Rise: A Gay Fairy Tale (13 page)

Jack whirled and dodged Adair’s outstretched arm. “We were never friends. I was your plaything. Always at your beck and call, pleasuring you with no thought of myself until the day you cast me aside without a backward glance. Without explanation.”

For a moment, an expression that appeared to be genuine regret crossed Adair’s features. “I had no choice.”

Jack’s laugh was harsh to his own ears. “You tired of me. Don’t pretend otherwise. It’s pointless.”

Adair hesitated, about to speak but seeming to think better of it.

“What, no pretty lie ready to slither from your tongue? You’re losing your touch.”

As he sighed, Adair’s polished artifice seemed to crumble away, and his shoulders sagged. “A servant saw you climbing from my window. She told my mother, who kept it from my father at least. She demanded I marry one of the daughters of the neighboring kingdom’s baron. There was nothing else I could do.”

The truth at last. Jack smirked. “Nothing else? Why not one of the baron’s daughters, then? But no, instead you married lowly Damara to spite your mother’s decree.”

Adair’s lips quirked. “I suppose you do know me well, Jack.”

“Oh yes. I know you.” Jack’s smile was razor sharp. He could see it all so clearly now. “You could have married anyone, but instead you chose to
fuck my sister
for the rest of your life since you couldn’t fuck me.”

“It had nothing to do with you!” Eyes flashing, Adair puffed up with rage. “Nothing!”

The twisted satisfaction was something at least, and Jack quelled the urge to laugh, instead waving carelessly at the door. “It doesn’t matter now. You did me a favor in the end. After all, it’s not as if you ever cared for me.”

Adair wavered, thoroughly ensnared. Jack could practically see the wheels turning in his mind. The false emotion returned to Adair’s face, his eyes wide, hands outstretched in an impassioned plea. His voice trembled the perfect amount. “You wrong me, Jack! Of course I cared for you. Would I be here if I hadn’t? If I didn’t?”

“Your concern is truly touching. You can see yourself out.”

Instead, Adair took a step forward, his voice lowering. “You did it, didn’t you? You can tell me.”

“Did what?” Jack could feel the tips of his ears burning.

“You climbed it! You’ve found the treasure.” Adair went on, excited. “I know you did. All these years you’ve wanted to conquer it, and you have. How did you best the giant? Where is the treasure?” He glanced around the cottage. “Hidden, of course. But I know you have it.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve had a long journey, so please leave.”

Adair’s eyes gleamed, hard as diamonds. “When you disappeared, I sent a runner to the checkpoints. You didn’t pass. So I installed a guard in the trees near the stalk. He saw you climb back down. Then you paid the butcher your debt. I know you found the treasure—don’t try to convince me otherwise. And you’re in one piece. Hardly a scratch on you. Did you vanquish the giant? Is he dead?”

The mere thought of Rion’s death made Jack’s stomach lurch. “No!” He took a breath to gather himself. “Even if I did find the treasure, what’s it to you? You have more money than you know what to do with.”

Adair’s cheek twitched and his gaze skittered away.

Suddenly Jack understood. “My God. You’ve lost it. You haven’t moved home to please your father. You’ve done it because you have no choice.” He laughed hollowly. “And my mother knows. That’s the price of her new accommodation.”

Adair’s thunderous expression transformed his pretty features. He growled, “It wasn’t my fault. The bet was meant to be sure. My father can’t know. I need to get the money back before he discovers my coffers are empty.” His scowl melted away, and he reached out. “Tell me where the treasure is. You don’t need it all! Please.”

Jack sidestepped. “I don’t have it. I told you.”

“You lie!” Adair bellowed, his face reddening.

Jack’s own anger bloomed hot in his chest. “I’m not the liar. You want the treasure? All these years we’ve believed a fantasy. The treasure doesn’t exist. I managed to steal a few paltry coins and escaped by the skin of my teeth. It was a fool’s errand. The giant will kill anyone else who climbs that damn stalk.”

Adair took this in, clenching his fingers into fists over and over. “It can’t be. The treasure must be real. It must! I’ve counted on it.”

“If it was real, someone would have claimed it long ago. Forget it, Adair. Throw yourself on your father’s mercy. He loves you. He’ll understand.”

Adair turned, his broad shoulders hunched. He exhaled slowly. “Perhaps you’re right. It just feels so…hopeless.”

Despite everything, Jack felt a flicker of sympathy. He touched Adair’s back briefly. “Your father truly does love you, and is a good man. It’ll be all right.”

Adair looked back. “Thank you.” He swallowed thickly. “And for what it’s worth, which I realize is very little, I am sorry about how it went between us all those years ago. Perhaps one day you shall forgive me.”

Jack didn’t answer, and stood in the silence long after Adair had gone.

The waning moon left Rion’s chamber cloaked in shadow, which was for the best, since in his mind he saw Jack everywhere he looked. He stood at the window, the night breeze raising gooseflesh on his skin. This room had been his sanctuary all his days, but now it felt as cold and lonely as the rest of the castle.

He’d tried reading in the library. After starting the same paragraph over and over, he abandoned the task. Rion knew he had to return to his old life, but it seemed hopeless. Granted, it had only been hours since Jack left
. Since I let him leave
. He’d remained at the stalk, watching long after the fiery flash of Jack’s hair had disappeared.

“It’s for the best.”

His own voice sounded vacant. He’d been alone for so long. He should welcome this return to routine. Return to peace. Yet the ache for Jack hollowed out his chest. It was ludicrous! He’d known this man—this
Outsider
—for what, little more than a week? It was simply the rutting he would miss. Nothing more.

Then why was it Jack’s shy smile that haunted his mind’s eye? Jack’s laughter ricocheting through his head? The missing warmth of Jack’s body curled around Rion’s that left him so chilled?

“It could be anyone. He can be replaced. He
will
be replaced.”

As he said the words aloud, Rion felt galvanized. Yes. He would prove to himself that Jack—no,
the Outsider
—was nothing to him. Even if Rion would never take a wife, he could go find someone to slake his desire. Rid him of this melancholy.

And perhaps along with a man, he could find some orphans to bring to the castle. Surely the unwanted, hungry children Jack had told him about also lived across the sea? He could help them. Give them food and shelter. Teach them to carry on his familial duty. He would keep his promise to his father.
And condemn innocent children to my own misery? Trapped here forever?

No—he wouldn’t force any to stay. But surely at least one would choose to? It wasn’t such a bad life. It wasn’t! Rion’s pulse thrummed. Yes. This was the solution. There was no time to waste.

The kite was as he’d left it, and it unfurled for him as obediently as a hound kneeling for its master. Although it was strong and secure, it hardly weighed a thing and Rion easily stood with it before him on the terrace edge, its ties wrapping him up like a cocoon. His parents and siblings had all flown their kites safely. There was no danger—all he needed to do was step off the ledge and soar.

So why did his heart thump so painfully against his ribcage?

Go! Leap!

Yet he remained frozen in place, feeling more alone than he ever had. He shouldn’t leave the castle now. He couldn’t. It would be unforgivably irresponsible. The stalk was strong enough to bear Jack, and anyone could follow. Unless it wasn’t strong enough after all.

A foot placed wrong for a split second. A weak spot on the stalk. A stiff wind…

Rion’s chest tightened and he gasped for air. In his mind he saw Jack tumbling to his doom, little more than a bloody gash in the earth at the end. He stumbled back, crashing off the ledge onto the terrace, the kite on top of him. He thrashed, finally freeing himself and sending the contraption clattering away. Sweat gathered on his brow and he panted desperately, his lungs seizing as he willed them to work.

Not dead. Not dead. Not dead
.

This mantra repeated in a loop in Rion’s mind, and finally he was able to catch his breath. Jack wasn’t dead. He couldn’t be.

Lying there on the hard stone he thought of that morning and Jack atop him, so beautiful in his ecstasy. A sob escaped Rion’s lips as his mind whirled in a hurly-burly of confusion. How could he
love
Jack so quickly?

Yet he did. He truly did.

As he admitted the truth in his heart, a strange peace settled into his very being. He didn’t want to go over the sea alone, to find some willing man. To find poor, desperate orphans he would doom to his sorry fate. No. He wanted to go with Jack. He wanted a new life.

“I don’t want to stay here forever.”

The words scraped his throat as they clawed out. This truth was a betrayal of his parents—of his ancestors. Yet it was truth nonetheless. He’d denied it far too long. What was the good of this treasure? Why should his life and his happiness be forfeit to it? His parents were ashes on the wind. Long gone.

He was here. Jack was here. How could he have let him go?

A distant thud registered, and Rion held his breath, listening carefully. After a few moments he exhaled. It was surely nothing. The castle settling itself in for another long night. Then on the wind, there was a snatch of sound, a mere whisper.

A voice.

Rion scrambled to his feet, joy bubbling up. His smile felt as if it might split his face as he raced inside toward the great hall.

Jack had returned to him.

After waiting several hours, Jack hoisted his small sack onto his shoulder. He’d thought perhaps his mother and Damara might come after all once they heard of his return. He shook his head scornfully at his own folly. It was time to leave, once and for all.

Although it was late, the lights in the baron’s house shone brightly across the meadow. He imagined Damara and their mother inside, safe and warm and being catered to by an endless array of servants. He paused for a moment on the crest of the hill above the village. He bid them a silent goodbye, and wished them well.

As he walked on, the dark silhouette of the beanstalk came into sight. Jack had considered taking the other road out of the village, but had chided himself for his foolishness. Surely he could walk past the stalk without giving in to the urge to clamber back up and throw himself into Rion’s arms.

But as he neared it, he had to admit the urge was overwhelming. He didn’t quite understand how he’d fallen so hard and so fast for Rion. When he thought back to how he’d felt for Adair in their youth, it was nothing but a pale shadow. What had started as lust had transformed so quickly into a blaze of emotions—affection, caring, and…yes, love.

He loved Rion with his whole heart.

Although Jack knew it was not to be, he couldn’t help but let his fantasies unspool in his mind as he neared the stalk. He and Rion, traveling to distant lands. Discovering new things by day, and sharing their bed and passion by night. It was all Jack had ever dreamed of, and so much more now that he’d met Rion. He couldn’t imagine anyone else by his side.

Movement at the base of the stalk made Jack halt in his tracks. The moon was but a sliver, and clouds made the night even darker. He peered carefully and approached the stalk. There was a person there, he was sure of it. For a wonderful moment, his heart leapt. Had Rion come for him after all? His footsteps quickened and he called out. “Rion?”

From the shadows at the base of the stalk stepped a young man, little more than a boy. He glanced about. “Where’s the cart?”

Jack stopped. In the darkness he was far enough away that the boy clearly thought he was someone else. The hair on Jack’s arms stood up. Something wasn’t right here. He improvised. “Can’t find it.”