Chapter 17

SEVENTEEN

With a deep breath, Barrett launched himself off the beanstalk, tucking his knees to his chest as he descended into the unknown abyss below. The wind rushed past him, whipping his hair in all directions. He could see the ground approaching rapidly, and he braced himself for impact.

But instead of crashing into the rocky terrain below, Barrett landed in something soft and white. It was cold and numbing, but it had also braced his fall. He had seen this substance before, in the mountains the day they went to the motel, but he had never asked about it. Now, it seemed to have saved his life.

"Barrett!" Neil"s familiar voice called before the guard was by his side. "We must get you away from the beanstalk."

"Jackson," Barrett moved to rush back to the stalk, but Neil caught him.

"He will be down when he is down. We must get everyone away from the base except the guards in charge of cutting it down. You must get back, we don"t know what shook it.

Barrett knew better than to fight the man who"d trained him in the combat he did know. Instead, he rushed off towards the motel, shocked that no one had come out yet.

Only the loud groan of the beanstalk paused his race and drew his attention back.

Barrett"s heart hammered in his chest as he watched the beanstalk shudder and groan, its heavy trunk flexing like a muscle under the strain of the towering weight above.

With a final deafening crack, the beanstalk gave way under the giant"s might, splitting into two pieces that plummeted towards either side of their ascent point. The ground beneath Barrett"s feet shook violently, throwing him off balance as he stumbled backward. He winced at the impact of the coldness against his face, feeling a few weak strands of hair whip across his cheeks.

Screams echoed as those still on the stalk were thrown into the snow. Barrett went to rush forward, but his eyes landed on something just below the cloud line, rapidly racing toward the snow.

The giant and Jackson.

They were a tangle of limbs and nothing more that Barrett could make out.

"Save him!" He commanded the guards who looked up and quickly backed away, clearly not wishing to be under the giant when it landed on the ground.

Barrett watched in horror as Jackson fell free-falling towards him, arms pinwheeling wildly before landing hard on the ground below. He screamed out in reflex, forgetting himself.

But he couldn"t get to Jackson, not with the beast of the giant rushing faster at the ground.

"Move!" he screamed, trying to alert those who"d fallen to get up before the giant killed them.

He balled his hands into fists, anticipating the inevitable fallout from the towering mass above. The snow below him started to shift and dance as if instinctively reacting to the impending disaster.

Time seemed to slow down as Barrett watched the giant plummeting towards him, arms flailing wildly before crashing hard into the ground with a thud that rippled through Barrett"s entire body.

The earth beneath him shook violently as the snow and ice cracked and shattered under the weight of the fall.

His head cracked into the ground with zero time to realize he"d fallen, and the world tipped and spun as he looked at the giant"s unblinking eyes.

Blood rushed back into Barrett"s head slowly after hitting it against solid ground; disorientated yet determined not to let this opportunity slip away so easily, he pulled himself upright.

A cry escaped from Barrett"s throat before he could stop himself, but it was already too late. instinct took over.

As he regained his footing, he turned his gaze towards the sky again just in time to see Jackson tumble headfirst towards him like a rag doll falling from grace. His heart leapt into his throat at the sight of pure terror on Jackson"s face contorted in fear.

He could imagine how it felt— that free falling sensation was one he knew all too well.

Neil shouted something that Barrett couldn"t make out, his focus solely on the giant who was now lying motionless in a heap.

Barrett couldn"t seem to tear his gaze away until he heard Jackson scream his name. Instantly, he found himself watching Jackson again. Staring at the man he"d only just realized loved about to splatter into the earth that had been so cruel to him already.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans. Just as Jackson was about to collide with the unforgiving earth, a miracle unfolded before their very eyes. A trio of falcons, massive wings outstretched, soared out of the sky, their talons outstretched. They swooped in, catching Jackson in their powerful grip, and carrying him away from certain doom.

"Lark," Barrett whispered, turning to find the woman behind him but not entirely out of the way. "You"re amazing."

"I know, but they can"t hold him forever."

With a nod, Barrett was off, ignoring the unstable dizziness still threatening to take him down.

Barrett frantically signaled for help while yelling orders at those around him, urging them to get everyone clear before another piece of debris fell or another giant made its appearance. As they scattered away from the wreckage, Jackson tried desperately to push himself up onto shaky legs but slipped back down onto all fours once more.

Bloodied but unbowed, Jackson managed to push himself onto all fours and crawled over to Barrett who had watched every move with bated breath. He pulled him into an embrace so tight it almost hurt. Barrett let out a small whimper at this small act of affection that meant so much more than words ever could have conveyed at that moment .

He could hear screams and cries of panic all around him as people rushed to help those who had fallen off the beanstalk. Barrett"s heart raced as had his hands all over Jackson"s body, searching, gently turning him over to check for any injuries.

"Jackson, can you hear me?" Barrett called out anxiously, shaking Jackson"s shoulders lightly.

Jackson groaned, his eyes fluttering open slowly before focusing on Barrett"s face. "What. . .what happened?" He mumbled in confusion.

"The giant fell," Barrett replied grimly, helping Jackson sit up. "You took quite a tumble with him, damn it. And for some reason, the lodging doesn"t seem to notice the ruckus."

"Thanks to you, I had enough pay to rent the damn thing out and give the staff time off for my very special party. There"s no one else here."

Barrett brushed a lock of hair from Jackson"s forehead gently, his touch shaking slightly with nerves. He"d never experienced anything so powerful - or so magical.

The twists and turns of fate were suddenly clear. He was meant to return home. To save these people from the destruction the giant"s could bring. Only, that wasn"t all.

Barrett could only think about the love he felt for this man in his arms. His heart raced uncontrollably as he leaned down to meet Jackson"s lips softly at first, and was met with a sweet warmth that sent a tingle through him from head to toe.

Jackson responded eagerly, returning the kiss with tenderness and an intensity that left Barrett breathless. Their tongues tangled together like two vines entwined within the rich soil. Their bodies pressed against each other like trees in a storm-battered forest seeking refuge in that kiss.

A kiss that filled that damning ache that started the moment he didn"t see Jackson above or beside him on that stupid stalk.

"I love you," Barrett whispered between kisses, each word catching in his throat as if it were the most significant thing he"d ever said.

And it was - because it was true and raw and real all at once. He"d not understood these feelings for too long. They could no longer be suppressed under the weight of propriety or duty or worry about what others might think or say.

At that moment, there was only Jackson"s face before him and the taste of his lips on his own tongue. Nothing else mattered anymore. This was real. This intense passion between them that burned brighter than any flame ignited by mythical beans could ever hope to achieve.

Jackson pulled back slightly to look into Barrett"s eyes, surprise etched across his features but quickly replaced by understanding dawning on his face as he smiled softly before replying just as convincingly. "I love you, too."

Those three little words were enough to unravel both men emotionally, each one holding onto each other tighter still amidst all these newfound emotions surging through them both like electricity caught in lightning.

"Jackson," he whispered reverently, watching as his eyes fluttered open slowly. "We need to get you to safety," he said firmly, helping him up onto his feet despite the younger man"s protests. "Can you walk?"

Jackson groaned and winced but nodded slowly.

The cool night air bit at Barrett"s exposed skin, making him shiver as they made their way through the winding pathway up to the motel. Jackson was going to have a lot of explaining to do, but not tonight. Tonight, he would sleep with Barrett holding him.

"Barrett!" King James' voice cut through his determination to get Jackson inside.

Barrett had forgotten those who would one day be his people. He"d let them all down to focus on Jackson.

And Barrett didn"t care.

King James"s eyes were a mix of fear and confusion as he approached the two men, his armor clinking with each step he took.

"We need to ensure there are no more magic beans," he said firmly, his deep voice echoing in the expanse of mountains. "I know you mentioned we could stay here for a day or so, but we mustn"t rest. We must make certain no one else can ever go up there."

"We need to rest. Jackson damn near fell to his death."

"Tomorrow then. As soon as possible."

"And the giant"s body?" Jackson asked.

"My men will do what is needed. My sorcerers could never kill because their magic cannot harm, but they can shrink him, so he is nothing more than a poor soul who fell in these mountains."

Barrett felt Jackson"s head nod.

"Tomorrow then. My head is ringing and I think I"m going to pass out now that all my adrenaline is gone."

"Go," Barrett"s father smiled. "You"ve done more than any could have ever expected.

"We"ll make certain we"re safe down here. Consider it my first job as a ruling prince."

His father chuckled but didn"t say anything in response.