Chapter 2
"You're late," Meah's boss, Josh, told her as she rushed through the doors of the music store.
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry," she apologized as she ran to clock in and get to work. After the incident in the park, Meah had taken a long bath to calm her nerves and had fallen asleep in the tub. When she woke up, it was 7:16 and she was over fifteen minutes late for work. She knew that Josh wouldn't care though. The twenty-two year old had had a not-so-secret thing for Meah ever since she started working at Tune Center last year. Also, she had never been late before and had never had to switch shifts with anyone so she knew he would excuse her tardiness this one time.
The store was mostly empty so she didn't need to wander around asking people if they needed help. Meah made her way past the rows and rows of CDs to the other side of the store where all the instruments sat. As a part of her job, Meah got to play any instrument in the store that she wanted to. It attracted attention to the products and made sure they were tuned and ready to go when purchased. She went straight to the white grand piano- her favorite- and pulled out her music. Her fingers moved across the keys effortlessly as she played "Masquerade" from The Phantom of the Opera.
Immediately, people started to wander into the store to hear her play. She pretended like they weren't there, and, instead, she was playing in her own concert. She put as much passion into the music as she could, drowning out the rest of the world. Once the song was over, her hands continued to move over the keys, stringing random chords together and forming a beautiful, unfamiliar melody. Little did she know, the very same melody filled the corridors of the Goblin Castle.
In the Underground…
Kristopher sat at his black grand piano, composing as his did in his spare time. The song he was working on now was for Meah- just as his last forty-three had been. Each melody was soft and pure like her, but they reflected his feelings at that moment in time. This one had an anxious, longing feel to it. The others ranged from sadness to anger to hope. If only she could hear the despair and yearning in his music. Maybe, she'd find herself in it. He knew the gift she had for music. He'd given it to her years ago so that they could share that passion when he finally brought her to the Underground- where she belonged.
He could hear echoes of his music playing in his head. His fingers stilled over the keys, and he closed his eyes. He could see Meah. She was playing his song. His heart swelled, and he felt a smile forming on his lips. Their bond was getting stronger. He wouldn't have to go to great lengths to try to pull her into his world anymore. Soon, the tie between them would bring her straight to him. He pushed back from the piano and stood, turning to the door.
"Mordrid!" Kristopher barked. The little goblin rushed through the door, falling on his knees at Kristopher's feet and bowing his head.
"Yes, my king?" Mordrid squeaked out, his beady eyes on the floor in front of Kristopher's boots.
"Make up the guest bedroom. We're going to soon have a permanent guest," Kristopher told him, a sly smile breaking out on his face. Mordrid nodded, his big ears flopping.
"Of course, my king," the goblin replied. He jumped to his feet and scurried from the room, off to do the job he'd been given. Kristopher turned away from the door and walked over to the window. He gazed out at the elaborate maze that surrounded the Goblin City. If Meah wanted to try and get through the maze to win her freedom, he'd let her. He wouldn't promise to stand back and just let her simply run through.
Kristopher shimmered out of the castle, to the start of the maze. He walked through the winding paths and around the few traps it had already, looking for places to add new things. There would be more traps, more trickery, and more schemes in this labyrinth than ever before. Meah would never leave the Underground once she arrived. His father had lost to Sarah. He had let the fact that she was young and naïve cloud his judgment. He never believed she would get close enough to beat him. He thought her selfishness would win out in the end. Jareth had underestimated the girl. Not Kristopher. He would not let this girl get past him. He would give her the option to play this little game, but she would lose. His game, his maze, his rules. Meah didn't stand a chance. She'd be his. Forever.