Chapter 7

SEVEN

Barrett"s breathing was slow and steady, a stark contrast to the cacophony of the dungeon"s usual moans and clanking chains. He sat, back pressed against the cold stone wall, his eyes fixated on the heavy iron door that had slammed shut behind them not an hour ago.

Had there been bars along the door, not just the walls, he could have shrunk himself and scurried out, growing taller and then unlocking the doors. But the giant's dungeon did not afford such a chance.

Mud and dirt coated the floor, making it hard to navigate without slipping. The sound of giant footsteps echoed from above as if they were deafening thunderclaps.

The only light came from torches that flickered in the walls, casting sinister shadows on the stone floor and walls. It was as though they were trapped in a world of black and orange, like molten lava reflecting off the rough surface they now sat against.

Beside him, Jackson"s agitation was palpable.

He paced. Three steps forward and three steps back. The echo of his boots against the stone only added to the monotony. Fortunately for Barrett, the constant pacing only served to show off the muscular forms beneath Jackson"s clothing and for that, Barrett was not so sorry for.

His mind raced as he watched Jackson pace, unable to shake off the feeling of failure. He should have seen this coming. He had lived his whole life surrounded by treachery, after all. As he looked up, he could see the dim light seeping through a small window high above, casting eerie shadows on the walls around them.

"I should"ve known," Barrett muttered. "I should"ve foreseen the giant's trickery."

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, wishing he could pull out some magic to help them escape this predicament.

"Don"t beat yourself up, Barrett," Jackson said, the weight in his own voice carrying the heavy blend of sympathy and frustration. "We both walked in there with eyes wide open. We knew the risk." He dropped onto the ground. "I"m the idiot who rambled. Though I would love to know this father business."

A dry chuckle, more of a scoff, escaped Barrett"s lips. "Yes, but I assured you I could handle him. It seems I"m not as cunning as I once thought." He smiled at Jackson. "Besides, if I was into the whole hero thing I would"ve thought your speech was kind of adorable."

"Wonderful. Adorable. Just what I wanted to go for."

"As for the father part, he is no blood of mine. I believe he stole me for the magic I possess, believing me to somehow be part of his world

One thing was certain - they needed a plan, and they needed it fast.

Barrett"s mind churned as he considered all the ways they might escape this cell. His fingers traced patterns in the air, mimicking spells he wished he could cast.

As the wind howled outside, a sudden gust shook the tower and knocked Barrett off balance. He stumbled into Jackson, who caught him with strong arms before he could fall.

For a moment, they stood there, their bodies pressed together as Barrett tried to regain their footing. The heat radiating from Jackson"s skin sent shivers down Barrett"s spine.

But there was no time for such distractions. Not until the human took him away from these damn clouds.

"We need to get out of here," Barrett said, breaking the silence between them.

"Agreed," Jackson replied, releasing his grip on Barrett and taking a step back. "But how?"

Barrett"s mind raced as he looked around the small cell once again. There had to be a way out that they were missing. His eyes fell on the torches hanging on the walls, and an idea sparked in his mind as he confirmed a shinning blue orb in the corner of the cell.

Footsteps whispered across the ground somewhere near them—but too far out of the light of the torches for Barrett to see who was near them.

"You sound like the man the giant likes to call his son." A female"s voice called from the west side of the cell.

Barrett swallowed, knowing that anyone who knew him could hurt him to hurt the giant - but it would never work.

"And if I am?"

A falcon"s screech came from the darkness, preceding any introduction, and a slight figure stepped forward to the bars. Just enough in the light, Barrett noticed her gaze was sharp as the stare of the bird on her shoulder.

"They call me Lark," she offered with a cautious nod, her voice melodic yet holding an undercurrent of steely resilience. "The falcon is Mardoc"."

Another movement in the near shadow, and a man—larger in frame than Jackson but not a gaint—stepped forward.

"Name"s Thorne. And before you ask, I"m not from here. I'm nothing more than a blacksmith stolen to make some damn crown and tossed it in here when the job was down." His eyes held a mixture of strength and resignation.

Barrett knew exactly who Thorne was. He"d never met the smith, but the crown was the one the giant tried to force Barrett to accept. When he didn"t, the beast threatened to kill the blacksmith for failing.

I"ve never been so glad not to wear the damn crown than right now.

"Well met, Thorne, Lark," Barrett said, inclining his head before returning a probing look. "Are you certain that crown was all?"

Thorne grunted, picking at his blacksmith apron with a smirk. " Not only that. Also for crafting a blade meant for the Giant, they said. Though we all know it"s because of that failed crown."

"And you?" Jackson spoke to Lark as he stepped up to the bars, his hands gripping around them the same way he"d held onto the beanstalk earlier in the day - for dear life.

Her lips curved into a small, wistful smile. "Flying too close to the sun—or rather, exploring too near the stronghold. They don"t take kindly to those with the means to deliver messages beyond their reach."

The falcon ruffled its feathers in agreement, a soft fwip-fwip sound filling the air.

"And why are you here?" Lark questioned, walking closer to the bars until the falcon"s wings flapped.

"I thought my father would trade my time here for a chance to go to the Realm Below. Something we would have never allowed to actually happen." Barrett added quickly when their faces twisted with shock.

"The Realm Below?" Lark and Thorne spoke together.

"Umm, Earth?" Jackson added.

"So you"re not from here?"

Jackson"s bellow of a laugh shocked Barrett.

"No. I came up here to selfishly steal food to feed my farm animals and my aunt. This one caught me and somehow roped me into this plan to free him." Jackson looked at him. "Though he never discussed what I would free him from."

"This is not my home. My home is to the far west. A kingdom filled with those who look like Lark and Thorne—and you. My father and mother infuriated the giant king. He came for the land. Instead, he killed her and took me. I"ve only come to assume it was to remove power because my people will never allow any without the blood of my family to rule."

A pained look etched across Jackson"s face. "I don"t know how we will get you back home, but I"m sure you don"t just intend to go below the clouds. I lost my parents in an accident, and if one of yours is alive, I'll get you back to him."

Barrett nodded, his thoughts a tangled web that he was sure could be seen clearly on his face. He gazed at Jackson, wondering if the man possessed some kind of mind-reading ability or if he was simply perceptive enough to see through Barrett"s facade.

Their stories traded, the four prisoners fell into a contemplative silence, each trapped in their private carousel of thoughts until Barrett"s voice cut through the gloom.

"We need to get out. We have things to do, lives to live. . ." He cast an apologetic glance at Jackson, a silent echo of their erstwhile plan.

Lark tilted her head, eyes narrowing. "Escape, you say? I"ve seen the inside of every giant"s construction here. What you need is a layout, a map—I can provide that."

"Not to rain on anyone"s parade, but if the pair of you could get out, why the fuck haven"t you?" Jackson still clutched the cell bars, but his eyes burned with fire when he looked at Barrett.

"Because they"d have to come down here. Our food is dropped from above, but with the stolen prince here, it begs the question of why they"d bring the food."

Barrett could have told her the giant only wanted him as an heir because it left his kingdom without one. Or so he"d come to believe.

"An heir," he whispered, a smirk coming onto his lips as the obviousness struck him.

"We"ll say you"re a prince from the Realm Below, journeyed here to find a husband."

"And why didn"t I say it before?" Jackson released the bars and walked to stand in front of Barrett.

"Because you weren"t afforded the time to."

Jackson nodded thoughtfully as if he agreed with the rationale.

A chuckle half caught in Jackson"s throat sounded more filled with grim acceptance than mirth.

"What"s gotten into me? Me, spinning a tale to a giant king. Yet, the absurdity of it, the sheer audacity of it, I"ll do it."

Barrett tried to ignore the swell of warmth covering him at the promise of being Jackson"s husband. What is the matter with you? He didn"t offer that.

"If my father will not send food directly, I can grow myself to his size. It would be dangerous as hell for you three, but we can prepare accordingly, and it will get his attention."

The hawk screeched again, though Barrett had a feeling it wasn"t in agreement.

"Have you two always been in the same cell?" Jackson spoke again.

"Always. Rumor has it they don"t have too many for humans. So, if the cells fill up, they kill people to make space because the other cells have large gaps in the bars." Throne looked down.

"And they just did that, didn"t they?" Jackson asked as the same thought had formed in Barrett"s mind.

"Aye," the blacksmith turned. "We cannot talk much. It will draw them down in a way we do not wish."

As they arrived, the duo vanished back out of the flickering torch light and out of sight.

The sky turned from sunset orange to deep purple, casting an eerie glow on the castle walls. The cool evening breeze swept through the courtyard, rustling the leaves in the trees surrounding them. As they stood there in silence, Barrett couldn"t help but wonder what it would feel like to be back on Earth under the stars. He closed his eyes and imagined the scent of the air without the constant smell of rain, or walking through the lush green forests of his homeland.

"It"ll be alright," Jackson whispered.

Barrett opened his eyes and turned to face him, surprised by the show of support from this man who barely knew him. As their gazes met, something shifted between them, an unspoken understanding that they were more than two men stuck in a dungeon. It was as if two puzzle pieces were slowly snapping into place, revealing a beautiful picture only they could see.

"You"re going save my farm, and I"m going to get you out of this place." Jackson took Barrett"s hand in his without warning.

Barrett"s heart raced as Jackson"s warm hand enveloped his own. It was a simple gesture, but it sent a surge of emotions through him that he couldn"t fully comprehend. He had only just met Jackson, yet the man had already become a source of comfort and strength in this unfamiliar world.

"Jackson…" Barrett"s voice trailed off as he searched for words to express his gratitude.

"Let"s just survive to do all the saving."

Barrett nodded. Survival was a fantastic first step.