Rise: A Gay Fairy Tale (14 page)

“What? How are we supposed to carry the treasure without a cart? Just take one from the village! Everyone should be sleeping by now.”

Heart thumping, Jack kept his voice even. “How long have they been gone now?”

The boy gazed up. “Hours. I’m still not sure how they’re going to carry it all back down.”

“How do they know they can get it? No one’s ever bested the giant.”

“Didn’t you hear? The freak did it! Brought back gold and everything, says the banker. So you’d better get the cart, or Adair will be mad when he gets back down.”

Fury boiled in Jack’s veins, quickly supplanted by gnawing worry. “How many went up again?”

“Five of ’em counting Adair. That giant’s finally going to get what’s coming to him. Greedy bastard!”

The boy was still laughing as Jack’s fist smashed his face. He was unconscious, and Jack quickly dragged him off into the trees, binding and gagging him with strips he tore from one of his tunics. He rifled through the rest of his sack. He had a folding knife that was barely sharp enough to peel an apple, but it was better than nothing. He tossed the sack away.

There was only one thing he could do.

Chapter Ten

As Jack climbed, he didn’t look down. The cold, thin air as he clambered higher and higher seemed like an old friend this time. The hours passed, but he didn’t falter or grow tired, desperation fueling him. He had to get to Rion. His stomach churned as he thought of how outnumbered Rion would be. His giant act might fool them at first, but he was just a man. The odds were against him.

The stalk began to waver in the wind as it narrowed, and Jack knew he was almost at the top. The dark hulk of the castle loomed, but this time a rope dangled from the portal. Jack reached for it and gave it a tentative tug. It held fast. He tugged harder. It didn’t give an inch.

Listening carefully, Jack heard only the whistle of the wind. With a deep breath, he shimmied up the rope and pulled himself over the ledge. The rope was tied onto a nearby pillar. Likely one of the lackeys had had the unenviable task of leaping up and then making the passage easier for Adair and the others.

There was no sign of them in the great hall. Although the faint rays of morning had begun to lighten the clouds outside just a touch, inside was still dark and gloomy as ever. Jack’s boots were silent on the dusty stone as he left the portal behind. Aside from the rope, nothing was different. He could almost believe he’d find Rion upstairs in his chamber, fast asleep.

Perhaps he is. Perhaps he’s safe
.

Tiptoeing up the stairs, Jack’s breath came shallowly. Halfway up, his heart skipped a beat. Something was different above on the landing. As he neared, he realized it was one of the statues of Rion’s ancestors smashed on the floor. There was something else, too. Dark stains amid the rubble.

Blood.

Heart thumping, Jack crept down the hall, following the dark splashes. Voices reached his ears, first a low murmur, then growing louder. A door stood open farther down the passageway, faint light spilling from the room. A moment later Adair’s shout rang out.

“Tell me where it is!”

This was punctuated by the sound of something lashing through the air. Stomach knotted, Jack crept near as Adair demanded again to be told where the treasure was hidden. Again another lashing noise, this one followed by a faint groan. Carefully, Jack peeked through the space between the wooden door and its hinges.

He had to bite his tongue to stop a cry from escaping. Strung up by his wrists from the tall posters on the end of the bed, Rion hung, his feet barely scraping the floor. His bare back was marred by welts. Adair stood with legs spread, that damn belt gripped in one hand, the eagle’s ruby eye now bloody.

“Tell me!” Adair bellowed as he lashed out again.

Rion jerked as the blow split his skin, but he didn’t cry out. Adair’s minions were nowhere to be found, and were likely searching the castle. Jack’s mind whirled as he tried to formulate a plan. He jumped as a vase shattered.

“To the devil with you. We’ll find it. Mark my words!”

Jack barely had time to flatten himself against the wall as Adair stormed out and down the passageway, thankfully not paying attention as he muttered about liars and gold. Jack ducked inside the room, taking his knife from his pocket.

As he neared, Rion tensed and lifted his head from where it had lolled against his chest. “I told you bastards you’ll have to kill me. It shall never be yours.”

Lips at Rion’s ear, Jack whispered. “But will you be mine?”

Eyes wide, Rion jerked his head around. A swollen gash marred his forehead, and he blinked away blood. “Jack?”

“Yes. I’m here. Hold on. I’ll get you down.”

It was some work sawing at the ropes binding Rion’s wrists, which were bloodied and torn. Jack stood on the bed, keeping an ear out for Adair and the others, but they didn’t appear. As he freed Rion’s second wrist, Rion dropped to his knees on the floor, breathing hard.

All Jack wanted was to pull him into his arms and soothe his wounds, but he had to stay focused. At Rion’s side, he smoothed back Rion’s hair from his forehead. “It’s okay. It’ll be all right.” He was about to ask Rion what they should do when he had a thought. “The cloak and mask. Where are they?”

“In my chamber. I wasn’t wearing them. I thought it was…”

Jack swallowed hard. “You thought it was me coming back.”

Rion nodded. “And I was happy. Jack, I was a fool.”

“Shh. It doesn’t matter now.” He wound his arm around Rion’s waist and hauled him to his feet. The passageway was clear, and they hurried as best they could, Rion grimacing and biting back moans as he leaned into Jack.

When they reached Rion’s chamber, Jack was relieved to see it had already been ransacked. Perhaps they wouldn’t come back this way. He lowered Rion to the bed and then clawed through the scattered piles of Rion’s belongings. He found the cloak and mask in the corner by the window, where daylight glowed softly.

On his stomach, Rion breathed heavily. Blood still seeped from the wounds on his back, and his eyes fluttered. With makeshift bandages torn from the sheets, Jack stopped the worst of the bleeding. “Have to clean the wounds, but this will have to do for now.” He froze as a crash echoed from downstairs. “Does the door bolt from the inside?”

“Yes, but I’m fine. We’ll face them together.” Rion pushed himself up on one arm, grimacing as he gasped.

“Oh yes. Quite fine, I can see.” Jack pushed him back down with a firm hand on his shoulder. “Bolt the door after me and get back into bed. I’ll see to these villains.”

“No. There are too many. I can’t let you go.” Rion reached for Jack’s hand, his grip tight. “I should never have let you go. I’m sorry.”

Warmth bloomed in Jack’s chest, and he knelt by the bed and pressed their lips together. “I should never have left. I so love you, Rion. It’s madness, but it’s true.”

Tears shone in Rion’s eyes, and he managed to smile. “And I love you. I’ll travel the world with you if you’ll still have me.”

Blinking rapidly, Jack nodded and kissed him. “Stay here. I’ll return, I promise.”

He helped Rion to the door, kissing him a last time before stepping into the passageway. He fit the leather mask over his head and heaved the cloak over his shoulders. Rion muttered an enchantment, and the cloak seemed to vibrate and come to life around him.

Before he went in search of Adair, Jack waited to hear the bolt thudding home.

Slumped on the floor against his chamber door, Rion decided it was best to wait a few minutes before following, or Jack would just drag him back. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He must marshal his strength. Jack needed him.

From a distance, a bellow thundered. Rion jerked his head up, blinking rapidly. Had he blacked out? Was the sun brighter? As he pushed himself up, his stiff muscles burned. With considerable effort, he made it to his feet, where he swayed dangerously. His eyelids faltered, and for a moment the urge to collapse on his bed was overwhelming.

No! Move!

Shaking his head, Rion stumbled to his trunk and pulled out a sword. It hadn’t been sharpened in years as he’d had no one to spar with, but it would do. He unsheathed it and unbolted the door before staggering toward the great hall. Another bellow followed, and Rion allowed himself a small smile. He’d know the shout of the mask’s amplification anywhere. Jack was playing the role of the giant with great aplomb from the sounds of it.

His head spun, and he grabbed for the wall. He was almost to the walkway overlooking the great hall, and from below frantic voices wailed.

“T’ hell with this!”

“I told you there was a giant!”

“I’m first!”

Rion lurched to the railing just in time to see three of the men tussling at the portal for a length of rope tied to a pillar. Two of them got the upper hand, and they fought bitterly at the ledge. As Jack’s shout boomed again, one of them lost his balance. For a terrible moment, he wheeled his arms, eyes like saucers as he hovered at the edge.

Then gravity won the battle, as it always did, and ever would.

As the man’s scream faded into nothing, the two remaining men stared at each other mutely. Then one nodded. “You first.”

They soon disappeared through the portal. So that left two men, including the leader who had wielded his belt. Assuming Rion had seen all the men when he’d practically raced straight into them. He cursed himself for his folly. He’d been so sure it was Jack returning that he’d thrown caution to the wind.

Rion tiptoed to the top of the stairs but stumbled, tripping on the rubble of the shattered statue. On his knees, he fought for breath, his entire body aching as if on fire from the inside out. As he tried to gain his footing, voices approached from the direction of the kitchen downstairs.

Heart seizing, Rion fought the burst of panic. Then he realized it didn’t matter. Let them have the damn treasure. What had it ever brought him but grief? It was time to put an end to it.

“Get back here! We are not finished!”

“Forget it, Adair. There
is
a giant here and I’m not gonna wait around to be torn limb from limb!” The young man raced to the rope.

Adair
. Red rage boiled through Rion, propelling him to his feet. He’d kill the mongrel.

In this panic, the man at the ledge was tangled in the rope, and he spun around. As he turned his back, Adair lifted his foot and with one efficient motion sent the man tumbling to his end.

Coward!
Rion clutched his sword and descended the stairs as quietly as he could. There was too much light now to hide, and Adair whirled. After a blink of surprise, a cold grin creased his face.

“Come to give me the pleasure of finishing you off? How sporting.”

Rion didn’t bother with words, instead thrusting with his sword. Adair darted back out of harm’s way, his smile faltering. They circled each other. Rion’s sword skills were rusty, but he remembered enough. He lashed out, slicing Adair’s arm through his tunic and drawing a furious shout.

“Why should you get to keep the treasure? Or this giant?” He glanced around the great hall. “This giant who does not show his face!”

“I’ll give you one chance to live.” Rion jerked his head toward the portal. “Go now. Never return.”

“How did wretched Jack find the gold? It isn’t fair!”

Rion clenched his jaw. “Do not speak his name. I said go now!”

Adair regarded him with a new gleam. “You know Jack, do you? Was it you who gave him the gold? Bet I can guess what he did to earn that.”

Thrusting, Rion charged forward, but Adair danced out of the way.

The bastard
laughed
. “Ah yes. Worth every shilling, isn’t he? I should know, since I was the first to have his tight arse. How he loved going to his knees for me. He was like a dog, ever at heel, so eager to please. Such a lovely little whore, even if he’s ugly as sin. At times I wished I could put a sack over his head so I wouldn’t have to see even a glimpse of that hair.”

With a growl, Rion lunged. Adair sidestepped and yanked on the hilt of Rion’s sword, sending it clattering as they tumbled to the floor. His advantage gone, Rion struggled to fight back, but his head swam as Adair slammed it into the stone. With a last burst, Rion rolled on top of Adair, hands at the man’s throat.

It was no good—he was too weakened. They rolled again, and Rion found himself at the portal, his head and shoulders dangling back into the air. He clawed at Adair’s face, trying for his eyes.

Straddling him, Adair smiled, batting his hands away as if he toyed with a kitten. “I regret that I can’t dally longer, but I have a treasure to find.”

As the sword tip appeared through Adair’s chest, Rion blinked in confusion. Adair’s smile faded, and he gazed down at the spreading bloom of blood staining his tunic. He looked over his shoulder. “Jack?” He swallowed hard, his breath short.

Jack moved into Rion’s field of vision, a grim expression on his face, the cloak and mask gone. With a mighty tug, he removed the sword from where he’d plunged it into Adair’s back. “Yes, Adair. It’s Jack.” He shoved Adair to the side like a sack of grain and pulled Rion back to safety. “Are you hurt?”