Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

Rushing around the grand chamber, Barrett tried to focus on the task at hand and not everything else. Because that"s all your brain wants to think about.

More specifically, it wanted to focus on what would happen between him and Jackson when they were back in his world. Up here, their nights had been spent entangled together, but their days were usually spent apart. There was no way to know what would happen when Barrett was perpetually around. He had nothing to offer beyond being a prince, and that wouldn"t have anything importance in the Realm Below.

Barrett"s cheeks burned as he remembered Jackson screaming his name while his cock was between Barrett"s lips, but this was absolutely not the time for that. Unfortunately, he"d been thinking about it before Neil burst in only an hour ago.

They needed to capitalize on the chaos and make their escape before the giant and his men discovered their plan.

With everyone already inside the castle to protect from the giant"s attack, rounding them up had taken only an hour. Getting everyone out before the giants arrived could be an entirely different story if people didn"t start taking this as seriously as it was.

The scent of magic filled the air, mixed with the earthy smell of giant footprints crushing grass and dirt underfoot. He tasted something bitter on his tongue - fear? Regret? Both? His mind raced as he thought about the home he'd only recently gotten back, and would now leave behind. But, he couldn"t let himself dwell on it now. They had to focus on survival first.

"Hurry!" Barrett rushed the terrified servants, his voice strong and commanding as he tried to mask his own apprehension. "We don"t have much time!"

Together with the servants, they gathered crucial supplies and weapons, stuffing them into satchels and packs. They couldn"t afford to be caught off-guard if they were to stand a chance against the enraged giant and his minions. The weapons may not buy much safety, but anything was better than nothing as far as Barrett was concerned.

"Guards!" Barrett"s father"s voice boomed through the grand hall. "The time has come to seek a new life in the Realm Below. While it pains me to leave this realm - and our history - your safety is my top priority. My guards will lead groups of ten. You will go straight to the beanstalk. You will begin to climb down. You will never look back. Speed is key, but you must be as safe as you can be. Once we are on the ground, all those not in my army will move as far from the site as they can. We will cut the beanstalk as quickly as possible, and if we are lucky, the giant will fall to his death and his people will not be stupid enough to plummet to their death."

Barrett didn"t know his father well after so many years apart, but he hated the pain he heard in the man"s words. Leaving was killing him, but he still did what was best for the people who trusted him. Looking to the guards, he wondered what they thought of these plans.

The guards, fear etched into their faces, scrambled to obey their king"s orders. They knew well the consequences of failing and it showed.

One day, this will all be behind us.

Without warning, the ground shook, knocking Barrett into a woman behind him. His blood froze. Only one thing shook the ground like that.

A giant"s step.

Barrett rushed to the nearest window, his heart threatening to jump out of his throat as his eyes confirmed what his head already knew.

The towering king strode with purpose towards the castle, his heavy footsteps echoing through the air. The walls of the fortress rose high, a symbol of safety and protection for those inside. Their hearts raced as they watched the immense figure approach, their fear palpable in the stillness of the moment. And yet, there was also a sense of awe at the power and strength that radiated from the giant"s imposing presence.

Barrett"s heart dropped as he watched the giant king approach. It was terrifying to see the massive creature up close, his footsteps shaking the ground with each step.

A fist as large as a tree swung, but failed to damage the castle. The enchanted shield sparkled and hummed angrily as a foot tried to kick through it. His fury couldn"t break the magical barrier. Not easily at least.

His gargantuan frame towered over the castle, making it so Barrett could not even see the giant"s face—but he knew it was the king. He"d spent over a decade with his captor and there was no doubt who was here now.

He could feel the king"s anger like a palpable wave crashing toward them and turned to the small group gathered around him.

"Jackson!" Barrett cried out, spinning to try to find the man he would not leave behind.

His heart raced with fear and guilt as his eyes frantically searched the castle halls. There was no room to move through a crowd, but he needed to know Jackson was safe and ready to leave. The giant"s fury at Jackson would likely be the deepest of all.

Barrett cursed under his breath. They had been so close to escaping, so close to finally being free from the tyrant"s grasp. And now they were trapped again.

The ground shook once more when the giant king let out a deafening roar, sending tremors throughout the castle. Suddenly, a loud explosion filled the air and dust filled their vision.

When it cleared, Barrett saw that a part of the castle wall had crumbled, revealing a hidden passage behind it. It must have been created by some previous occupants as an escape route in case of emergencies.

"You have something of mine!" The giant howled, the castle shaking with the sheer volume coming from the furious giant. "A human tried to steal him as I stole him from you. But he is mine, and that human will lay dead in my grasp!"

The roar echoed through the castle halls, vibrating the very bones of those who heard it. Barrett"s heart began to race as he turned back to see what had caused it.

"We must move quickly," his father called out firmly. "The faster we get to the beanstalk, the better our chances."

Barrett nodded at one guard, who immediately began organizing a group for the journey down. There was no time for hesitation or second-guessing. They all knew that their lives depended on this escape.

But not everyone moved quickly enough. Many were too scared. Some were frozen in fear, unable to move. Barrett could see the panic in their eyes and knew they needed a leader.

They didn"t have much time before the giant king could get through their defenses again.

As they rushed through the narrow passageway, Barrett"s mind raced with thoughts of what could be waiting for them at the other end. But he pushed those fears aside and focused on getting his people to safety.

A hand wrapped around his upper arm and Barrett"s heart stilled as he turned in hopes to see Jackson caught up to him.

It was Thorne, though his friend didn"t wear the usual bright expression. His eyes were dark, stormy almost, and his lips were set in a straight line.

The castle shook again as the giant rampaged outside, determined to find a way in.

"Something is wrong, but we do not have the time to discuss this. Come with me, lead them out, and talk as we go."

"Understood."

Barrett moved again, hurrying down another corridor toward their escape route - a hidden passageway barely large enough for them all. Barrett could almost taste the fear in the air itself - bitterness and desperation mingling together into something potent and overwhelming.

Each step was accompanied by a low rumble that resonated through his bones. The tunnel led to god-only-knew-where and Barrett was beginning to worry this was not an escape route.

As Barrett ran, he could hear the pounding of his heartbeat echoing in his ears. His lungs burned with each breath, but he pressed on, driven by a mix of terror and determination.

The passageway twisted and turned, diving deeper into the mountain"s belly as if trying to hide from prying eyes above. But Barrett knew better. The clouds housed an entire realm of monsters and magic beyond mortal understanding. He wondered how many more secrets lay hidden beneath its surface. How many more dangers waited for those who dared to delve beneath? Yet they had no choice but to trust in their plan or face certain doom at the mercy of the giant"s wrath.

"You know it can"t end like this," Thorne grunted between ragged breaths, his words barely audible over the din outside. "I came to say goodbye and wish you luck. My battle is with the giant. And I am determined to make certain he pays for my time within his walls."

Barrett stopped running and was almost run over before people stopped.

He could only stare at the blacksmith—his mouth refused to move, but his arms didn"t. Barrett wrapped Thorne in an embrace, understanding that even if he survived, he would never see his friend again because there would be no way for him to get down.

A crack reverberated through the walls as a chunk of masonry dislodged from above, sending dust cascading down upon them like snowflakes in an avalanche form.

Barrett pulled away, fearing the barricade would fall soon.

Jackson"s voice rang out over the chaos. "Keep moving! We"re almost there!"

Barrett"s heart soared at the sound of Jackson"s voice, and it did more than that. It fell in love.

And when this is all over, you"re going to tell him.

He had to keep running. To keep moving to get them all to the beanstalk and to safety. They all couldn"t outrun the giant, but he understood that Thorne was about to give them a chance.

At last, the cool air hit Barrett"s skin when they emerged into one final chamber carved into living rock long ago by some forgotten hand-wielding unknown tools. Only then did Barrett slow enough to see what lay ahead. A ladder leading up into the sky that would take them to their next run to the beanstalk.

His body shook and his lungs burned as Barrett forced himself to climb the ladder just behind the first guard. It was his duty to ensure it was safe, even if every fiber in him needed to pause.

Keep going. You"ve heard Jackson, get to safety and get to him then.

He glanced back at Jackson, who had picked up speed now that they were close enough to see their goal. His rough features were etched with determination and something else Barrett couldn"t quite place. . .was it relief?

Whatever it was, it made something inside him soften as he turned back towards Thorne who nodded grimly in response to Jackson"s words before hurrying towards the castle and the giant.

"Come on, come on," he spoke in a hushed whisper, trying to keep his footing as the giant"s attacks on the castle and barrier shook the ground. He urged people forward, praying the giant was so engrossed in his rage he didn"t notice.

The beanstalk was a beacon in the bleak landscape of the destroyed kingdom. Barrett could see it, though it appeared to be so far in the distance he couldn"t help but fear they would not make it before the giant figured it out.

He ran for what felt like hours, watching as guards, servants, and others passed him until they finally reached the impressive magic beanstalk.

"Barrett!" Jackson"s voice somehow called out above the fray as he pushed through the group.

Jackson was there in a flash. Barrett was breathless and covered in soot when Jackson"s hands came to rest on his face. His lips took Barrett"s in a kiss that sent a wave of pleasure all the way through him.

He blinked in surprise, his body still humming with adrenaline as he stared into the other man"s blue eyes.

"Jackson," he murmured, heart racing as he realized how close they were.

"We made it," Jackson breathed, a smile breaking through his dirt-streaked face. "Now climb. I"m going to be behind you."

Barrett took one last deep breath before launching himself onto the beanstalk itself. A sharp intake of breath pulled from his lips as his muscles adjusted to the unexpected shift in weight distribution. The bark was rough underneath his hands as he began climbing swiftly down and away from everything he knew toward something even greater waiting just beyond reach.

Jackson and his father would continue the evacuation from their points and when this was all over, Barrett was going to tell the man he loved that he loved him.

Up above, the giant continued to pound on the enchanted barrier, sending shockwaves of destructive energy through the beanstalk and likely the castle. He roared with rage and frustration, but it didn"t sound as if he"d noticed the escape.

A fog began to swirl around them, hiding them from view but also adding a mystical element to their escape.

Barrett glanced over his shoulder one last time at his home, and then he moved as swiftly as he could lower, climbing down and down, knowing that freedom was coming.

He couldn"t tell how long he climbed, but at a certain point, snow began to fall, freezing his fingers and making everything a far deadlier descent.

His father was below him somewhere, and Jackson above. All he had to do was keep climbing a little while longer.

A powerful jolt reverberated through the beanstalk, causing it to sway and creak violently. Vibrant streaks of orange and billowing clouds of black filled the sky, creating a stunning display of color and movement. The ground rumbled as the beanstalk continued to shudder, threatening to uproot itself and send them tumbling down.

An explosion.

"Jackson, are you okay?" Barrett looked over, only to find that Jackson was not behind or beside him.