Chapter 42

Sarah came to slowly. She could hear the crackling of a fire before her eyes were opened far enough to see the flames. She knew this room, she relaxed at the thought, she was in the library in the Goblin Castle. She was home.

She sat up slowly, the leather of the settee creaking slightly, and scanned the room for Jareth. She was surprised he was not by her side when she regained consciousness. She was even more surprised to see she was alone with Drest.

The former Goblin King was leaning against the frame of the open French doors that lead from the castle to the labyrinth. He was looking out into the distance, lost in thought.

Worry gripped her, had Branna managed to harm her husband? She managed to stand, the after effects of the spell that hit her, plus the rising panic over Jareth's safety made her feet unsteady.

She wanted ask what happened but only got out a weak, "Jareth?"

Drest turned, his face unreadable. "He's still at High Castle, trying to help His Majesty get control of Branna."

"Oh God." Sarah said as the dread blossomed fully in her chest, her dress and robe ballooned around her as she fell back on the settee. "Maybe you should go help them. I'll be fine. I don't need a baby sitter."

"Now why on earth would I do that?" He asked, his voice flat.

Something in his demeanor sent alarm bells off in her head. Sarah stood up, watching Drest warily as she made her way to the other side of the room, where she could get a better look at his face. Something was different about him; the charm was gone. She eyed the door, planning on a quick escape, only to hear it lock on its own.

"I don't think so." Drest said, his voice still menacingly detached. He had locked the door, even with his eyes looking towards High Castle.

Sarah's heart beat loudly in her chest, he was toying with her. Why, she didn't know, but she needed to calm herself, she needed to make a plan. She needed to get away from him.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked slowly ask he looked in her direction, his eyes were hard and ominously black.

"I was going to get back to High Castle." Sarah answered, trying to sound as casual as she could.

"How were you going to manage that?"

"I don't know-"

"You can't go anywhere, you can't leave this castle without one of us helping you." He said, his voice dripping with contempt.

Sarah didn't have a reply, she was stunned into silence over the disgusted tone of his voice.

Drest pushed himself off the door frame and began meandering through the library, Sarah made sure to stay on the opposite side of him, slowly they began circling each other.

When Drest began to talk, he didn't look at her but examined the room that had once been his, "When I found out about that damned prophecy I couldn't believe it. No way a human could be a ruler, it had to be some mistake. Centuries passed and Jareth remained without a queen. I felt certain it had all been a mistake or Jareth had the sense not to pursue such a ridiculous notion. Then that Priest came to me, he needed my help he said, access to the human world. He sold me come weak concoction of a story, I went along with it, suspicious of what he was really up to. I watched him send a little red book to a little girl, a little girl with dark hair and green eyes. That's when I knew, it was the human from the prophecy, and that damn idiot Priest was trying to fulfill it.

"After my brother ruined his life with that poor excuse of a coup, I protected Jareth. I taught him our family will forever have a mark against it because of his father's actions, and now he wants to drag our family down further into the mud by marrying a human. I can't have that."

"It was you," Sarah nearly whispered, "you helped Nechtan and Branna."

"Ambitious, bored and crazy. They were easy to manipulate, both too stupid to see what I was doing to them. Too naïve to think I wouldn't abandon them when they were caught." Drest chuckled. To Sarah it sounded like the low growl of a tiger.

"Jason." Sarah stated, she had no need to question his involvement with her deranged stalker.

"Oh yes, being the former Goblin King does have its advantages, I can still interfere with the human world if I like. The daemons did have fun with that boy, didn't take long at all to drive him completely mad. Unfortunately, he couldn't finish the job. I could drive him crazy but Jareth always managed to come to the rescue. Even when I blocked him from seeing the boy."

"Why?" Sarah blurted out, stunned at the lengths he would go.

"Why?! Jareth was obsessed with you. I would watch you, and he was always there. I thought when you ran the labyrinth you would fail, get locked in some oubliette and that would be the end of things. But no, Jareth and that damned maze LET YOU WIN!"

Sarah felt the panic grip her tightly. The harder she tried to take a steadying breath the more restricted her lungs felt. What was she going to do? She had no magic to fight him. She didn't know if Jareth could come to help her. She thought of calling for help, screaming for the goblins. That plan would go nowhere, the goblins were given the day off to celebrate the coronation. It was unlikely there was anyone nearby. Calling for help, even calling for Jareth would be pointless. Drest was becoming more and more manic as he spoke, his slow circling had developed into restless pacing. Sarah was afraid one quick movement or call for help from her would cause him to attack.

A soft breeze danced around her, the French doors were still open. Slowly, Sarah started making her way to her one chance for escape. Drest began mumbling to himself, she could make out Branna and Jareth's name but everything else was in a language she didn't understand. He had his back to her, giving Sarah the opportunity.

Drest stopped his garbled speech when he heard the dull snap of heavy cloth. He turned in time to see his captive running towards the labyrinth, her heavy robe trailing behind her as the sun glinted off her goblin crown.

"Damn!"


Sarah entered the labyrinth without hesitation. She became aware of the familiar humming she had heard since returning to Jareth's world, before it always sounded like it was coming from a distance, now it surrounded her, it had been the labyrinth all along. The vibrations echoed through her as she ran, turning left and right, trying to get as far into the labyrinth as she could. Luckily, she did not run into any puzzles or dead ends like she had before.

Her labored breathing and the tap of her shoes was the only sound she heard, other than the hum, which had grown so loud she thought I may cause the walls to cave in.

Unfortunately, her solitude did not last long. Sarah became aware of Drest's heavy foot falls echoing through the maze, all the twists and turns made it impossible to tell which direction he was coming from. He began calling her name, making her blood run cold.

"What do I do? What do I do?" She asked herself in a labored whisper.

She could continue traveling deeper into the labyrinth and hope Drest gets lost of gives up. Then what? She would have no idea when it would be safe to come out of hiding.

"What do I do?" She sighed. She could hear Drest gaining on her.

A left turn brought Sarah into an open square, several archways led out into the depths of the labyrinth. Sarah ran to the one across from her, only to see it close and disappear before her eyes. Once she reached it only solid stone remained. She turned to the next archway, but it too was gone. The only opening left was the one she used to enter the square, the one that would take her back, right to Drest. Terror made it nearly impossible to breathe, the labyrinth had trapped her.

Drest entered the square, his eyes wild with joy at finally catching up to her. He did not seem to notice the solid wall replacing the entrance behind him.

"Well, well, aren't you in a mess?" Drest taunted.

Sarah said nothing, her eyes noted every single move he made.

"I have to say, I'm not sure what I want to do to you now. Branna and I had our plans for you, little human. Once she finished her father off and my nephew we would move onto you. Oh, how the daemons were looking forward to another human. Once you were used up, I was going to get rid of Branna and come out smelling like a rose, as they say. The great King Drest, seeking revenge for the torture and murder of the Goblin Rulers and the High King." As Drest spoke he made no immediate move toward Sarah. He had caught the mouse, now he wanted to play.

"Then why haven't you killed me all ready?" Sarah asked, her voice steadier than she felt. She was poised to run, though she knew there was nowhere to run to.

"I can't risk it just yet. Branna may not be able to finish Jareth, though his magic does get terribly shaky when he's upset. I can imagine he's pretty upset at the moment." He answered, his voice had regained its ominous calm. "I need you for leverage, just in case. Jareth has lost his fool head over you, he'd give up anything and do everything to keep you unharmed."

Sarah remained stone faced, not wanting him to see how his words hurt her. Finally, after searching for every bit of courage she had in her she spoke, "I am the Goblin Queen and Protector of the Labyrinth. I know you can't simply kill me. The other rulers will rally against you."

"Oh, you naïve little girl. Do you think a single one of those peacocks you saw today give a damn about you? They're too concerned about themselves to stop me. The moment Branna entered the throne room today they scattered like rats. The only one that stayed to help was your idiot husband. His idiocy will cost him his life." Drest leaned against the wall across from her, the exact spot that had been the entrance.

The threats against Jareth stirred something in Sarah, her fear morphed into outrage. How dare this man, who Jareth trusted and loved, would betray him in such a way.

"I am the Queen!" She nearly screamed at him, "You cannot touch me! Jareth will end you, just like he did with Nechtan! You don't have the power he has! And if he fails, I will find a way to finish you myself, human or not! You touch my husband and I will make sure your last breaths are ones of terror and pain! If I had the power, I would have the ground swallow where you stand!"

Drest found her outburst amusing, he was barely able to control his laughter at her attempt to scare him. He made a move to push off the wall but did not budge. To his and Sarah's shock the stones of the labyrinth began shifting once again. Drest looked down in time to see the stones begin to stack themselves around his feet.

"Stop! I command you to stop!" Drest yelled, his voice heavy with panic as the stones worked their way up, quickly reaching his torso. He pushed and clawed at them with his hands but the bricks held firm.

Vines began growing rapidly along the wall, reaching out for him. The vines wrapped themselves around Drest's wrists, holding his arms firmly against the stones.

Sarah watched, horrified as Drest's chest and shoulders disappeared from view.

With all his might Drest tried to break free. His wide eyes searched her out, his face was a mottled red from the effort of trying to escape. His pleas for help became muffled, then ceased when the final bricks covered his face.

The silence that came after was eerie. Sarah hesitantly made her way to the spot Drest once stood, indistinguishable from the rest of the wall.

Tentatively, she placed one finger along the edge of the brick that had covered Drest's mouth. The solid wall remained for a moment before it began to shift again, inch by inch the archway reappeared. Drest was nowhere to be found.

Sarah took a deep breath, with her head held high she left the square and calmly made her way through the labyrinth. She did not have to worry over turns and dead ends. Seeming to sense her needs, the labyrinth shifted and changed to accommodate her, as if the walls were subjects, bowing before their queen.