That night I could not sleep. I tossed and turned, thinking that the boogeyman was coming after me like I did when I was younger. It didn't help much that there was a freak storm, and when morning came, we learned that leaving the estate was made impossible because of it. We were told that the roads to town where all washed out. We called our hotel room back in the town, informing Izzy of what was happening, but as always we had hit her answering machine. Finally after day three of being trapped, I called someone that I know would help calm me down.

I called my grandmother.

"Hello?"

"Nanny? This is Max."

"Oh Max honey! How is the trip?"

I quickly looked outside the window that was in the room that I was recently reassigned to. I sat on the cushioned window ledge, with my knees to my chest. "It's going...ok." I searched the vast expanse of the gardens, and trees that laid off in the watery distance.

"...what's wrong?"

I smiled at that. She, for some reason, could tell through any of my lies. "...nothing. Nothing's wrong. Everything is going great."

"Really?"

"Yes. Really Nanny."

"Then why do you sound like someone has ruined your favorite shirt?...was it that Izzy girl?"

"No Nanny...it wasn't Izzy...

"...I always knew that girl was trouble..."

"NANNY!"

"Oh. Sorry. Come on honey. Tell me what's bothering you so much, that you had to call your grandmother while you toured Europe?"

A sudden movement out of the corner or my eye caught my attention. Squinting my eyes, I could barely make out what looked like a black hairy dog.

"I-I'm just homesick."

"Maxine Lyda Holmes you better tell me what's bothering you. You know I don't tolerate liars."

"I'm fine really."

"Whatever you say. Hows the different tours going? Where did you go so far?"

So it went on like that for about ten minutes. Me telling her all the different adventures I been on for the last week or so. I started to feel more at ease, just listening to her voice as we talked. And it wasn't until when she asked me where I was calling from, did the sick feeling that I have been feeling for the last few days, come back.

"...Its not like that," I sighed, as I stared out at the black dog, who now sat down on his haunches by this old fence post that was at least twenty yards from my window. I quickly wiped at the fog that was starting to gather on the cold, damp window in front of me when I said, "...I don't know. I...you remember those Goblin King stories you would tell me when I was younger? Well...we were going to pass it, when going to the next town. So...we made a little stop that has lasted alot longer than expected."

"Really? You got to go on a tour of it? I thought they didn't do that. Are you sure it was that same estate?"

"Yeah. I saw the cliffs, that were supposed to be the entrance to the kingdom. The tree circles, the lake, and even the old painting of the 'Two Doomed Sisters'. Why?"

"It's just they never really did that before. I tried years ago, when you were younger to go visit it. But they said that they weren't doing tours, that I must have been mistaken."

"Huh..." I said more to myself then to my grandmother.

"Anyways...how was the tour?"

"It was great, it really was. Until..."

"Until what?"

"Well...when we got back from touring the grounds, it turns out that our bus broke down, and..." Lightning flashed outside my window, causing the lights to flicker on and off. "...Nanny? Nanny you there? "And as with all things with my luck, the line, and power in my room, went dead. "Great..." I sighed as I hung up the phone on the old receiver. I leaned my head against my knees taking in a few breaths, before turning it to look out the window to see if that dog was still there. Instead of the dog, I saw a lone black figure, walking along the fence line, to get to the other side of the house. But for some reason, mid stride, the figure suddenly looked up at me, stopped, then started to walk towards my window. Somewhat spooked, I quickly got up from the window.

Tap-tap-tap.

At this point, I was more annoyed with myself with being so spooked over nothing, and with my curiosity now winning over my instincts, I slowly walked back over to the window, unlocked it, and lifted it open.

"I wasn't sure if you were going to answer," spoke the figure, who I now recognized as Golden Eyes from a few days ago.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing...just wanted to know if you would like to go on a walk with me?"

I stared at him like he was a lunatic when I said, "You're joking right?"

He smiled at me then, like he did back when I met him. "Only if it made you laugh."

"No."

"What?"

"No."

"Why not?" he asked, placing both hands around the sill of my window. "It's going to be a beautiful night. Besides...don't you feel like stretching your legs a little bit? Bet your bored from being cooped up in this old house for so long." At this point, it was hard to look away from his eyes.

I turned my head in puzzlement, trying to figure out what angle this guy was playing at.

"I-I-It's raining..." I finally said, crossing my arms back over my chest.

"And?" He took another step closer to me. Daring me.

"I don't want to get wet." I stated, tilting my head to the side.

Then, he did something I truly did not expect. He laughed.

"Ohh...you're a stubborn one all right. Ok...I'm patient...," he said as he lifted himself from the ground, and into my bedroom. "How about tomorrow night?" he asked, as I jumped back from shock.

"Wh-what?"

"I asked if you wanted to go tomorrow night." He walked right by me, tracking in mud as he looked around the room.

"I know what you asked, now get out!" I seethed as I pointed to the window.

He laughed again at that, and continued looking around my room with his hands behind his back. "Nice room."

"Yes...well thanks. Now if you don't mind..." I tried again, shutting the window. I then turned around, and walked to my door opening it for him. "Please leave."

"Nah...that's ok." After taking another look around my room. Something then caught his eye, as he slowly walked over to the nightstand next to my bed and picked up the book I was reading before I called my grandmother. "...Interesting..." He started, but before he could flip through the pages, I was already yanking it out of his hands. He then smiled as he said, "...the Goblin King?"

I held the old book close to my chest as I stared back at him. "..look if you're going to make fun of me..."

"No...you misunderstood me." He took a few steps closer to me when he said, "If you wanted to know more...you can just ask."

I tilted my head to the side, and squinted my eyes at him when I asked, "What?"

"You really do like that word don't you?" He laughed, as he turned and walked back to the window. "If you wanted to know more about the Goblin King and his Goblins, you could have asked me. I know more about them, then that silly, old book could ever tell you." He swung his legs over the side of the window, and jumped down to the soft mud.

"...what's the catch?" I called after him, slowly following him to the window.

"Smart girl," he said as he turned around to face me. "The catch is, you go on that walk with me."

"I-no."

"What?" He tilted his head, coping what I did not that long ago.

His smile widened, as I wrinkled my nose in annoyance. "I just don't want to leave Diana here all by herself."

"She can come," he answered, not missing a beat. After a few moments of silence on my part, he said, "You can tell me at dinner what your decision is. Will you make this harder for me, or not?"

"I don't even know your name," I stammered at him, as he turned and started to disappear in the rainy mist.

"Marak..." Then he was gone.

It took two seconds for me, to mouth his name, as I shut the window and locked it.

"Marak..."

Then, as my eyes landed on the book that I had put down in order to shut the window, everything started to click. In three seconds, I was packing my bag, and tearing down the halls searching for Diana.

The Goblin King was coming.

And we had to leave.