Chapter 4

Meah awoke to a soft buzzing in her ear. She threw her arm in the direction of the sound, hoping to make it stop. Only when she heard a tiny screech did she open her eyes. She sat up quickly, and her vision blurred. She closed her eyes and took a breath to collect herself. When she opened them again, the world around her came into focus. Meah gasped and looked around her in awe and fear. She wasn't in her bed at home. She was laying on the ground outside of a huge maze- a labyrinth.

"No way," she whispered. "This is a dream."

A soft coughing sound beside her pulled Meah's attention away from the maze. She looked down to see a tiny girl with wings lying on the ground, looking hurt and broken. The buzzing sound. Oh no.

Meah bent down toward the creature and scooped her up in her hands.

"I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" She asked.

Instead of replying the creature bit her. Meah yelped and dropped it.

"What do you think you're doing messing with fairies? Everyone knows they bite," a raspy voice scolded from behind the tree. Meah craned her head to look and saw a short ugly creature with big eyes staring back at her.

She scrambled to her feet.

"Who are you?" She asked, looking down at the creature as he walked toward her. Well. Hobbled is probably a better word for it.

"The name's Hoggle. Who are you?" He retorted, studying her as she did him.

"Meah. My name's Meah," she replied. "Where am I?"

"You ask a lot of questions. You're outside the labyrinth that surrounds the Goblin City. Are you lost or just stupid?" Hoggle asked bluntly.

"Hey! I was just at home. I don't know where I am or how I got here," Meah snapped back. Then she stopped. "Wait. I remember… there was a boy. A boy in my bathroom mirror with mismatched eyes and blonde hair. He grabbed me and pulled me into the mirror. I sound completely crazy right now."

"The Goblin King brought you here? Oh no… Not again," Hoggle groaned. "You're in a lot of trouble, girl."

"The Goblin King? The Goblin City?" Meah asked incredulously. "But that's just a story. It's not real. But neither are fairies…"

"Sure they are. One just bit you, didn't it? Felt pretty real, right? The Goblin Kin brought you here for a reason, and I'm not getting involved. Call him and ask him yourself. I'm out of here," Hoggle told her, backing away with his hands in the air.

"Wait! That's not fair! You can't just leave me here!" Meah protested.

Hoggle stopped and stared at her.

"What did you say?" He asked.

"What?"

He shook his head and blinked. For a moment she sounded like… No.

"Nothing. I'm going. Talk to the king yourself, girl," Hoggle said before turning and hobbling away.

"Hoggle! Wait! You can't leave me here alone!" Meah called out after him. It was useless. He was gone.

She took a deep breath and looked around. There was no one else here.

"I'm going to look crazy," she grumbled to herself before yelling out into thin air. "Goblin King! You brought me here, and I want to know why! Show yourself!"

For a moment there was nothing. Meah groaned. It was worth a shot.

"No need to yell, darling," a familiar deep voice said from behind her.

Meah whirled around and found herself face to face with the boy from the mirror. He was wearing a flowing white shirt and tight black pants with black boots. He looked more like a pirate from a romance novel than a goblin king as he leaned nonchalantly against the tree.

"You're the Goblin King?" She asked.

He smirked and pushed himself off the tree. He bowed at the waist, his eyes glinting up at her.

"At your service, my lady," he drawled. He straightened slowly, watching her.

"Why am I here? What do you want from me?" She asked him.

He didn't answer her right away. He stepped toward her leisurely then turned to circle her, studying her as he did so. Her eyes were wary, never leaving his face.

"Well? You brought me here for a reason. What do you want?" She snapped.

His eyes darted up to hers, and he gave her a wicked grin that sent chills down her spine.

"I want you, Meah. I've wanted you for a long time. I've been watching you, you know."

"Why?" She demanded. "How?"

"So many questions. I could answer them, but you're running out of time as it is," he said.

Meah's brow furrowed.

"Time? For what?"

"To win your freedom, of course."

Meah's heart stopped.

"Win my freedom? How?"

"I think you know how," he replied, his head tiling toward the labyrinth. A pair of doors appeared before her eyes, opening and beckoning her into the maze.

She looked at it and looked back at him.

"How long do I have?" She asked.

"Twelve hours and forty nine minutes now. Like I said, you're time is running out," he told her.

"But that's not fair!"

"Life's not fair, darling girl. Now, are you going to stand there and argue with me, or are you going to get started? If you'd like to stay and chat, I'd be more than happy to oblige," he said.

Meah shook her head at him and walked toward the opening of the labyrinth. She stopped at the entrance and looked back at the Goblin King.

"I'm going to beat you, you know. I know all about this place," she said. "You won't win."

With that, she turned back and walked straight into the maze, the wall sealing up behind her.

Kristopher grinned as soon as the labyrinth closed. His Meah definitely had fire. The next few hours would be fun. He shimmered out and onto his balcony in the castle. He looked out at the labyrinth, watching and waiting for his plan to unfold.