by Jenni James
She blinked and seemed surprised, but did not lessen her grip on his clothing. “I need you. I need to form a sort of uneasy alliance with you.”
He pulled away from her. “What do you mean?”
“I know how to get to Rachel, but I cannot go to the giant’s kingdom. I need you to do so.”
“You want Rachel?” Were all of the magical beings after his beloved?
“Of course not, you fool! What would I do with her?” Cora looked back up at the moon. “No, I want the giant—or more importantly, I want the baby he stole from me. I want my Verity back! And you and your sister are the only ones who can do it.”
CHAPTER SIX
JACK FELT AS IF his head were spinning. “Forgive me, but I do not understand. You had a baby? And the giant has stolen it?”
“Yes! And I want her back.”
“Why would the giant steal a child?”
She rolled her eyes and spun on her heel, the skirts of her dress fanning out behind her. “Because this child has a special gift, one that must be harnessed properly or it could destroy this world as we know it.”
A surprised chuckle burst from Jack. “Truly? The baby could destroy the world?”
“Yes!” She glanced back at him and then up at the sky. “It does not matter. The giant does not know how to control her gift anyway. No one knows how she does it, and I have only seen her use it twice before.”
“It must be some gift if a giant is willing to entertain a baby to have it.”
“It is.” Shaking her head, she continued, “But then again, being able to turn things into gold would be considered an amazing gift.”
Jack ran his hand through his blond curls and whistled softly. “Indeed!”
“I want her back—now. I do not like anything that is rightfully mine to be stolen away. I found her—she is mine. I need her returned safely.” Cora began to pace the gravel yard. “And you will do it for me—I saw to that.”
Wait. Could he have heard her properly? “You were behind Rachel’s disappearance?”
She waved away his anger. “Yes, of course. How else could I get Verity back? I needed a strong, brave lad to do it for me—a lad with Larkein blood in his veins.”
“Let me make sure I understand you fully.” He felt the fury within him begin to boil to new heights. “You risked the life of the woman I love. The woman I hope to marry very shortly. You have terrified her and made her completely traumatized and upset because you have a personal vendetta against a giant? And all of this you did so that I may act as your errand boy and fetch this baby for you?”
She stopped her pacing. “Yes, essentially. That is the gist of it.”
“Why?” he roared, his rage filling the night.
She flinched and took a couple of paces back.
“Why would you do anything so dimwitted as to risk my Rachel?”
“Excuse me?” Cora put her hands on her hips.
“No!” He shook his head. “No, there is no excuse for you, ma’am! My grandfather, my father, and my mother were forced to play in your scheme, and now my sister and my dear fiancée and I find ourselves risking our lives for the same ignorant, selfish witch who nearly killed my family? Are you out of your mind?”
He walked up to her. “I know you have the power to do all sorts of things to me—I have heard the tales. I discern as well that you will most likely wish to eat me and my sister before this is all over. But I also recognize that you would not dare touch me now.”
“And why not?”
He grinned. “Because unlike my father in his day, I am familiar with your weaknesses.” Pulling a leather cord from within his shirt, he reached down until his fingers wrapped themselves around the small vial at the end of it and held it out to her. “I keep this on my person always. In case I will ever have use of it.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Is that my potion? Where did you find that?”
Smiling, he tucked it into his shirt again. “You left quite a bit of the stuff with my grandfather.”
“I would wipe that grin off your face. If you truly knew everything about me, you would know that I can freeze you at any second.”
He tilted his head and shrugged, hoping it would make her angry. “Yes, I know, but you will not.”
“Ha! Do not tempt me, boy. I have no use for such flippancy.”
“If you freeze me, how would I ever get to your dear golden baby? Hmm?” When she did not answer, he continued, “Rachel’s parents said the giant was not very bright. Who knows how well he is taking care of the child.”
Cora’s eyes widened at the realization.
“I am sure he has no idea how to feed her, what to give her, how to attend her—anything.”
“I am well aware of this!” she snapped. “Which is why I need you to come quickly!”
He took a deep breath and rubbed his jaw. “Two things I wish to understand at this time. First, how did you know I would come here?”
She blinked. “’Tis Larkein, the kingdom where all the magic is held. You would have to come here or you would never see your fiancée again. It is the only place with the answers you seek.”
“Fair enough.” He nodded, then asked, “Secondly, why can you not fetch her yourself? You are supposedly extremely magical—why have you not already done so?”
She grunted a very unladylike grunt and spun on her heel again. “I cannot breach the contract my sisters made with the giant years ago—centuries ago. It is unheard of. Back when we locked him up in his skyward kingdom, we made a treaty of sorts to guarantee he would never take up residence down here again. We purposely built a castle of the finest amenities and richest luxuries for him so he would never wish to live here. And, for the most part, he leaves us alone.” She began to pace once more. “Unless, of course, he gets word of children who can change things to gold—then obviously he feels it is his right to steal her. Giants are known for their treasure hoarding.”
Frustrated, Jack continued, “Wait—how did the giant find Rachel? How did he know she could sing?”
Cora halted and grinned. “Oh, there are many ways to send a giant a message when one needs to. Have you not heard of creatures that can fly?”
He had never felt the desire so forcefully to strike a woman before. Taking another deep breath, he asked the next question as calmly as possible. “You sent a message telling him of her so that he might come and steal her away?”
“Yes.”
“So I might become your errand boy and fetch back your baby?”
“Yes. I had watched you the last couple of days. I knew you were like your father and would go after her, no matter the cost.”
“And how in all of heaven’s name do you plan for me to do so?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
FINALLY. CORA HAD THE boy right where she wanted him. “It is well you have begun to see reason.” She smiled. “I have a way, obviously, but I need you to give me some collateral first.”
“Collateral? You are asking me to give up something of mine so I may do a favor for you? Are you mad?”
Oh, how she loved his fire. His spirit was definitely a fun challenge and something she would humor for the moment. Of course, there would be time later to make him pay for his impertinence. “Yes. It is the way all magic works. You give me something, and then I will give you the tools you need to finish your quest.”
His eyes narrowed. “What would you ask for payment?”
The cow he brought would do, but it was never wise to bargain quite so low. “I will take your sister until you return with Verity.”
“Never! She comes with me or this deal is off.”
Cora raised an eyebrow and walked up to him, surprised he did not flinch. Looking him over from head to toe, she smirked. “No, I see that you will need one as smart as she is to keep you safe.” Placing her hand on her hip, she pretended to think it over. “The vial?” she asked.
“You wish to take my only defense?” He shook his head. “No.”
“Yes, yo
u are wise to hold on to that. It may be very useful against the giant.” She sighed and then said, “What do you have that you are willing to part with?”
“A very fine cow that you may keep forever.”
She laughed. “Your fiancée’s life depends on me taking your old dried-up cow? Are you mad?”
“She is not old, or dried up! In fact, her milk is so rich it is nearly cream.”
Even better. Good, thick milk was the main ingredient in many of her spells. “Very well. I will trade you the cow for these.” She carefully pulled out a small leather drawstring pouch from her waistband and allowed the three items to fall into the palm of her hand.
“What are they?” Jack leaned over. “They look like beans.”
“They are.”
“This is preposterous! Are you mocking me? I will not trade my cow for three measly beans. Take them away.”
Folding her fingers over them, she shrugged and pretended nonchalance. “Very well.” Turning as if she was about to leave, she said over her shoulder, “I wish you luck in finding your Rachel without them.” With that, Cora began to walk past the stables and out toward the road, and then counted the seconds it would take for him to stop her.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Sev—
“Halt!” he called out.
Grinning, she paused and waited for him to catch up.
“Why would you give me beans? Are they magical?”
“Of course!” She would laugh if the question were not so stupid.
“What should I do with them?”
She held out her hand and set the beans on his palm. “You plant them. Give them a little love and some water, and you will be amazed at what you find. Though, plant them somewhere far from the house.”
“But what will they do?”
“Why, grow, of course. What did you expect?”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “So, you are telling me that these beans will grow. And somehow, someway, they will then lead me to the giant? When I eat the vegetable, will I sprout wings to help me fly up there, or will they provide another way equally as absurd?”
“You will just need to plant them and see.”
He brought his hand up into the moonlight. “These look like very ordinary beans to me. How do I know you are not pulling the wool over my eyes and planning to make off with my cow?”
Smirking, she replied, “You do not. You must learn to trust that perhaps all I have said is correct and I am not mocking you or leading you on a merry chase.”
Jack shook his head. “I have no reason to trust you—none—and every single reason to believe you are a thief, an imposter, and a liar.”
“Then you are in a pickle, are you not?”
“Honestly!” He threw his arms in the air, his fist tight around the beans. “This is the help you give me? You want me to save your baby and my fiancée with nothing but a few beans, and I am supposed to believe they will miraculously bring the girls back?”
“No. I never said that.” Her gaze met his. “I do not promise that you will be able to bring either of them back. I have only given you the means to get there. The rest is up to you—if you are willing to trust a wicked witch, of course.” She chuckled, keeping the conversation light. But her heart beat wildly, hoping she did not err in her judgment of him. She needed that child!
“I have no choice, do I?” He looked away.
“Everything worth living for requires sacrifice. Those things we love most do not come free. Magic needs a certain willingness, faith, and bravery to do all it requires for it to come about. I could tell you exactly what those beans would do—but then it would negate your ability to prove your faith. Even so, I gave you the greatest and easiest way to get to the giant’s kingdom. And when you use the beans and fully understand their power, then what? Then courage steps into play, and you may not be brave enough to do what you must to get the girls back.”
She continued. “I, too, am risking a lot. Those three beans are all I have left. If I have handed them to the wrong person, I need to know now.”
“Are they truly worth that much to you?”
As if she would stand here in the cold night air negotiating with a lad of twenty if they were not. “Those beans are worth more than sixty of the finest cows in the kingdom!” she hissed. “Mark my words, boy. I am not here to fool about. I will only exchange them for Verity’s safety. If you do not mean to believe me, I will take back what is mine and finish this deal now. Are you, or are you not, willing to sacrifice for the love of your life, or is this all simply a game of heroics you decided to play?”
“Yes.” He took a deep breath. “Very well, I will exchange the cow for the beans.”
“Good.” She snapped her fingers and grinned at the surprise on his face when the cow appeared before them. “You and your father do not know all I can do. Think over what I have just said. For a long while, he has believed me burned within a cottage. I did not die, did I?” She raised an eyebrow. “Besides, even a witch can learn a few tricks after all these years.” She tugged on the collar of the cow and smiled. “Good luck. I will be watching you.”
And then she disappeared before him in a puff of smoke.
CHAPTER EIGHT
JILL AWOKE TO THE sound of Jack coming into the room. “Are you finally here?” she asked through the screen separating their beds. She had woken up earlier to find him gone and figured he went out to gather information.
“Yes,” he muttered. She heard his boots as he tugged them off and they clomped to the wooden floor.
She turned over onto her elbow. “Did you find out anything? Will we be able to get to the kingdom?”
“Ugh,” he grunted. “I will tell you in the morning.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I am not sure if I have just made the stupidest mistake of my life, or the smartest choice.”
Her stomach clenched, and a feeling of dread came over her. “Jack, what did you do?”
There were the sounds of movement and creaking as he climbed into bed. He sighed and then said, “I bargained with a witch.”
“What?” She sat up. “You did what?” How could he be so foolish?
“In exchange for the cow, she gave me some magic beans that are supposed to get us up to the giant in some way.”
“Oh, good great mercy.” Jill lay back with a plop, staring up at the darkened wood-beamed ceiling. “Do you mean to say you are not sure if the beans even work? And now the cow is gone?”
“Aye.”
She harrumphed and brought the blankets up tighter.
“It gets worse.”
“How can it get worse than you bargaining with a witch in exchange for mere beans?”
“The witch is Cora Childress.”
***
JILL STILL MARVELED AT the insanity her brother had shown in confronting that witch. She held the beans in her petticoat pocket for safekeeping as they drove the cart home, but honestly could not fathom what made them so special. “Are you certain they are magic beans?” she asked for at least the twentieth time since leaving the inn. “And are you positive it was Cora Childress who gave them to you?”
“Yes and yes. Now stop asking me the same questions over and over again.” He sighed and slapped the reins to bring the horse to a nice trot. They had just come to a long stretch of smooth road and now that the cow was not behind them, slowing down the journey, he let the horse have at it.
“I am sorry. I do not mean to be quite so judgmental, but what else am I supposed to think?” She readjusted herself on the hard seat and looked out at the rolling countryside. It was strikingly beautiful now that they were away from the wooded area and could actually see the lush green all around them. “When do you imagine we will be home?”
“Just before nightfall, in a few hours or so.”
“Do you want to go home? Or would you rather not?�
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He glanced over. “And do what? Jill, I have to plant these beans and then wait to see what happens.”
“Yes, but you said it had to be done away from the cottage. Would you rather go straight to the spot, while the light is still fading, or wait until morning?”
“Oh, I might as well go tonight. I already know the field to use. The empty one in the back.”
“Oh, Grandfather’s field?”
“Aye.”
She nodded. “So tell me about Cora. Pa says she was extremely beautiful. She must be much older now—is she still attractive?”
“I do not think she has aged a day since she ate that woman all those years ago.”
Jill groaned.
“Precisely. But yes, she is a very stunning woman—so much so, I did not know what to make of her when she first addressed me.”
“Jack, should we tell Father and Mother that she is not dead, or do we leave well enough alone?”
“I do not know. I have been pondering the same issue this whole day. If we tell them that not only is she alive, but she knows of our family and we are her pawns once again, I do not believe Father will take it well.”
“Yes, he will most likely go after her.”
“Let us wait until it is absolutely necessary to tell them. The thought of us going to Larkein must have frightened them enough.”
“Not to mention the notion of us flying our way up to the giant’s kingdom.”
“Yes, no reason to worry them more with the knowledge that it was all orchestrated by their old foe.”
Jill chuckled. “Only in our family would such things happen. What is the likelihood of any of the other villagers facing such bizarre circumstances?”
He grinned and glanced down at her. “’Tis true. We are quite the adventure seekers, are we not?”
“Then again, we do have a Larkein queen for a mother—with the magic in that kingdom, it was bound to happen.”
***
THE SUN HAD JUST gone down as they rolled into the family’s shared drive. Jack turned the horse toward Grandfather’s property at the fork and then rumbled the cart along the lane until he came to the closest spot to the outer field.