“It’s just a small bag is all. I feel like I’m over-packing now.” Jason had his valise stuffed to the brim, and another suitcase leaned on the sofa.
“That’s because you are. You can’t take all that on horseback.” Jason was paranoid about taking the train over the border now that he didn’t have proof of ownership of Kale if something should happen. Kale knew it was paranoia—nothing would happen—but he shared enough of Jason’s nerves that he hadn’t protested when Jason insisted they take the train to a border town and then cross on horseback.
“Good point. I can leave the suitcase then. I’ll just take the valise. All I need are clothes, toiletries, and my documents, right?”
“And this.” Kale reached over Jason for the tin of grease on the nightstand and handed it to him.
Jason blushed as Kale knew he would. “Thanks.” He packed it away and closed up the valise. “I guess we’re ready.”
They had said their goodbyes to Sophie and Martin the night before. There had been too many tears for Kale’s comfort, so it was decided that Sophie and Martin would be out when they left. Kale was glad. He found it difficult just making his way downstairs and to the front door for the last time.
When the door closed behind him, he turned to take one last look at the townhouse. This was where he had been reunited with Jason, where he had healed, where he had learned to be free.
“You ready?” Jason laid a hand on his shoulder. Kale could see that he didn’t want to rush him, but they needed to catch their train. Besides, the future waited for them, and this was their past.
“Yeah, I’m ready.” The smile that greeted his answer made Kale think for the hundredth time that day that he was the luckiest man alive.
Jason hailed a cab. When it stopped, the cabbie jumped down and put their bags in the luggage compartment. “We’re headed for the train station,” Jason directed.
“Yes, sir.”
Jason didn’t wait for the cabbie to open the door. He did it himself and climbed in. The sight of that open door waiting for Kale stirred a fresh batch of nerves, and his right hand reached automatically for its familiar place on his pant leg. He caught himself. Instead, he reached into his pocket. It was time to end the nervous tic.
He looked down at the lock of hair as it emerged in his hand. He had put it in his pocket out of force of habit that morning. Closing his eyes, he still remembered the night he had clipped it. He could never have imagined then that he would be standing here, under these circumstances. Freedom hadn’t even been within his realm of imagination. There was no way a slave could ever be this happy. But he wasn’t a slave anymore. He was free. He had traveled so far from that sad night.
Opening his eyes, he saw that Jason watched him from the carriage. Their eyes met, and Kale knew that they never needed to be apart again. With one last glance at the lock of hair, he untied the string that bound it and released it. The breeze played with the hairs as it blew them down the street. Kale watched their journey for a few seconds before he climbed into the cab beside Jason.
“Why’d you do that?” Jason held his hand.
Kale thought a moment. “I don’t need it anymore. That lock of hair was about hope and a dream. Now I have the real thing, and I’m never letting it go again.”
Jason blushed, and Kale wondered how many times a day he could get Jason to do that. It would be fun to find out. He let himself submerge in the happiness he felt and surrendered to a grin that made his cheeks ache. He signaled the cabbie, and the carriage lurched forward. They had a train to catch.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Jason barely noticed the heat of the sun that bore down on them. The only indication of it was the annoying sweat dripping into his eyes. They were almost there.
The train ride had been pleasant enough, but he and Kale hadn’t talked much. It was too big of an occasion, too much loomed in the future, and there was still the fear that something could go wrong. Those fears wouldn’t be settled until they were safely across the border.
“There it is.”
Jason looked to where Kale pointed. In the distance, there was a splash of blue in the sea of green. The river. All they had to do was cross it, and they would be in Naiara. Kale would truly and forever be free. On the other side of that river was a new start for both of them. Without meaning to, he broke his horse into a gallop. Naiara was calling to him with her promise of a future for him and Kale together.
When he pulled his horse up at the bank of the river, Kale was right beside him. “Do you think this is a good place to cross?” Jason deferred to Kale. Nothing but his concern for safety could have stopped him from plunging ahead.
“Yes, it’ll do. Just take it slow. Trust your horse. She knows what she’s doing.”
Jason nodded and nudged his mare into the water. He was surprised at how calm Kale appeared. Of course, he rarely got ruffled. Ever since he had recovered from his experiences at the labor firm, he had gone back to his calm self. Recovered might be too strong a term. There were still nightmares Kale denied remembering and the occasional irrational flash of fear, but those were lessening.
They surpassed the halfway point, and Kale bolted ahead. The look on his face was wild. By the time Jason’s horse was out of the river, Kale was jumping off his. He ran forward a few steps and then stopped, arms outstretched, breathing deeply. Jason tied the reins of both horses to a tree branch and went to stand next to Kale.
“I’m a free man. This is what it feels like to be free.” Kale’s voice was rich and solid. It was the voice Jason had fallen in love with. Except, instead of the undercurrent of tension that had been omnipresent since Kale had returned to him, there was joy. Pure joy. Jason had never heard that before, and he was immediately addicted to the sound.
Jason couldn’t say a thing. All he could do was take in the scene before him. There was nothing more beautiful than the sight of Kale happy.
Suddenly, Kale turned to him and lifted him up in a crushing hug. Jason was aware of the world spinning as Kale’s lips connected with his. It was the most joyful kiss he had ever experienced. The feel of Kale’s tongue, confidently exploring his mouth like he was meant to be there, stamped out the remaining fears Jason harbored about the possibility of Kale’s affections drifting.
Jason felt Kale’s lips flatten into a smile against his and then slowly succumb to laughter. Jason joined him, and Kale stopped spinning. They stood entwined, laughing and drinking up the cheer between them. Jason thought it wasn’t possible to be happier than he was at that moment. He was wrong.
“I love you, Jason.”
Jason sobered. Was it possible? To hear that sweet voice say his name sent Jason to levels of elation he had never before known. He had given up on ever hearing his name on Kale’s lips. He figured if he was going to say it, he would have already, after Jason had given him his title. To hear him say it now, though, Jason understood. Kale had needed to wait until he was truly a free man. It was worth the wait.
“I love you, too, Kale.”
Kale caressed his face and then kissed him again. “Jason. Gods, it feels so good on my lips. Jason, thank you.”
“My pleasure.” They stood in silence for a moment. Then Jason said all he could think to say. “Where to?” Jason stepped back so Kale was free to move. He watched Kale’s back as he surveyed the horizon. Appearing to come to a decision, Kale took the reins and began to walk his horse away from the river. Jason marveled at his confidence. He remembered years ago watching Kale sleep in a carriage on the way to his father’s house and thinking about what kind of man Kale would be if he were free. He had imagined him as a leader of men, confident and sure. Before him stood that man, and he was in awe of him.
They would have to go to Calea soon to get everything squared away with Kale’s citizenship, but they didn’t have to stay there. They could take their time and explore, see where life took them. Jason was no fool. He suspected they would have problems along the way. Kale was bound to have some issues
adjusting. But they would tackle them one at a time. And if the time ever came when Kale didn’t want him anymore, he would deal with it then. For now, he was grateful for the privilege of spending his life with this man.
Jason was so caught up in his thoughts that he just stood holding his horse’s reins, not even following Kale. The figure walking away stopped and came back to him, holding out his hand. Jason looked into Kale’s face, so sure and steady, and took his hand. Together they walked forward into their new life. No matter what lay ahead, right now Jason had everything he had ever wanted.
Measure of Peace
About Measure of Peace
Measure of Peace is the final installment of the Measure of Devotion trilogy.
Jason and Kale have made a nice life for themselves in Naiara, but all is not as it seems. Jason's hiding a letter with life-changing news, and Kale is plagued by nightmares he can't discuss with Jason. Peace is within their grasp, but unfinished business threatens to disrupt everything. In order to move into their future, they must first face their past and seek answers in the country they fled.
Together, they venture back to Arine. Kale is searching for the mother and brother he left behind in slavery. Jason visits his father's deathbed in hopes of finding the man he loved as a child.
Neither is prepared for what they find. Their devotion to each other must provide them with the strength to weather the storms they unwittingly enter. If not, the truths they uncover in Arine may leave them too damaged to ever find peace.
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Copyright © 2013 by Caethes Faron
Cover by StreetLightGraphics.com
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Chapter One
The crunch of tires on gravel pulled Jason from the letter he was reading. A glance out the window confirmed that Kale’s maroon and beige Killian S Model had turned off the road and was speeding up the long, tree-lined drive. The convertible, one of the newest cars on the market, was capable of a stunning seventy kilometers an hour. The thrill on Kale’s face as he topped out with the top down made the car well worth the price. Jason folded up the letter and shoved it into his desk drawer. Its troubling contents could wait until later.
Jason hurried downstairs. Kale had been at the art gallery all day, and Jason’s skin crawled with the need to see him. Jason could have accompanied Kale into Calea, but he liked to encourage Kale’s independence, even if Jason would have preferred to spend the rest of time by his side. Jason wasn’t needed at the gallery, so he’d left Kale to it.
“Jason, I’m home.” Kale’s voice boomed through their modest house.
Jason hopped down from the third stair to the floor and ran into Kale’s strong arms. “Welcome back, love.”
Kale chuckled. “I was gone for what, seven hours? No need to get this excited.”
“I can’t help it. I missed you.”
“Aww. Isn’t that sweet? I missed you too. You could have come along, you know.”
“Yes, but this is your opening. I didn’t want to be in the way. You want to go for a walk and tell me about it?”
Kale’s smile lit up his face, and Jason marveled at how much lighter he looked. He’d retained the glow of freedom ever since the day they’d crossed the border into Naiara two years ago, making Kale a free man. He still bore the scars of slavery on his body and mind, but there was now a luminous quality to him. From his sandy hair to his pale green eyes to his honey-toned skin, there was an undeniable glow about him.
“Sure.” Kale tossed his satchel onto the hall table and reached for Jason’s hand in a familiar gesture. Their affection had become more relaxed and habitual, without the need to hide or temper their feelings. Naiara had freed more than just Kale’s body.
The sun heated Jason’s skin, and he unfastened his cufflinks to roll up his sleeves. He wished he had thought to remove his vest. Even at home, Jason dressed more formally than Kale, who preferred a tunic-style shirt like the one he presently wore and simple cotton or wool trousers.
They meandered through the gardens along the cobblestone path Kale had laid with his own hands. The light fragrance of the dozen or so varieties of flowers that Kale had planted sweetened the air. The summer sun was still high in the sky despite the evening hour. Birds twittered to each other in the grove of trees past the gardens. It was their own little slice of paradise outside the old city walls. The eight acres was more than enough for the vegetable garden Kale tended, the flowers, an orange grove, and a pond that straddled the back of their property line.
Jason steered them over to some shrubs. “I groomed these bushes earlier today. I hope I didn’t ruin anything. There were some stray stems.” With all the work Kale was doing for his art show, he didn’t get to spend as much time in the garden as Jason knew he would have liked. Jason tried to help out when he could in the yard, but it was Kale’s domain.
Kale knelt and inspected the bushes in question. “You did great.” He stood and pulled Jason in for a quick kiss. “Thanks for taking care of them for me. This show has taken more of my time than I realized it would.” Kale took Jason’s hand, and they continued their stroll.
“It’s my pleasure. I like to feel useful.”
“Yeah, because earning all the money to keep us in our current lifestyle isn’t useful at all.”
“You know what I mean.” The truth was that nobody would have guessed Jason was a steel magnate from the way they lived. The one real external indicator of Jason’s wealth, besides their car, was their complete use of the new electrical appliances, even in the kitchen. Outside of the city, it had been impossible to find a house completely wired with electricity, so Jason had simply paid for the lines to be extended to their dream home. And by dream home, he meant their small, two-story cottage with pale yellow siding and dark red shutters. “Is everything ready for tomorrow?”
“Everything except for me. Josie had to shoo me out of the gallery. Every picture has been framed and hung perfectly. She and Carmichael really know their stuff. Do you know they redo the lighting for every show to make sure each piece is perfectly accentuated?”
“It doesn’t surprise me, especially from a gallery of their caliber.”
“I mean, I knew they did that for big artists who come in, but I didn’t expect they’d do it for me.”
Jason squeezed Kale’s hand. In the year and a half since they’d moved to their new home, Kale had become a renowned artist. He even earned enough off his art and commissions to cover their living expenses. The art studio on the second floor of their house overlooked the back garden and was well used, though Kale still preferred to draw outside when the weather permitted. “I don’t know when you’re going to realize that you are a big artist. How many people do you think ever make a living from their art? Tomorrow’s opening is a big deal for Carmichael’s. They’re going to make a lot of money on your show.”
“I hope so. I’d hate to think they’re wasting all their efforts. They’re only doing it because we’re friends with Josie.”
“And as I recall, we’re friends with Josie because she was so enamored with your drawing of that homeless woman she saw you working on in the park. I had to keep my hands all over you for her to finally get the message that only your art was available.”
Kale chuckled. Jason had always loved the sound and look of Kale laughing, the way his eyes crinkled at the edges, forming lines that crisscrossed those still etched in his skin from the years he’d spent laying rail in the sun. “Well, you know if you ever got really worried, you could steal me back across the border to Arine, make me your slave again.”
The joke hung uncomfortably in the
air. While Jason was happy Kale could make light of his past in Arine, he still hated that those thoughts were in Kale’s mind.
“Hey.” Kale stopped and turned Jason toward him. “I’m only joking. I love you, Jason. I know I don’t say it enough, but my gods, there’s no one else I’d rather spend my life with.” Kale’s lips descended, brushing lightly against Jason’s. He pushed further, his tongue delving into Jason’s mouth. When Kale retreated, the bitter taste of coffee lingered.
“Hmm. Did you stop by Beans and Books on the way home?”
“I picked up a new novel. We were running out of reading material. I also ran into Lisa. She’s a ball of nerves about the lecture day after tomorrow. Trumbly Hall is the biggest venue she’s ever spoken in.”
“She has no need to worry. She’s an excellent public speaker. I swear, if any change for the better comes to Naiara, it’s going to be with her leading the charge.”
“I told her we’d attend.”
“Good. What’s her subject matter to be?”
“The lack of a strong social net for the poor.”
“Not women’s rights?”
“No. She’s going to argue that women’s rights make little difference when so many women are trapped by poverty.”
“Clever. It should be interesting.” They had reached the end of the stone path near a stack of boards. Kale had plans to build a gazebo as soon as he wasn’t needed in the city so much. This art show was the first time Kale had been exclusively showcased, and he was putting as much time as he could into ensuring it was a success for the gallery owners.
“Neissa’s probably here already. We should head in so we’re not late for dinner. It also wouldn’t hurt to get some weeding in before the sun sets.”
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