Chapter 19: Dark Secrets

"You've been talking, Ione," a familiar voice accused. "You did not answer my call."

"Merely deep in thought and reminiscence, Your Majesty," Ione replied. She conveniently left out the fact that she had let Sarah watch.

"Come to me, Ione U. I prefer to speak to you in person." Ione sighed and produced a sphere of amethyst crystal. In an instant she was standing before Jareth. He was in his room, but had never intimidated her to be called here. "You have been crying, Ione."

"Not every memory in my past has been happy, Jareth. One cannot live millennia and not see true pain."

"You have born it well. It has but made you wiser."

"Not all those pains, Jareth. Not all."

Jareth was silent a moment. He knew precisely which pain Ione spoke of. "Ione U," he whispered. He offered his hand, which Ione freely accepted. A tear slid down her cheek though.

"Oh, Jareth! Do you treat the Terrified Ones this way before you hurt them?"

A look of confusion passed the Goblin King's features. "The Terrified Ones?"

Ione was taken aback. Could it be that Jareth didn't even know what he did under the influence of his dark side? "Jareth, I know about the girls." She stopped short. Jareth's eyes had closed as if in physical torment. Her King was thrown back as if he'd been hit, and he trembled on the floor. Ione looked on in fear that steadily grew. A voice that did not belong to Jareth suddenly screamed from the King's mind echoing painfully within her own.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Ione gasped as her hands flew to her temples in a frantic attempt to break contact. When she opened her eyes, however, she was not looking at the Goblin King. Slight changes in his look and manner alerted that something was wrong, but the real revealer was the change of his eyes and mind. Ione was a mind reader, and she did not recognize the one she encountered.

"Jareth?" she asked tentatively. Jareth merely laughed. "What have you done with my King?" she demanded. Again he merely laughed. Before Ione had a chance to respond, Jareth had thrown a crystal at her feet. Her tearful gaze met Jareth's eyes a moment before she was gone.

Ione was shocked to find she had not materialized in her own home. She was in a very bare room that seemed to be within a castle. But she did not recognize the room so she knew she was no longer in Jareth's castle. She moved slightly and felt an odd texture on the floor. Looking down she realized the floor was littered with salt! Her heart skipped a beat! The Faye only used salt-laced flooring in their dungeons and prisons because it was a natural barrier to magic that could help the prisoner escape. A quick look at the wall behind her confirmed her fear. This room was a prison! She looked about in desperation once more. Then it came to her. Her jailer had missed one detail. Her mental forces were natural abilities not magic. She thought quickly of whom she should to send the message to. She might not have the opportunity to send more than one. She decided to send it to Sarah. Sarah was going to figure into all this somehow.

Sarah!

Sarah jumped out of bed surprised.

Sarah, listen closely. I don't have time for repetition. I have been made prisoner. Something is controlling Jareth for certain. It made him send me here.

As if she were listening on a phone, Sarah heard it when the door crashed open and several men entered the room.

Sarah, I'm out of time! Tell your mother to remember her first ball!

The centauress said no more. Sarah was baffled. Tell her mother to remember her first ball? What on earth would that do? One thing was for certain, and that was that Ione was in trouble!