Chapter One: Ten Years Gone

It was an innocent enough request: they wanted to be read a story.

Sarah could understand their restlessness; she'd promised them a whole weekend at their sister's new house only for them all to be trapped inside by terrible weather. With the rain beating at the windows like it had some personal wish to come inside, what were a ten and eight year old to do? They'd exhausted her movie collection. They'd half ruined any board games that had survived her childhood. Her roommate was out of town, so there'd gone any hope of distracting them with a new face. Go find a book, she'd told them at last. I'll read to you. This had seemed a wonderful gift to her siblings, who loved to hear Sarah's dramatic renditions of fantastic tales.

It wouldn't have been a problem if they hadn't handed her a dusty red book: The Labyrinth. Sarah Williams had solved that horrific puzzle at fifteen and rarely looked back. At twenty-five, she wasn't afraid of many things. She'd traversed South-East Asia armed with only a backpack and her ability to make friends. She'd refused her father's offer to pay for the big things in life: college, a car, her rent. She'd survived by working multiple retail jobs until she could beg the local library to hire her. No, Sarah Williams was used to facing the unknown head on. But reading this particular story to her siblings meant reawakening its ideologies, instilling its quick-fix promises in their young minds.

"Where did you find this?" she asked quietly. A simple enough question, yet the children fell tellingly silent. Sarah knew them well by now. At ten years old Toby was a bright boy with a wild enthusiasm that could only be bridled by his older sister. He liked things loud and fast and would only contain his manic energy for Sarah. Alice on the other hand had not benefitted from Sarah's positive influence since she'd moved out of home at twenty. Karen's notions of parenting involved spending money rather than time on her children. It was more difficult to root out the spoilt-child qualities when she couldn't be around her sister all the time. Alice was mischievous. She was unkempt and overbearing and thought everything belonged to her, which was why Sarah skipped over Toby and let her accusing gaze fall on the girl's blushing face. "Well?" she said, louder.

Toby elbowed Alice and she mumbled something. "I found it under your bed," she repeated upon Sarah's stern request.

"Under my bed…hmm…" Sarah tapped her chin in mock thoughtfulness. "But that would mean you were in my room!" she exclaimed. "And going through my belongings like a little snoop –"

"Please Sarah," Toby interrupted. His wide blue eyes beseeched her. "I told her not to do it but she wouldn't listen. But we'll be good if you read the story to us. Please?"

How could she deny him? He was so well behaved for her. Alice was the one who had yet to learn. "I'll read it," she said finally. "But!" she interrupted their sudden cheer. "You have to promise me you won't go snooping through my things again. Got that Alice? When you're in my home, you behave yourself."

Alice nodded, suitably abashed. For now at least. She wasn't prone to keeping promises very long. Steeling herself, Sarah gave a small wink to Toby and gathered them up on the lounge. Outside the rain lashed harder than ever, joined by momentous cracks of lightning that set the perfect mood. Sarah took a breath, told herself there was nothing to be worried about, and began to read.

Toby and Alice had fallen asleep, and now Sarah was dreaming too. She dreamt of bars, of a cage in the dark with a shadowed figure hunched within. Nothing seemed to exist in the world save for this cage and its trembling contents. She observed from a distance as another hooded shape stepped into view, peering into the depths behind the bars.

"Please," whispered the figure from its huddled position. The voice was devoid of any emotion, any recognisable quality. It could have been female or male, she couldn't tell.

"Please what?" said the shape on the outside in a voice equally empty.

"Let me out. Release me."

"I can't."

"But you know what they will do to me."

"I…I never meant for this to happen."

Sarah strained to listen. That last sentence…the shape on the outside was becoming recognisable. The voice had begun to break with emotion.

"Didn't you? Isn't this what you wanted from the very beginning?"

One shape was suddenly illuminated by stark light, and Sarah found herself watching herself step closer, press a cheek against the bars.

"Let me out." The voice in the cage had suddenly become demanding and startlingly familiar. Sarah found she had taken over the role of her dream self; she now stared forlornly into the cage. Another flash of light struck, the huddled shape rushed forward and seized her through the bars. She cried out in terror at the rage of the Goblin King. His ragged hair partly obscured his mismatched eyes glittering with fury. His teeth were bared in a sharp snarl, his gloved hand tight on her throat. "Let me out Sarah," he spat violently. "Let me out and I will rule you. I will love you, I will destroy you; I will be your slave! Just as you want!"

She couldn't breathe, she was gasping for air; she tugged uselessly at his hand on her neck – and then there was nothing.

No King, no cage, no pain. Sarah lay on a hard surface, one hand clutching at her throat as if she could still feel that awful grip. This happened sometimes, elements from the Underground bleeding into her dreams. When it did she related it to the fact that she hadn't heard from her strange old friends there in ten years, and dismissed it. Taking a steadying breath, Sarah was grateful that at least she was out of that particularly nasty dream.

Now, though…she had the odd sensation that she was awake, but that was impossible. She stared wild eyed at her new surroundings. The floors were gleaming marble but every other inch of wall was draped in delicate vines and blooming with brilliant hued flowers. She'd never seen such colour and vibrancy. The air was thick with musky fragrance, sweet but somehow unnerving in its intensity. Sarah covered her mouth, finding it difficult to breathe, and stepped toward a vibrant orange bloom. Tickling its petals, her hand came away damp with dew. She felt a deeper sense of self-awareness here, a thick reality sort of feeling, but again dismissed it.

"I wouldn't do that, Miss," said an anxious voice behind her. She'd reached out to touch a glowing white flower but jumped in fright at the voice. "Sorry, it's just that…those ones would be poisonous to someone like you."

The young man before her was startlingly thin and somewhat, well, green. His nose was long and pointed, his ears curved into sharp tips, and when he smiled she noticed a delicate set of dangerous teeth. Yet his smile was kind and she felt inclined to return it, however warily.

"It's all right, I'm just dreaming," she told him. "Nothing can hurt me."

The creature – for he could hardly be human – shook his head and bit his bottom lip. "No no, you misunderstand. You were dreaming, before. But now you aren't. Now you're – well. Here. In the Domain. So you could very well die if you touched that flower."

Sarah frowned. "The Domain? What's that?"

"The Fae Domain," he replied. "The Dream Reality. The Reality Below. We have a few names." Something seemed to make him suddenly very anxious. He shook himself, taking a few quick steps towards her. "But there's no time for that. Her Majesty is waiting, she'll be furious with me if we don't hurry up. Quickly, please follow me."

Sarah made a small noise of protest as he snatched her wrist in his delicate fingers and tugged her down the hall with surprising strength. "Did you say the Majesty?" she asked distractedly, still not in disbelief of it all. She gazed up at the beautiful hallway as they hurried through it.

"Yes Miss, the Fae Queen. She has summoned you, and I'm to bring you to her court."

The way he said that made her nervous. There was definite reverence in his voice. And more than a hint of fear. "Um, okay…" she replied, deciding it was easier to go along with this than to resist. She hadn't had such a vivid dream in years. "What's your name?"

"Wick, Miss."

"And…and what are you? If that's not a rude question."

"No bother. I'm an Elf, Miss."

"An Elf!" she exclaimed in delight. She'd always pictured elves to be more graceful, reserved...less green. Lacan looked like something a child had drawn, all leafy and hopping about like a nervous frog. "Well, Wick, you can just call me Sarah you know."

"Oh no I mustn't Miss, it's not proper. Until we reach the court you are my honoured charge." He lowered his voice. "Even if you are human."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Forgive me, Miss." She thought he might have been blushing, but it was hard to tell as they hurried along. "My two selves haven't quite untangled themselves yet."

She didn't understand that, but before she could say so they reached a wide archway blooming with a curtain of beautiful violets. Wick released her and took a steadying breath.

"Be respectful," he urged her in a whisper before sweeping the curtain aside and stepping through. "Your Majesty," she heard him call. "I present you with Miss Sarah Williams, of the Above."

"Oh, what the hell," Sarah murmured, taking a gracious step into the next room. She'd been in worse dreams than this; it couldn't hurt to play along.

The court was an ethereal continuation of the hallway's beauty. Everywhere she looked were more and more flowers, vines, blooming plants, glittering spider webs like polished ivory. The thick undergrowth muffled her steps on the white marble floor. Again, the air in the room was almost stifling in its fragrance.

"Come forward, child."

Sarah hadn't noticed the woman in the chair at the very front of the room; she'd been too intent on the sight before her. Now she jumped a little at the severity of the voice and hurried towards it. This was clearly the Queen. She sat stiff backed on a marble throne carved with roses, delicate bare feet crossed at the ankles. Her dress was long and fit as if a spider had spun gold around her form. She was almost what Sarah had thought elves were meant to look like yet she was too severe to be beautiful, with her elegant but frosty appearance. Something about the delicate mask-like markings across her face and those sharp features was unsettling in its familiarity.

"Um, hello, your Majesty," Sarah performed a half-hearted curtsy, feeling foolish paying respects to a dream.

"You would mock me already?" the Queen said stonily.

"What? No, I just – this isn't real. You aren't real."

Abruptly the Queen thrust out a hand towards her and Sarah suddenly found herself being forced to her knees by an invisible force, her legs aching with some unknown strain. She hissed in pain. Dreams weren't meant to hurt.

"Sarah Williams, you have been brought to me because your assistance is required. Tell me, what do you remember of the Underground?"

Eyes widening, Sarah gritted her teeth. "All of it. The Labyrinth, the goblins, the King –" she gasped. Now she could see who the Queen reminded her of, and her vivid dream suddenly made a horrible kind of sense. "I'm not – this is real, isn't it? All of it?"

"Very much so," replied the woman. "I am Queen Mira El'Maven of the Fae Domain, and you will show all due respect or face a very real pain. I do not tolerate ignorance in my court."

"I – I'm sorry," Sarah said hastily, finding herself released from her position on the floor. "I didn't know." Yet it was difficult to feel a real sense of meekness. The woman was painfully commanding. Still, it was obviously a bad idea to offend her. She swept low in a proper curtsy. "Can we start fresh, your Majesty?"

"An interesting choice of words," she replied, "Given my intentions. Fresh starts are indeed what I am seeking."

Sarah didn't know what to say to that. But a thought suddenly occurred to her. "I'm babysitting," she blurted out before thinking.

"I beg your pardon?"

"My little brother and sister. They're at my place, and if I'm here – well – I can't leave them alone for too long. They're really uh…energetic. In a destructive sort of way."

The Queen seemed to be studying her very intently. She felt a definite kind of prickle under that heavy gaze and thought she was about to be yelled at. "You are not what I was expecting," the woman said instead. "Would you care to learn why it is that I have brought you here? If that's not too much time taken out of your precious human hands?"

Oh, Sarah was definitely getting a vibe about this woman. The arrogance, the look, the superiority...she was just like –

"The Underground is only a small realm in the Fae Domain," the Queen said, interrupting her line of thought. "It is host to mostly simple beings, dull commoners…and many a vile creature. Specifically, it hosts the Labyrinth and the goblins."

Sarah lifted her chin in annoyed defiance. "I remember. I made a few friends while I was there; they were very good to me." She met the queen's eye pointedly, irritated at having her friends dismissed as simpletons.

"And what did you make of the Goblin King?" she replied, ignoring Sarah's jibe.

"That he's the arrogant, bored king of a dirty old maze and he used me for entertainment."

The Queen frowned deeply. "Oh? Were you not frightened of him? Cowed?"

Sarah rubbed at her arm uncomfortably. She'd been young then, imaginative. He'd seemed to play out her fantasies pretty well, until she'd realised her brother's life was more important. "At times, yeah. But mostly I just kept thinking that I had to get my brother back, so it didn't matter what I thought of him."

This seemed to concern her. "This is what I'm talking about…" she muttered. "A lack of respect. He cannot hope to remain in control if this sort of discord is spreading through the realm."

Sarah heard all this, but it didn't seem like it was meant as something for her to comment on. Left to her own thoughts, she'd started connecting the dots. "He's one of you, isn't he?"

The Queen remembered Sarah was there. "Excuse me?"

"The Goblin King. I mean it makes sense, that he's part of some other world, I never thought about it before. And you're so much alike. He's…he's a Fae, right? Like you?"

"Indeed he is, but it seems he has forgotten himself."

This comment came with a particular nasty look at Sarah, who felt it unwarranted and had to force herself to remain calm. She was liking the Queen less and less with each minute. "Look, with all due respect, what's going on?" she asked, not quite succeeding in keeping the exasperation from her voice. "Why am I here?"

"You are here," she paused to emphasise the contempt in those words, "Because my son is suspected of violating a very sacred, very old Fae law, and I require proof."

Sarah blinked. What part of that sentence was she meant to focus on first? "Your…your son? He's…his mother is the queen of a whole fairy world?"

"The Fae Domain," the Queen replied angrily, "Is far above and beyond any foolishly simplistic notions of human fairy tales. You would do well to remember that. Our kind does not take ignorance lightly." She smoothed a hand down her dress, calming herself, and continued on. "It matters not who he is in relation to me. What matters is that I have been compiling evidence to support the claim and require a final piece of absolute proof. Proof that you, Sarah Williams, are capable of acquiring for me."

Sarah held up a hand, trying to think. This was getting ridiculous. "Hold on, who's been making all these allegations against him?"

"I have."

"But you're his mother!" she cried.

"I am the Queen of the Fae," replied the woman coldly, "And Jareth has put the people of my realm in great danger. He will be investigated, and you will secure a testimony from him, and he will be abdicated from power in order to preserve the natural order of our way of life."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the goblins, Miss Williams. Jareth is losing his power over them. He has tainted the Labyrinth Throne, and we require fresh blood. The goblins are no longer under the greatest possible control, which is a danger we cannot abide. A new King must be instated and my son stripped from his position."

Sarah began to pace, agitated. "But the goblins I remember weren't that bad…" she told the Queen. "They were scary to a teenager, sure…but they weren't exactly horrors from hell. What's so bad about them?"

"The creatures encountered in the Labyrinth in your day were a softer species," the Queen explained. "The ones formed from human children. In those days, it was enough to deter runners from solving the maze. But no longer. The Goblin King has grown sloppy and the dominant purebreds have sensed this, taken advantage, and wiped out their weaker relations."

Sarah felt sick. "So there are real monsters running around in the Labyrinth now? And in the city?"

"Creatures you cannot begin to imagine. The monsters of human nightmares pale in comparison to the hordes we have kept at bay for millennia." There was almost, almost, a hint of something not quite brave in that voice. "That is, until you ran the Labyrinth and defeated my son. Which is why you will help us."

"What did I do? And…why now? It's been ten years! What's taken you so long?"

"It has been ten years for you, Miss Williams. For us, it has been little over two. Nothing but the blink of an eye to the Fae."

"What?"

"To put it simply: different realities, different time flows. We are immortals; our lives stretch like vines alongside the stumps of your existence. We must diffuse the power of your reality's dreams in order to make them last."

Sarah stopped listening, not only because she had no idea what the woman was talking about but because this was suddenly starting to feel a little claustrophobic. The Queen's demanding voice, her cold cold eyes, the cloying scent of the dark musty jungle room: she started to panic.

"No," she said forcefully.

The Queen's mouth twitched. "No?"

"No, I won't do it. I can't deal with this. I'm an adult now! I have a job, I'm – I'm – I'm writing a book, I'm thinking about asking out this guy at the music store…I have a brother and a sister and a life, your Majesty, and I'm not going to risk it all just so you can dish out some weird fairy justice on the Goblin King!" Sarah quietened, realising she had just shouted at a very powerful royal. The air was thick around them and suddenly chilly for the look she received.

"Fae Justice," the Queen stated coldly, "Is not something to converse lightly about. The Goblin King must be reprimanded. He has violated the most ancient laws of our kind. And you will help us to secure his testimony."

"No I won't," she repeated. "You can't make me. This has nothing to do with my world." She thought the Queen's eyes were cold before, but now they made her think of icicles dripping in her own blood.

"Very well." She stood and made a small gesture with her hands, conjuring a large rectangular mirror before them. "Elf!"

The sound of footsteps came scurrying towards them. Wick arrived silently, mouth firmly pressed shut in a frown.

"Collect the children," the Queen told him. He ignored Sarah's cry of horror and stepped into the mirror, returning moments later with a screaming Toby and Alice in tow, holding on gently but firmly with his strong grip.

Sarah cried out again at the terror on their faces. "What are –?"

"You will assist us in this endeavour," The Queen said. "Or your siblings will be taken."

Tears of hot rage swelled in Sarah's eyes. "You can't."

"I will do what I must," she replied firmly. "Your services are required, Sarah Williams. Do not make me say it again."

Sarah groaned loudly. "Are you all like this? Snivelling sneaky monsters out to take children away?!" She couldn't tear her gaze from her siblings. Toby was shivering, clutching a bawling Alice with one hand and beseeching Sarah with his eyes. "What's going on?" he sobbed.

"I'm sorry I went through your stuff!" Alice cried hysterically, "I'm sorry Sarah!"

Her heart ached. She glared at the Queen. "You can't take them, I didn't wish them away!"

"Wishes are more my son's area," she said disdainfully. "I care not for the laments of ungrateful humans, and I do not require your silly little wishes to take what I need."

"What do you want from me?" Sarah asked helplessly. "What the hell do you want?"

"A confession. I want you to trick your brother into wishing away his sister, and when Jareth comes to claim her, I want you to beg to be taken in their stead. You will stay with him, and you will become his confidant, and he will tell you everything we need to know."

"That's insane!" Sarah shouted. "He won't fall for that! What if he just takes them? Why would he want me?"

"If my suspicions are correct, I doubt he will reject the offer," said the Queen with a nasty look on her face, as if her words made some disgusting kind of sense. "It has never been done before, nor should it ever be. The wished away must be earned back by runners, not bargained for like trinkets. But if he accepts your proposal, it will be one more link to the crime he is guilty of."

She had no choice, as always with these people. She never had any choice. "Fine, I'll do it. Just let them go. Now."

The Queen nodded at Wick, who seemed relieved to be able to direct Toby and Alice back into the mirror wordlessly. They huddled against the glass on their side, calling for their sister.

Sarah refused to cry in front of this horrible woman. She blinked furiously to rid herself of tears and stood at the mirror, placing her hands against Toby's. She forced a smile. "I'll be back," she told them, though they couldn't hear. Toby's lip quivered and he hugged Alice to him tightly. "I'll be back," she whispered, tracing a hand from her eye, to her heart, and back to Toby's reflection: I love you. He did the same. The mirror turned black, leaving her stranded in the presence of nothing familiar. She continued to look into the black glass. "Can you make them forget this?" she asked quietly, pressing a hand against the mirror. "Wipe their memory? I don't want them to be scared."

"It will be done."

Sarah nodded, but would not thank the woman. "I'm starting to see where your son gets it all," she said bitterly, and with a shake of her head she met the Fae Queen's brutal gaze with determination. "What was his great crime, exactly? What does he have to confess to?"

The day had been long and horribly surprising, but nothing could have prepared her for the response:

"My son is in love with you, Sarah Williams."