Chapter 9

NINE

As the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, casting a pale, diffused glow upon the sky-island, Barrett was restless and, therefore, likely unable to do what was needed to trick his father.

His thoughts had been filled with replays of the passionate kisses he and Jackson shared. He couldn"t help but replay those moments in his head, the way the farmer"s lips had felt against his own, the surprised yet welcoming response, and the intense desire that had flared between them. There was nothing he wanted more than to see where things would go if they kissed without pretense.

Rolling onto his side, Barrett stared up at the rocky ceiling above him, his mind swirling with the implications of what that single act might mean. A part of him longed for something more—for a connection beyond the fleeting alliances he"d known in this realm—but another part of him warned him to tread carefully. Falling for a man from the realm below, especially one whose world was on the brink of a magical catastrophe, was a recipe for heartache.

As the sky continued to lighten through the small dungeon window, signaling the arrival of dawn, Barrett reluctantly pushed aside his thoughts and sat up.

Gently, he shook Jackson"s shoulder, knowing that they needed to get an early start if they were to have any hope of finding the enchanted beans and making their escape.

Jackson blinked awake, a smile pressing over his lips when he must have woken fully.

"We should get ready," Barrett said, his voice hinting at formality. We have to convince my father."

"Son!" The giant"s grating voice came just seconds later, shaking the ground as it always did when the cruel man wished to make a point.

Six more ground-shaking steps and the man who"d haunted Barrett was in the dungeon. His armor gleamed with what was no doubt slime or sweat. The creature never bothered with hygiene.

The stench of sweat and dirt filled his nostrils as the monstrous figure loomed over them, its armor glistening under the dim light.

"Well, farm boy. Son," the king boomed, a cruel smirk twisting his lips. "It would appear the time has come for me to conquer another land. It has been quite some decades and I am grateful for the opportunity."

Barrett"s heart slammed so hard in his chest that he worried the little magic he had might create some bizarre reaction.

The giant"s amusement grated on Barrett"s last nerve as he watched the sun rise over the horizon. Its fiery hues painted the sky in shades of red, orange, and gold, casting long, elongated shadows over the kingdom. The small window high up in the dungeon wall offered a glimmer of hope, but it wasn"t enough to dispel the gloom and despair that lingered in the air.

"You"ll permit this?" Barrett asked, actively working to keep the skepticism from his voice.

"This human promises me another world to conquer. One I have not figured out how to get to because I am no fool. I will not plummet to my death for a chance at power."

Could"ve fooled me.

"I will allow you both to leave under the condition that you explain how you got up before you leave."

Barrett looked to Jackson, and they exchanged a silent look, their hands brushing fleetingly as they clasped them into fists. They were in this together, no matter what happened next.

"I have no problem showing you," Jackson"s voice had a deeper timbre than usual leading Barrett to believe he was trying to hide his fear of the giant.

"Then, our deal is sealed. You and my son will descend to the world below the clouds. You will obtain this … paperwork you spoke of within the next day. If you do not return, I will use your entrance to my kingdom as a way to send my entire army to yours."

To his credit, Jackson merely nodded beside him, not betraying the fear that coursed through him at such a threat.

Which is why we"re going to destroy that stalk. Even if it means I never return home if Jackson doesn"t have more beans.

The king"s response was nothing more than a laugh. A laugh that echoed around the dungeon, and Barrett couldn"t help but flinch at its deep, resonant tone.

"Wait!" Jackson"s voice cut through the laughter, and all eyes, including Barrett"s, turned to his.

"You think you can offer me something?" The king"s voice deepened.

Barrett"s heart began to rush. Whatever Jackson was about to do had not been part of their plan. His hands began to sweat, and worry over what the human might try began to eat away at the confidence he had felt only seconds before.

"The journey down - it will be far more dangerous for just the two of us. Our weight will not balance well and we could fall. With two other bodies, our descent will be safer."

Lark and Thorne.

"I will lend you a giant. He will see to your safety."

"No!" Jackson"s shriek sent Barrett"s heart racing more. "No," he said again, calmer this time. "Without this binding agreement, the humans below will attack with vicious force. Force with weapons designed to take down animals nearly as large as a giant. Two prisoners will be fine. One"s who live don"t matter as there"s a chance they won"t return."

"There are only two other humans." The king snarled as he spoke loudly enough to shake the chains in the cell. "Fine, they may go, and if they die, they die."

With a swipe of his massive hand, the king unlocked their shackles, metal clinking against the stone floor. The cell doors both opened next, and Barrett stepped out first, tugging Jackson behind him."

"You are both freed for now. Should you live, do not think of escaping."

Thorne and Lark stepped out next, with the falcon flying to Lark"s shoulder a moment later.

"Move." A guard commanded.

As they made their way out of the dark cell, their footsteps echoed against the stone walls like thunderclaps announcing their arrival. The giant king towered above them both, his laugh booming like the rumble of distant thunder as he surveyed his kingdom from on high.

He schooled his features into a mask of indifference, refusing to show any weakness before this beast who ruled with an iron fist.

Neither Barrett nor Jackson dared to speak for fear of alerting the giant to their plans, but their eyes spoke volumes. Jackson would glance at Barrett, who would give him a small, reassuring smile before turning his attention back to their captor.

Inside the throne room, banners swayed from the early morning breeze coming through the windows without glass. Intricate tapestries depicting battles won and lands conquered hung from every wall.

"Come then, show me how you arrived."

The king continued forward, his steps making it hard for Barrett to keep up. However, he noticed beside him that Jackson"s steps did not seem to slide to the side.

"You walk well despite his footsteps."

Jackson gave him a small smirk. "I"ve stood my ground against a herd of running cows - it"s fairly similar."

Barrett smiled back, wondering how such a strange man came to be so captivating.

He could not help but wonder if there might not be more between Jackson and himself as they walked side by side through the cloud-kissed skies.

He admired how Jackson navigated everything effortlessly without breaking stride or missing a beat. Even in the face of danger, Jackson held his ground. He didn"t always seem as enchanting as the moment in the garden, but if he was worried about his hardships, he didn"t dwell on them outwardly.

Barrett"s heart raced as they stepped out of the throne room, following the giant king. He could not see Lark and Thorne, but he knew they were close by from the small screeches her hawk kept letting out as they walked.

The stalk stood tall and proud, its green stem reaching towards the sun. It remained untouched, unscathed by the passing of days. Each leaf and petal gleamed in the sunlight as if freshly polished. Despite the winds and storms that had come and gone, it stood resolute and strong, a symbol of resilience and endurance. As if frozen in time, it remained unchanged, a testament to the beauty and power of nature"s cycles.

Giants truly are idiots.

They made their way through winding pathways until they came to a clearing where a giant vine sprouted from the towering beanstalk, its thick trunk anchoring itself deep into the clouds. Barrett watched, mesmerized, as a pod at the top bloomed open and closed shut like a mouth, revealing that it was indeed a living creature. It seemed to sense them below, because it began to descend slowly. Its leaves rustled gently in the wind, almost like whispering secrets as it crept closer.

Barrett inhaled deeply, smelling scents of lavender and honey mixed with ozone and something else - magic. A sweet symphony of distant melodies carried on the wind too, each one more enchanting than the last. The beanstalk swayed gently back and forth as if dancing with excitement for its new arrivals.

Jackson dropped Barrett"s hand and turned to face the king.

"This. This stalk is how I came here."

"You are no human," the giant sneered.

"No, these were gifted to me. I grew these with beans from another farmer. But this is how I came here and how we will leave and return."

Barrett"s chest constricted at the false promise.

"Do not try to jump. Even a creature your size would fracture every bone or die trying. It took me over five hours to climb up - we need more time or this will not work."

The giant was quiet. His eyes narrowed into tiny slits and he lowered his face until it was level with Jackson. Still, the farmer didn"t flinch.

The giant"s breath was putrid and foul, like a mixture of decaying flesh and spoiled food. The air around them grew thick with the stench, intensifying as the giant spoke.

"How long?"

"Four days."

The giant scoffed. "Not a moment longer or we will risk your so-called weapons."

The giant rose back, the wind from the motion nearly pulling Barrett forward.

"You are as useful as I knew you would be the day I stole you." That giant whispered with a sickening grin. "Now climb."

Jackson took Barrett"s hand again, squeezing tightly this time. This time he knew he heard Lark and Thorne"s footsteps as they walked through the clouds until all four stood at the rim of the cloud where the beanstalk broke through.

"We need to jump," Jackson said with a hint of dismay before dropping Barrett"s hand and leaping at the vine.

Without pausing, Barrett threw himself toward the vine, slamming into it and begging his hands to wrap around a notch in the thick vine. Gripping onto the rough bark, Barrett held tight and watched as Jackson began to climb down.

He looked down, watching as Jackson"s muscular form seemed to move with a practiced ease until he disappeared below the clouds. Barrett couldn"t see Lark or Thorne as they were on the other side, but he knew he needed to climb down to keep the balance.

Or at least you have to make it seem like you believe Jackson"s lie.

The muscles in his arms burned as he pulled himself hand-over-hand down the vine, the rough bark biting into his palms. The thick stalk somehow swayed under his grip, the leaves rustling like a living thing trying to avoid his grasp.

The air was crisp, cold, and filled with the scent of celestial flowers that emanated from the fantastical world above. He hadn"t smelled them before, but somehow the honey-sweet scent tickled his nose as if trying to take residence.

With each handhold and foothold, he could feel the beanstalk tremble beneath him—alive with magic. He swallowed hard against the acidic taste of fear in his mouth and pushed downward, foot by foot. The clouds parted to reveal an endless expanse of sky gradually turning purple beneath him—a stark contrast to the bright light of early morning surrounding him a moment ago.

Barrett"s heart pounded in his ears as he dangled over this new world - a world filled with impossible possibilities but also unknown dangers lurking in every shadow.

The wind whipped against him as they made their way down, threatening to pull Barrett away from his hold on the vine at every turn. His knuckles went white from gripping so tightly, but he refused to let go. He could feel Jackson"s solid presence just below him, urging him on with gentle words and reassuring touches whenever they reached sturdy ground again. Lark and Thorne followed close behind, their grunts echoing through their newfound bond created by a shared experience neither would forget anytime soon.

Mardoc"s call was the only warning before it dove past Barrett, seemingly delighting in the ability to stretch its wings once again.

They were all moving together now, and trust was imperative if they were going to survive this journey home together.

Pressure began to build between his shoulder blades as they descended faster than he would have liked. Sweat trickled down his spine despite the cold air nipping at his cheeks and nose. One misstep here would mean certain death below.

The wind howled around them, whipping against their bodies as they made their way down, threatening to pull them away with every gust. It was all Barrett could do to keep his footing on the vine as he climbed down toward Jackson.

Barrett steeled his mind off, focused only on the sensation of the knobby stalk beneath his foot when it searched for a foothold to lower him down.

Finally reaching solid ground after what felt like an eternity, Barrett let out a shaky breath and looked around in wonder at their new environment. Everything was the same size as him - so similar to the memories he had of home. All that was left to do was touch the ground.

Barrett gasped for air once he touched earth once more, feeling its familiar roughness beneath him after days trapped amongst these towering impossibilities all around him.

With the climb done, every muscle in his body ached in a way he hadn"t thought possible. He could collapse in a heap where the stench reminded him of the giants, but they had to work.

Quickly," Barrett urged, his voice hoarse from fear and exertion. "We need to cut this down. There"s no way he"ll notice, and they can"t just descend without it."

Jackson nodded grimly, his muscles already tense with anticipation. With one last glance at the treacherous stalk, he raced away toward a small shack just as Thorne and Lark touched the ground.

"Thank you," Thorne brushed leaves from his shoulders.

"I"d love to take credit, but that was all Jackson. And we"re not free yet."

Jackson rushed toward them, the distance closing with every second and Barrett couldn"t stop the fear crawling over his skin.

"You"re certain he won"t notice?" Jackson asked, passing him an ax and Thorne what looked like a scythe.

"He might, but I"m more concerned he could decide to venture down if we leave it."

"Lark, keep your eyes to the top of the stalk. Let"s make certain nothing comes down when they notice it shaking from our efforts." Jackson locked eyes with Barrett. "This could take hours with our muscles the way they are from the climb."

"Then we"d better get started."

With combined efforts, the beanstalk gave a final groan as if the very sky was moaning its demise before crashing down, its fall like the bellow of a beast in its death throes.

Finally, it hit the ground with a resounding boom, sending up a cloud of dust and debris. The earth beneath them trembled, the reverberation singing a song of triumph and freedom.

They exchanged glances, and then erupted into relieved, triumphant laughter. It echoed around them, the sweetest melody they had ever heard.

Barrett wrapped Jackson in an embrace, relief flooding through him as did the stirring of something more. "We did it," he murmured, voice thick with emotion.

"Yes, we did," Jackson replied, his arms tightening around Barrett. Together, they stood, victorious and breathless, the weight of the giant"s tyranny lifting like fog at the rise of the sun.

"I hate to ask, but do you have any more to get us home?" Lark chirped from somewhere out of sight.

"I do. But not tonight. Tonight, we need to rest in real beds, eat real food, and let our muscles heal." Jackson offered Barrett a hand. "Come with me?"

Barrett smiled, glee still coursing through him. "I think I"d follow you anywhere."