Legerdemain- a display of skill or cleverness, especially for deceitful purposes; sleight of hand
Jareth lounged on a balcony, eyes focused with glass-edged intensity on something that wasn't there. His fingers stroked the air into a crystal ball. He rolled it along his gloved hand for a moment before it lost his interest and he sent it unceremoniously back to where it came from.
"I despise those who skulk in the shadows," he said. "Step forward."
"Yes, yes, sorry, You Highness," Hoggle said nervously. "You wanted to see me?"
Jareth didn't bother to turn around. He was too engrossed by a wild rose, plucked from the tower-scaling vines. He watched as it changed size in his hand, as if by its own will.
"Uh, Your Highness?"
"Yes," he said, so suddenly that Hoggle jumped. "I understand that you have contact with the Aboveground girl."
"Miss Sarah?" The dwarf scowled defensively. "What if I did?"
"Don't try to protect her, Puggle. You'll only get yourself in trouble." He wound the rose back into the tangle of vines. "Besides, I have no intention of harming her. I only want her surveyed."
"You want me to spy on her? But she's just a girl, really. What harm could she do?"
"What harm could she do?" In the space of a second, Jareth swung over the railing and landed towering over Hoggle. "She conquered the Labyrinth and destroyed my castle almost entirely by herself." He laughed bitterly. "Oh, she can do more harm than your simple mind could ever comprehend."
Hoggle flinched, but stood his ground. "It ain't right," he grumbled.
"Do you really think I have no other way of watching her? I don't have to be so kind."
"I won't do it." Hoggle crossed his arms stubbornly.
"Pity. I'll need to find a new gardener." Jareth flicked his wrist, and the dry leaves beneath the dwarf's feet roared to flame.
"Alright! Alright!" Hoggle hopped out of the fire. "But I still think its wrong."
Jareth returned to the railing as the leaves burned out.
Sir Didymus watched his king from the courtyard below with something almost like sympathy. Since the Rebuilding, all had turned back to normal. All but Jareth. He'd been…humbled, somehow, and he wasn't happy about it.
For all his illusions and sleight-of-hand , even the Goblin King couldn't hide everything from the knight's good eye. Didymus saw, and he knew.
The Lady Sarah had left a mark too deep to vanish away.