Chapter 33

(Regret and Relief)

"If you never saw his body why did you think he was dead?" Jareth asked becoming very curious.

"Well because…Ishaan said he was dead," Ormond replied as realization began to dawn on him. It was almost instantly that The UnSeelie High King began to realize how Ishaan had manipulated him on more than one occasion. Both kings looked at each other as a near fog seemed to begin to lift from both of their minds.

"Ishaan is …" Jareth fell silent.

"What is it?" Ormond asked seeing a cross between concern and panic cross The Goblin King's face.

"What have I done?" Jareth asked thinking clearly for the first time in a few years. A flash of recent events flooded through his mind.

"What are you…," Suddenly Ormond found himself thinking clearer than he had in years. "It's Ishaan. Ishaan has done something to both of us."

"I hurt her," Jareth said horrified as the memories of what he'd done to Sarah since her arrival came back to him. "How could I hurt her like that?"

"Sarah will have to wait. We have to find Ishaan," Ormond warned. "If Eliseo is alive Lorelei will probably try and reach him with your Sarah."

"Ishaan will kill them if he thinks he can cover what he's done," Jareth said openly concerned.

"He doesn't know whatever spell or hex he created on us has lifted," Ormond reminded him. "We still have a chance to stop him."

"We don't even know where he is," Jareth said exasperated.

"Use a crystal," Ormond said. "He can't be that far away if he is sneaking in and out all the time."

"He can if he is using the tunnels," Talon said felling a sense of guilt within him he'd never known could exist.

The Goblin King looked over at his captain. "It's not your fault, Talon. Ishaan has learned far more about magic than any of us realized. Besides I'm the one that truly hurt Sarah not you."

"Perhaps the goblins can search the tunnels?" Ormond suggested. "They move faster than any of us and as they are always running amuck he probably won't think too much about it if one happens upon him."

Jareth nodded and silently sent a message to his mischievous creatures to find Ishaan and Sarah. "They will search but if he's kept Eliseo alive all this time he has to be in a very secure location."

"Somewhere that magic can't penetrate to leave a traceable signature," Talon said knowingly.

"A neutral zone," Ormond said as he began to pace and think. "Somewhere neither Seelie nor UnSeelie magic rule. A secluded area where no one would think to look."

"Or want to," Nolan stated. The three fae men thought for a moment and all three looked up and in unison said, "Ahriman's cave."

Ahriman's cave had been the site of a great battle centuries ago. So much magic had been used that in the end both light and dark magic had become nullified there. It was also where an evil sorcerer had taken residence during his bid to overthrow the underground. After the battle the place had been abandoned. Neither light nor dark fae were comfortable there. The residue of magic resided there in a way that made the area appear to be death.

The only sign of life was a river that passed by not far away and a group of horned owls that had found the abandoned place to be to their liking preferring the quiet. The near almost 24 hour darkness also made for a comfortable environment for the creatures. It was their sanctuary.

"Talon gather some forces we need to get there quickly." Talon quickly bowed to his king and left their presence. "What are you going to do about Lorelei?" Jareth asked once they were alone. "If he lives…"

"It would explain a few things," Ormond replied. Jareth looked at him questioningly. "Lorelei has never been able to give me a child." A frown crossed his face. The king wanted Lorelei but in order to have her he would have to kill Eliseo. That was something the king wasn't so certain he could now do.

"Let's just find them for now." Jareth simply nodded. Talon soon returned and the group headed off in search of the immortal human that had betrayed them.

Ishaan was anything but pleased as he made his way below ground to the dungeon he kept his prisoners in. Unlocking the door he entered to find King Eliseo and Prince Tenaris begin to awaken at the sound of the door.

"You're back early," Tenaris said knowingly.

"Your daughter is becoming far more of a nuisance than I expected," Ishaan said practically glaring at the king in chains. "That however, is about to be rectified," he said confidently. "Your daughter is his wife and he is completely obsessed with her. The moment he gets a hold of her he'll take her and the spell will be complete. Jareth will become UnSeelie and bound to my curse forever."

"Ormond won't," Tenaris told him. "She's not really married to him."

"Ormond let's his temper get the best of him," Ishaan said matter of fact. "All I have to do is turn his attention her way and the rest will work itself out. They'll never know my part. I'll apologize and tell him I saw your body fall and there was no way you could have survived such a perilous fall. I'll suggest he marry Lorelei again and it won't be a problem. Having control of her will give me control over him."

"You don't have control over her," Elios said angrily.

"Oh but I will," Ishaan replied. "By now they have probably figured out that Sarah is your daughter. Naturally Lorelei will want to protect her daughter. As I will have control over Jareth I will have control over everyone."

"Oberon will stop you!" Tenaris shouted.

"No, Oberon will bow to my will or I'll expose a few of his little secrets. Including the one that lead to Sarah being trapped here. Oberon is about to learn what real power is. You fae hold back because of rules. I an immortal human will be the one ruling from now on and there will be no rules that I cannot break or change."

"You came between Oberon and Ormond," Eliseo said with certainty.

"Yes, well, it wasn't exactly all that hard to do," Ishaan said sounding rather proud of himself. A cruel smiled crossed his face as he thought back on how easy it had been. "They've always been competitive anyway. Leading Ormond to believe his father thought he Was a less than favored son placed the seed of resentment. It was even easy to convince Oberon that Ormond was trying to kill him after a few…." Ishaan laughed. "Close accidents."

"You tried to kill Oberon," Tenaris said recalling Oberon almost being trampled by some horses.

"Yes. Ormond had secured the gate of the corral but as we walked away I released a loosening spell I'd learned from Queen Mauve during a visit. They are truly such easy pray."

As Ishaan continued to speak Eliseo began to feel a familiar feeling. No magic could be used where they were but there was internal magic that could be felt. The magic that came from a bond. The one magic that couldn't be cancelled out when close. Somehow he had to keep the man talking and give his wife and daughter a little more time.

"So you are here to gloat about how sneaky you are? How despicable you are?" Tenaris sneered.

"No, today I have come to end some of my troubles," he said pleased. The two men watched as a the red haired man reached into his robe and pulled out a sword. "Now even if and when you are found there will be nothing for you to say."

He stepped toward Elios and said, "Since you are the biggest obstacle and are the highest ranking of royal blood in the room I think it only fitting that you go first." Ishaan raised his sword and just as he went to swing downwards was suddenly attacked from behind.

"You leave him alone!" Sarah said landing on Ishaans back and hitting him with her fists.

Ishaan stumbled and lost his grip on the sword. The sword fell and Lorelei instantly grabbed it. She took the sword and swung at the chains that held her husband to the wall. The chain shattered and she quickly made her way over to Prince Tenaris and Cut his chains as well.

"I will kill you!" Ishaan said and slamming his back against a stone wall Sarah fell. He turned to face her only to have a weak Eliseo grab on to him. Too weak however the king was punched hard by Ishaan and he fell to the ground.

"Eliseo!" Lorelei cried out. She ran to him but Ishaan grabbed at her and the two struggled with the sword. Physically stronger however Ishaan overpowered her and with a slap sent her to the ground.

"You are all too much trouble," Ishaan sneered he raised his sword at Lorelei and struck at her. Metal clanged just before the sword hit the queen. Ishaan's eyes went wide as he found his opponent was The Goblin King.

"You're majesty. She…"

"Enough," Ormond said making his presence known as well. The UnSeelie High King regarded the human with cold eyes. "You have a lot to answer for." Jareth moved the sword causing Ishaan to stumble back and lose control of the sword he'd held.

"Oberon will take your queen from you!" Ishaan warned Ormond. "You will lose everything!"

Sarah didn't look at Ishaan. Instead her eyes stayed fixated on the King she feared above all others. She watched as mismatched eyes turned to look at her. Knowing what he was capable the green eyed girl began to shake uncontrollably. A frown crossed the Goblin King's face. What did they do now? They were married but he had hurt her.

"That is for Oberon to decide," Ormond stated.

Author's Note: I know many of you have been waiting for this for a very long time. Sorry about the wait. Thank you for reading!