane into the flagstone, busting out laughing. “You took no prisoners, boy!”

“That I did not.” Jake lifted his head again to speak to everyone. “Now that we own our country, if you want to immigrate to us, we have plenty of space! I cleared the land beyond the Wall of miasma. It’s all farmland waiting to be used.”

Well, not yet. But I was sure Jake would wander around the area, singing and rejuvenating the soil. By the time anyone made it up there, it would be ready to plant. In spring, that was.

What made me laugh was that even after a harrowing experience, what was my businessman doing? Recruiting people and working the angle. Jake was so utterly predictable. If he saw a shot, he was taking it.

Blacksmith looked intrigued. He lowered his hammer even as he asked loudly, “What’s your taxes?”

I took this question. “Five percent, and not one coin more, as I don’t tax my people heavily. Anyone who comes up, I guarantee you housing, and we’ll build to suit your family.”

That last part was mostly because we didn’t have any spare houses to offer, so of course we’d have to build something for them. Might as well build it big enough for the whole family.

“Well, I’m sold.” Blacksmith turned and bellowed over the crowd, “Anyone who wants to go up, I leave in a week!”

A caravan forming already? Just on Jake’s words alone?

I was just as glad my fiancé chose to use his powers for good because if he chose evil, the world would be doomed. People would follow him straight into hell without even complaining about their feet burning.

“Wait! Winter’s coming, and we don’t have a place to put all of you.” I poked Jake for reinforcement on this.

The blacksmith grunted in acknowledgement. “Then I’m coming up in spring. How can I send word?”

“Through Melva of Northern Traders.”

Several people started talking among themselves, already planning. I had no idea how many would choose to come up, but I’d welcome every single one of them.

“I’ll let you all talk! As for me, I want to go home. Again, thanks!” Jake said.

He gave me a “down please” signal, so I knelt, letting him off. I kept a hand on him, though. I wasn’t over my fright yet.

Dad had taken charge while Jake spoke with everyone, forming up the knights and such. Our horses were dead tired after the long haul to get here so quickly, so we wouldn’t be going far today. I at least wanted out of this city and to one of the smaller towns on the way home before resting. Staying in the capital seemed a recipe for disaster.

I accepted the reins from Dad, swinging up into the saddle, concealing a wince as my thighs protested. I wasn’t used to riding at a run for days on end like that. I’d feel the soreness tomorrow for sure. It was worth it to have Jake back, so I wasn’t complaining.

Jake clasped hands with me and swung up lithely behind. His arms came around my waist, a tighter hold than necessary, and I sensed I wasn’t the only one who wanted to stay close. He’d had a harrowing few days as well.

“Sure I can’t burn the place down?” I muttered to him. The gates were open, after all, just one little fireball wouldn’t be hard.

“Don’t destroy the peace treaty I just had signed, love. Ink’s not even dry.”

“Ugh, fine. If I must.”

“I do not want more trouble. I want to be home.”

I did as well. So while part of me, the vindictive part, still wanted to burn the whole place down, I did see the sense in not doing so. I wanted peace more than revenge.

I urged Digger forward, and he went, although with a weary breath. I patted him on the neck, promising him a full night’s rest and lots of oats to make up for how hard I’d pushed him.

The crowd wasn’t quite done with Jake, people walking alongside us and asking more questions. Mostly about the land and the climate, as they’d heard all sorts of rumors. Jake straightened things out with people patiently, and it wasn’t until we were well outside the city limits that they finally dispersed. From the way they spoke, I had the feeling we’d be getting an influx of people come spring.

Jake heaved out a sigh, hands extended in a stretch over his head. “Finally free.”

“So you are.” Mom pushed in closer, eyeing the two of us. “Jake. Did you really turn my son into a king?”

Uh. Come to think of it? Since it was my duchy to begin with, I’d be default king of this new country.

Jake cackled. “I’m that good, yes. Theon will look amazing in a crown, too.”

That aside, the person with the actual skills for this wasn’t me. “How about you be king?”

He smacked a kiss against my cheek. “Don’t worry, honey. We’ll be co-rulers.”

While that did make me feel better… “So I’m not getting out of this?”

“Not on your life.”

I’d had a feeling that would be the case. Oh well. At least with the peace treaty in place, I could finally grow my land into the flourishing place I’d always wanted it to be. I had Jake with me to manage the workload.

Really, with Jake at my side, how hard could it be?