Lightning flared across the clear sky and a wind howled loudly through Jareth's throne room. Sarah thought she even heard some ominous music start as they materialized, but that would just be silly. People didn't just break into song for no reason. Her eyes quickly darted from Jareth, to the empty room, back to her king. Jareth had both arms raised, as if he had decided to strike a menacing pose. After a moment, he seemed to realize that Devlin was not in the room.

"So where is he?" she asked. Jareth raised an eyebrow and glanced at his mother.

"I suppose he's in one of the other throne rooms. Unless he's on the move again."

"One of?" Sarah asked. "Just how many do you have?" Jareth kissed the top of her head and grinned.

"As many as I need, depending on what I need. This is the main room, where I pass judgment on prisoners and scare foolish goblins. I also have one for welcoming esteemed visitors. It is much more sparkly. Devlin most likely transported to whichever was closest to him at the time."

"If Devlin was in the infirmary, the closest throne room is your favorite," Seline smirked.

"The Chicken room," Jenata squealed, grabbing Alia's hand. "I love the Chicken room. Let's go, Uncle - I want to see the goblins dance."

"Ah, the Chicken room, of course." He grabbed Sarah's hand and disappeared. Sarah's last coherent thought before dematerializing was, "Chicken room?"

JSJSJS

"I don't understand why my magic cannot locate him," Marissa muttered.

"Your reach is too great, sister. You need to focus on the subtle ebb and flow of magic around us. You always were impatient," Karen teased.

"Bah," Marissa hid her grin. "See if you can find him then."

Karen felt a rush of Lordos magic course through the castle. Then Phooka, then finally, Avian. What were they all doing? And where were they? Her eyes closed as her breath slowed. She needed to concentrate, magic was like music, each spell had its own score. Cautiously, she opened her mind to the various strains of magic and listened.

She felt Robert searching for her and mentally sent him a message to come to the tower. She could sense his worry and frowned at the thoughts of her husband. She hoped he would not act rashly. Toby was safe in the nursery and Sarah had Jareth to protect her.

"He is here," Marissa said roughly. "But what of the rest of this magic I feel? We must find Devlin before he causes trouble."

"Too late," Logan's voice rang out as he ran up the stairs to the great tower. "The Phooka guards are no longer at their post. Has Devlin found a way to destroy them?" Robert was right behind him.

"No, they still live," Karen said with a hint of uncertainty. "But Devlin just transported to the Chicken room." Just as quickly as Robert had run to the tower, he found himself running back down to a long series of corridors.

"Jareth's playroom?" Logan asked, amazed. "Whatever for?"

"Jareth has a playroom?" Robert asked, a bit breathless. Logan coughed, looking a bit ill at ease.

"For Jenata, mostly. But he does entertain children there as runners travel his Labyrinth. It soothes them to have the goblins sing and dance."

"And Jareth himself enjoys a good dance number," Marissa said, grinning. "When he isn't kicking goblins and causing mayhem."

"How is Jareth?" Robert remembered to ask, a hint of guilt clouding his tone. Karen smirked.

"Fine, Sarah is with him," she said, side stepping to avoid a goblin sitting in the middle of the hallway. She shook her head, they really were like children.

The four made their way to the Chicken room quickly. "Why would Devlin go to a playroom? Is he insane?" Robert asked, trying to keep up with the others. Karen nodded, as she placed her hand on the wooden door.

"He is, dangerously so, I can feel it in his magic. But he simply wished himself to the nearest throne room so the castle took him to the Chicken room."

Robert shook his head, not even trying to ask how many throne rooms the Goblin King had. They needed to protect Sarah and maybe rethink this marriage idea.

JSJS

The throne room was loud and boisterous, as always. Chickens were flung gleefully from one goblin to another, ale was pouring freely, music was playing. Their king was alive and well! The time for rejoicing was at hand.

Devlin found himself materializing in the middle of the chaos, ready to strike the Goblin King down dead once and for all. He reached for his knife, then realized he had left it in the infirmary, broken and thrown down under a table. He needed that knife! It was the one which had killed Seth and was still enchanted to poison Avians quickly. If the little fools got their hands on it, it would be proof that Devlin had planned Seth's murder and Rialta's soul abduction.

A goblin saw him and grinned. "It's a guest!"

"A guest!"

"Make him welcome!"

"Give him ale!" Voices swirled around Devlin and he went to kick goblins out of his way.

"He likes to dance! Dance, magic dance!" A goblin cried. Many of them encircled Devlin, linking arms and singing off key. "Jump, magic jump!"

"Fools!" Devlin screeched, pulling away from them. "Get away from me."

"He's not a very good dancer," one of the goblins noted. "Maybe we could teach him?"

"Yes! Good idea, Blip!"

"Boogie down!" Blip grabbed Devlin's arm, spinning him into another goblin's arms. Devlin went to kick the dancing goblin, only to have another grab the raised leg and yank up. Devlin fell to the ground and rolled to get away.

"Aw, look Bertram, the important man is dancing with the goblins," a wry voice said, amused.

"Not very well, by the looks of it, Loren. I don't think the goblins will want a king who can't dance."

Devlin grabbed a goblin and put him in a head lock. "Get Jareth here or your friend dies."

"Why is he hugging Simon?" a goblin asked. Blip shrugged and put the goblin in a matching head lock.

"Hugging this way is weird," Blip said and the other goblin tried to nod but choked a bit. "What was that, Emmen?"

"Let me hug you now," Emmen said. "My head feels funny."

Another goblin grew impatient. "I want to hug the funny man." Jumping up, he grabbed Devlin from behind and threw his hands around Devlin's neck. "Hi funny man, the king hugs us from the front not the back. He says he has better throwing distance that way. Are you gonna throw Simon? He's very bouncy."

"This is all very amusing," Loren said, stepping out of the shadows. "But the little man hasn't fought the king yet. Simon let go of the nice man and walk away."

Simon grinned, causing Devlin a moment of panic, before shifting out of the man's grasp and bouncing onto the cold, hard floor. He kicked Devlin's shin and laughed. The second goblin still hung on though, waiting for more play time.

"That's how king says game is over," he explained and melted back into the crowd of goblins who were watching Devlin with new interest.

"He thinks he can fight the king?" one asked, looking Devlin up and down. "What's that about?"

"He smells like the king and," another sniffed. "the king's blood." Sure enough, as Devlin glanced down at himself, some of Jareth's blood had gotten on his clothes after the attack. The goblins changed suddenly from drunken, childish playmates into hissing, glaring creatures with glowing red eyes.

"What does his blood smell like Yurin?" Blip asked the other goblin still hanging behind Devlin. Yurin put his face close to Devlin's throat, breathing in heavily.

"Smells like dinner."

"What? No, get away from me," Devlin roared, trying to fling off the offending goblin. Yurin held on tighter as the other goblins approached.

"Should we let them eat him, Loren?"

"Nay, what fun would that be? I want to see Jareth strip the flesh from his bones then keep him alive to see how monstrous he's become." The Phooka's eyes gleamed. "A battle we were promised and a battle we shall have."

"Well spoken Loren," Jareth's voice came into the room, calm and deadly. "Now Yurin, drop our Lordos guest and step back. Your king wishes a word with him."

Sarah was standing in the doorway and was almost knocked over by Robert rushing into the room. He hugged her. "We need to get you out of here."

"No, Dad. This is my fight as much as it is Jareth's." Karen nodded as she walked into the throne room.

"It is. But let's see if Jareth really needs the help."

"Jareth, finally come to face me yourself?" He eyed the ring Jareth wore. "Give that to me, she is mine." Devlin's voice cracked on the last word.

"Let's have the lady decide that, hmm?" Jareth waved a hand over the ring and Rialta appeared before them, not fully, but enough that Sarah could see the pain on the woman's face. Something was wrong, but Sarah couldn't figure out what was causing Rialta's pain.

"Devlin, this must stop."

"Mama," Jenata whispered. Rialta's gaze took in her child and she smiled.

"Yes, I am here. Your father and I are very proud of you." She turned back to Devlin. "I renounce your hold on me. I go to the Fade to be with my husband. Your punishment is out of my hands."

"Foolish woman, you cannot go to the Fade - you are not fully dead - or alive," Devlin hissed. "Only the magic of the ring keeps you from being lost to me. You need a body to come back to the world of the living." He glanced at Sarah. "And I've found one."

"Not happening," Robert said roughly. "Sarah is not anyone's slave."

"Ah a human," Devlin said, head tilting. "More or less. There is a bit of something extra in him. No matter. I will possess your daughter's body as soon as Rialta's soul enters it."

Devlin sneered at Jareth, "You think taking my magic will stop me? Rialta cannot exist without it - it fuels the ring you so proudly wear. Even now she fades."

Everyone looked at Rialta who was trying to remain strong. They could see her agony. Jareth didn't think twice.

"Then you shall have your magic - and we shall have our battle."

"Finally!" Loren shouted. "Ouch, Bertram, why did you do that?"

"My hand slipped, sorry."