Sarah and Chris appeared in the throne room of the Castle Beyond. Amethyst, in a black dress, her pale blonde hair piled on her head, was sitting in Jareth's throne, comfortable as if she belonged there. Her violet eyes glittered, narrowing at Chris and Sarah. "Dark Queen, Victor," the faery said in greeting, voice cold.
"Of course," Chris said, voice just as cold. "It would be you."
Amethyst's eyes narrowed even more. "Why, my Queen, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking-"
"Nickallë," Sarah snarled, surprised the words came so forcefully. "You have her, don't you?"
"I do not answer to mortals," Amethyst sneered.
Sarah's jaw set. "Then perhaps you will listen to the Queen of the Labyrinth," she snarled back.
There were four slight pops, and Aêlst with three other goblins appeared, ready for battle. Another small flash, and Adelaide appeared between Chris and Amethyst. Amethyst stood from the throne. "What are you doing here, Adelaide?" she asked, her voice still cold.
"I'm here to make sure the job is done right, Amethyst," she said, just as coldly.
"Job...? Ad..." Chris looked concussed at the realization, then her eyes narrowed. "You're plotting against the crown."
Adelaide turned to her queen. "You were doing nothing, Chrissa. Someone had to step up. Jareth no longer deserves the throne. He is nothing. Weak." Adelaide sneered the last word.
"Jareth is more than deserving of the throne!" Sarah snapped back.
"Oh? A self-absorbed frat boy who has spent centuries as King of the Goblins instead of king as a rightful court, because he was too thick to realize all he had to do was be nice to someone to break the curse?" Adelaide stepped closer to Sarah. "And you. A mortal girl. Nothing, gone in the blink of an eye. You're the one who he's interested in?"
"Spurned so many willing and able women for a breakable little thing like you," Amethyst simpered, her lip curling. What did he ever hope to gain?"
"A queen. A willing and able queen. And although I didn't start as that, I am now. This is my throne, and these are my people." Sarah narrowed her eyes. "And I want Nickallë back. Now."
"You cannot make demands here, mortal," Amethyst snapped.
"Oh, but she can," Chris snarled back. "She's claimed the throne. She is queen now."
Amethyst smirked. "Oh, no. Jareth gave me the throne in times of need. This is a time of need. It has to be accepted by the reigning monarch, and I'm afraid I'm not accepting it. She is simply a lucky little mortal girl who made it to the center of the Labyrinth."
"And that's where you're wrong. You don't get to the center by luck," Sarah said, starting slowly. "The Labyrinth leads you. The Labyrinth chose me. Not you."
"Well, the Labyrinth doesn't get a say in this matter." Amethyst drew a blade. "And I will make sure you never get my throne."
Chris stepped between Sarah and Amethyst. Adelaide, seeing this, then stepped in front of Chris.
"Don't think that will stop me, Adelaide," Amethyst snarled.
"I cannot allow you to kill Chrissa, Amethyst," Adelaide responded.
"Get out of my way, or I will go through you."
"Try it."
Amethyst plunged the dagger into Adelaide's chest. Adelaide smirked, until she felt the poison of the iron. Her jaw fell slack. "What..." Amethyst removed the blade, and Adelaide hit her knees, slumping to the ground.
"Addi!" Chris cried, forgetting, for a moment, Sarah behind her and crouching to comfort her friend.
Amethyst bounded over them, grabbing Sarah and pressing the bloodied knife to her throat. "One swipe, and you're dead," Amethyst growled in her ear. "Now. Be a good little mortal, and call Jareth down."
"I wish..." Sarah whispered. "I wish Jareth was with me right now."
And, in a flurry of glitter, there he was.
"Release my queen, Amethyst," Jareth demanded.
"Why is she your queen?" Amethyst snapped back. "What was wrong with the rest of your women? What was wrong with me?"
"You didn't break the curse," Jareth responded simply. "She can."
"I could, if given the chance," Amethyst responded.
Jareth glanced down at Chris, crying over Adelaide, dead in her arms. "No, Amethyst, you couldn't."
Amethyst set her jaw, pressing the blade deeper into Sarah's flesh. Sarah hissed slightly. "Give me your throne," she said in a dark voice, "Or I'll kill you."
Jareth was next to them in a flash, twisting the blade away from Sarah's neck. Sarah stepped away, gasping, as Jareth attempted to wrest the knife away from Amethyst. She cried out when it seemed like Amethyst was about to stab Jareth, when, suddenly, there was another faery between then, hand clamped on Amethyst's wrist.
Ooooh, crazy. Another character? Who might that be? I'll give you a hint – you haven't met her yet. ^^ Almost done! There should only be a couple chapters left. I'm back at it!