Chapter Nineteen

Sarah

You think you know who you are

You didn't fool me at all

I can still feel in the dark

You whispered all of your lies

Cause you couldn't look in my eyes

Only in love for the high.

- Trust, Sophie Lowe

Faerie. Day 1.

Sarah was plagued by strange dreams. Disjointed, like long shards of shattered glass, they jumbled one into the next. Images of her friends, of Jareth, in various states of distress. Hurting or dying or dead. But more than that were the threads of some greater creature. She could never see it properly. It made her feel as though she were a gnat trying to comprehend the size of a blue whale. It was massive, angry, and afraid. She got the distinct sense it was attempting to reach out to her but falling short.

When she woke, it was to darkness. Sitting up in bed, she touched the linen wraps around her eyes. Tomorrow I can take these off, she thought. Then I'll be able to see again. It had been a week and a half, and she was already growing used to not having her eyes.

She brought up the image of Jareth in her mind. His sharp smile and gleaming mismatched eyes, the wildness of his hair. Stomach twisting at the memory, she flipped back the covers and slid from the bed, grabbing her white stick from where she had left it leaning against a nightstand.

Tapping her way into a bathroom she had been thankful was modern enough to have a toilet, Sarah closed the door behind her even though she was alone. There was no telling who might pop up in a place like this. Trust was earned.

She took her time with her morning ablutions, scratching a little under her linen wrappings where they crossed over her hair. Even with two other women to help her bathe last night, they could not wash past the bandages, so her scalp itched a little. Another reason to look forward to tomorrow.

There was a knock on the restroom door, and she turned her head toward the sound. "Who is it?"

"It's Gretchen, m'lady. I've come to help you dress."

Sarah smoothed her hands down the nightdress they had helped her into last night. She had attempted to insist that she could dress herself, but Maisy and Gretchen were not to be deterred, apparently. Grabbing her stick, she opened the door, and a moment later, a warm hand slipped into hers, and the woman was tugging her along. "What role do you serve here?" she asked her. "Are you always at Aldric's estate?"

"No, m'lady, we move between here and his lodgings in the Seelie court. He has a suite of rooms in the palace, as well, and sometimes we tend to him there." She took the white stick from Sarah's hands. "He has some attendants who also follow him when he is on a campaign, but I am not one of those."

"So, what are you?" She had to swallow the impulse to say, Jareth never speaks of servants.

There was a pause. "I," she stammered a little and went silent for a stretch. "I'm a brownie, missus. Many of our kind are pledged to serve the high fae. Don't you know?"

Sarah shook her head. "I've been in the human world a long time, Gretchen, and I haven't known Aldric long. Not long enough to understand the intricacies of life in the Underground." She paused, then asked, voice hesitant, "Does he treat you well?"

"Oh," the brownie breathed. "Of course, mistress. But we never serve cruel masters. Now, do you want the green dress or the blue?"

She wanted to wear her own clothes but somehow knew that Aldric would want her presentable while they kept up this charade. "Blue," she said. "What does it look like?"

"I'll put it on you first, m'lady, and then you can feel it while I describe it to you."

Sarah acquiesced and waited while Gretchen dressed her. First, there was a set of undergarments that were like a spaghetti strap and long shorts, all a thin cotton that breathed well. Then there was a corset, which she hated but tolerated, covering her from bust to hip. A slip went over this, with long belled sleeves cuffed at her wrists. The fabric felt gauzy and loose. Gretchen helped her shrug into a fine overdress, sleeveless and laced up the front to accentuate her small waist and flared hips. She ran her hands down the rough cloth.

"The laces are spun with strands of real gold," the brownie said. "So they gleam as you move. Your dress has threads of gold woven through it all, in the brocade pattern and the texture of the fabric. We'll style your hair up today, I think, and perhaps ask Master Aldric if you can wear one of the sapphire necklaces from the treasury."

Sarah felt her mouth drop open. "One of? How rich is he?" She laughed a little, but when Gretchen did not respond, she said, "I'm only joking. I don't need to know."

"You truly do not know, mistress?" The other woman sounded almost amused. "Master Aldric is one of the richest of the not just the Seelie court, but the entire Underground. His riches rival the hoards of dragons."

"There are dragons?"

Gretchen giggled. "Of course."

Sarah tried to take a deep breath and found herself restricted by the corset. She huffed. "I don't know anything about this place."

"You'll learn. We'll teach you." The brownie sounded eager. "I'm sure Master Aldric will want you to understand more about your new home."

She stiffened, and a cold chill ran down her spine. "My new home?" Her lips were numb.

That high-pitched laugh again, a tittering sound that now made Sarah's skin crawl. "Of course, m'lady. Master Aldric can't risk you anymore. You must remain by his side."

Sarah did not know what to say to that, and so remained silent as the other woman guided her to a chair where she brushed out her hair and began piling it atop her head. While she might not see what was being done, she had the impression that Gretchen was attempting to hide the bandages. She spoke while she worked, touching on all manner of subjects but mostly gushing over how excited she was that Master Aldric had "chosen" someone at last.

Sarah's stomach roiled.

"Gretchen," a voice called. "You're talking out of turn again, aren't you?"

"Maisy," the younger-sounding brownie squeaked. "I didn't see you."

"You wouldn't." There was a rustling sound, and Sarah felt a light touch on her elbow. "Master Aldric awaits you in the dining room for breakfast." When she grabbed for her stick, Maisy wrapped a hand around her upper arm and pulled. "No need for that ugly thing, my lady. I shall guide you."

"I like being able to get around on my own, thanks." She made another grab for where she remembered propping it against the wall, fumbling her hands along the soft wallpaper. Her fingertips finally collided with the slender aluminum pole. When Maisy began to lead her again, Sarah let her.

The other attendant was not nearly as chatty as Gretchen, but she spoke partway to the dining room. "You look lovely today, my lady."

"Thanks," Sarah murmured, still reeling from the other serving woman's words. Your new home. She wanted to touch the tattoo on her shoulder and send a thought to Jareth. She wanted to talk to him in general after the disquieting dreams of the night before. She had fallen asleep with her hand on it so that she could be in contact with him in the cold, unfamiliar bed.

"I must apologize for Gretchen. She is still young, and she has never met a fae-touched before. Your kind is quite rare in these modern times."

"Should I ask how old she is? I have the feeling our definitions of young vary greatly."

Maisy laughed. "She's only one and twenty."

"And you?"

The brownie stopped laughing, though there was still mirth in her voice as she answered. "I am nearing my two hundredth year. I've been with Master Aldric for most of that time."

"I hope he's been good to you."

"Oh, exceedingly. He is one of the best. But I hear that you have been close with his brother, the Goblin King." Her tone turned icy. "I was not born in time to meet their sisters, but I had the opportunity to meet Jareth. He is as cruel as they all say. Or worse."

Sarah's skin prickled, spreading out from where Maisy lead her, arm tucked into hers. "He can't have been that bad."

Maisy scoffed, then lowered her voice and slowed her steps. Sarah had the feeling they were near to the dining room. "That creature broke my sister's heart and stole her child away, turning him into a goblin. He is evil."

Sarah's stomach churned again, and she pursed her lips, saying nothing.

"Ah, Sarah," a rich voice called out from nearby. "I thought you lost along the way. Was there any trouble?"

"No," she said quickly. "No trouble." She pulled away from Maisy and found her hand caught by Aldric's gloved ones immediately afterward. His touch was searing, yet still not too much. "Why do you wear gloves all the time?"

Aldric laughed, and his other hand was on her cheek a moment later, fingertips smoothing down her jawline. She could not help the way her spine stiffened, but she did not pull away. Maisy was still nearby, and Sarah would not go back on her vow. If he is given ultimate power over you, he will strip away your free will. And she knew that he would. "I'll tell you later," he said. "For now, I'd like you to meet someone."

She was drawn into the dining room, which felt cavernous from the slight echo to their footfalls. Aldric put an arm around her waist, fingers splayed possessively across her stomach and stopped them where she could feel the heat of the sun through windows to her right. "Finnick, may I introduce you to Sarah Williams, champion of the Labyrinth? Sarah, this is Finnick, a fae from the Seelie court who has come to stay with us for a few days."

"I apologize for my early arrival," a smooth voice said. "Circumstances conspired for this to be the most auspicious of times for traveling. I find that I am anxious to meet Aldric's paramour. Touched, are you?"

Aldric squeezed her waist, and Sarah smiled. "Yes, it seems so. It is a pleasure."

"You're damaged," the fae said. "Aldric, what is the meaning of this?" There was a thread of real anger in his voice.

"Peace, cousin," he soothed. "There was an incident with some poachers, yes, but the bandages will come off tomorrow."

Sarah's skin crawled, remembering the lamia's pointed talons and the melodic ocean song of the selkie.

Finnick spoke again, and though there remained a hard edge to his voice, his voice was otherwise level. "One wonders how you let such a treasure slip from you for even a moment. The only champion the Labyrinth has ever known and touched besides. Madam," there was a touch on her hand, and she raised it, feeling as a set of dry lips brushed along her knuckles. "I am at your service," he said, and his breath coiled against the skin of her hand. "If there is anything you wish for, please never hesitate to ask. I will endeavor to protect you."

Aldric's grip on her waist tightened as Finnick let go of her hand and stepped back. "Ah," he said, his voice toneless but low enough that she had to suppress the urge to shiver. "Breakfast is served, I believe. Please, sit."

Sarah heard the scrape of a chair and a rustle of cloth. A moment later and Aldric was guiding her to her own spot, his hands lingering for a moment too long. She smiled anyway, determined to play her role well. "Thank you."

"Of course, pet," he murmured, and there was a groan of wood as he took his own seat next to hers. "I'll fix you a plate."

While he did, the two fae made a peculiar kind of small talk. A rapid-fire back and forth that had her head spinning after a few quick minutes. She fumbled with her food instead, feeling clumsy compared to what she knew would be graceful motions for the two fae lords.

Aldric took every opportunity he could to touch her. Whether he was feeding her from her plate or brushing crumbs from her lips, every gesture was tender and warm in a way she had not been anticipating. She had expected that Aldric would use his liberties to try and force a kiss or more, even, but every movement seemed deliberate and... sweet.

"We need to settle the wilds," he was saying. "More of our kind should follow my example and create estates. I have not had an incident here in nearly a hundred years. The denizens of the forest know not to try something when I protect the place."

"But what about when you're not here?" Finnick retorted. "How many people did poor Lester lose? Two of his favorite brownies and a fortune in rare manuscripts went up in that blaze. Are you saying you can guarantee the safety of our family? Our staff?"

"Lester's estate burned because he tried to pull one over on a phoenix, and while the fire was a tragedy for those lives that were lost, it really was his fault, wasn't it?"

Finnick snorted, and real amusement colored his voice. "That was foolish of him, indeed. Perhaps you have a point, Lord Aldric."

"Perhaps I do."

The other laughed again. "You certainly display your wealth and finery with grace," he said, turning the conversation so swift that Sarah felt like she had whiplash. "But none of your rare paintings or gilded statues or precious manuscripts are as dear as the treasure at your side. How did you come to possess her?"

Her pulse ticked up, and she had to swallow on a dry throat the desire to shout, I'm not his! Hands resting in her lap, she could not help the small jump when Aldric's fingers curled around hers, blazing hot and possessive. "Do you know of the situation in the Aboveground, my friend?"

"No, I'm not in the habit of keeping track of the mortals and their troubles. Why?"

Aldric let out a low, sensuous laugh. Sarah had to resist the urge to shiver, gooseflesh rising along her arms instead. His thumb began brushing slow circles against her skin. "They are amid a global pandemic. A plague."

She heard the sound of a quick intake of breath, and Aldric's rich laugh rang out again.

"It's not something that will affect us, I assure you." He lifted the hand joined with Sarah's. "But suffice it to say that the consequences of this disease ended up binding my brother to the mortal world for a span. He goes there once a year, you see, to offer this one," his fingers tightened around hers for a fraction of a moment. "The queenship."

Finnick did laugh now, bold and loud. A belly laugh if she had ever heard one. "Your brother, the Goblin King? That's who you took her from? A mistake, surely. You'll bring the entire might of the Labyrinth down on your head."

"Will I?" Aldric's tone had turned icy. "When she is already at my side, willingly, and he is still trapped in the Aboveground?"

"And what when he becomes unstuck, Lord Aldric? What then? He will claim his queen."

"Oh, she will be queen," Aldric said. "My queen. When I take the Labyrinth for myself and become the next Goblin King, I will have her by my side."

Sarah's pulse picked up, and she swallowed hard. Finnick still sounded amused as he said, "I do not envy you your task. Jareth is not a power to go up against lightly."

"You think that I have spent the last few hundred years idle?" His hand convulsed around hers. "He and I would have come to a head soon, regardless."

"You're saying that you found out about her, and you struck?"

"No. I found out that he was stuck, and then I moved against him. Sarah here," he released her hand, but his fingertips trailed up her arm, leaving gooseflesh in their wake. "Was an unanticipated treasure."

"A treasure indeed," Finnick said, sounding thoughtful.

Sarah's face flamed. She was getting a little tired of being talked about like she was not in the room, but just as she opened her mouth to say something about it, Aldric said, "But why don't we ask her? Sarah, pet, tell Finnick how we met."

Her tongue felt clumsy at first, but as she spoke, her words strengthened. It was the truth, after all. "When Aldric declared war against his brother, Jareth asked me to act as his representative in peace talks. I managed to convince him to cease hostilities against the goblin kingdom in exchange for four hours of my time in the Underground each day by his side, up until Jareth was free to return."

"And then you fell for this brother instead of the other?" Finnick asked, curiosity evident in his tone.

Sarah licked her lips. Some sense was telling her that she should not lie, so she choose her words very carefully. "Aldric told me everything that Jareth kept hidden from me. I ended up spending more time with him. And then he saved me from the lamia and the selkie."

"The poachers?"

She nodded, uncomfortable with the term and how it implied that she was something to be hunted. "After I was blinded and I came here, I realized I had to stay."

"Fascinating," the other fae said, and Sarah could imagine him leaning forward, elbows on the table as he clasped his hands, peering at her with glittering eyes. She pictured him as older. Balding, perhaps, with spectacles and a slight belly. "And so you have no remaining feelings for Jareth?"

Sarah called on every inch of acting talent she ever recalled, all the lessons she took in college and back in her youth. A smug, sexy smile slid across her face. "Would you ask every secret of a woman's heart?"

Finnick burst out laughing, and after half a beat, Aldric joined in. She smiled a little more and reached for a glass. Aldric passed it to her, his heated fingers brushing hers. "Does she not delight?" he asked, a warm note of affection coloring his voice. Sarah bit her tongue but kept the rest of her body relaxed, pretending that she was adrift, her limbs feeling light and airy.

"She is quite special," the visiting fae said, and she could detect a twinge of jealousy. "Keep her close."

"Oh, I shall."

They continued to chat about little things. Sarah did not eat any more, her appetite evaporating along with her words. Instead, she sipped the rose-scented water and occasionally interjected with a quip or a clarification. The flow of the conversation became easy, and they began laughing together as though they were all long-time friends.

For a small moment, Sarah almost forgot that she was here against her will.

"I won't keep you," their visitor said. "Aldric, I know I came early. I admit I had suspected I would find a very different circumstance than the one presented to me. She truly is yours, then?"

"Very much," Aldric agreed, and Sarah's skin prickled as gloved fingertips smoothed down her arm. "Whatever the circumstances, I am glad that you're here. Tonight we'll have a small dinner with the other guests, but tomorrow we'll start the real business of what we came here to do."

Finnick's voice firmed a bit. "Yes. There is still that matter to attend to. Until then."

Sarah heard the sound of chairs scraping back, and the next thing she knew, Aldric was helping her out of her seat, hand at her elbow. Finnick left, a door clicking shut behind him, and Sarah whirled on Aldric. "What's the meaning of talking about me like I'm not even there? Like I'm some kind of possession?" She hissed. "I'm not some prize pig at the fair!"

"Angry, pet?"

She wanted to stamp her foot. "I never agreed to be your queen. I never agreed to be your anything."

Aldric grasped her around the waist, the grip hard against the boning of her corset, and tugged her against his front. She gasped and attempted to wrench away, but he held her tight. "Do you know how many fae noblewomen would give their left eye to be thought of in such a way by me? Do you not see, Sarah? I am offering you everything you could ever want." His breath was warm on her face and smelled of cinnamon and coffee. She lifted her fists against his chest and pushed, but he did not budge. "I am telling you that I love you."

She was stunned, shocked into a stillness that he broke with his mouth against hers. Hers was already open, and he slipped his tongue in, tasting her with a contented sound in the back of his throat.

Something in her seemed to slip, then crack, and she was kissing him back, swallowing down the burning heat of him. It pooled deep inside of her, filling her with liquid warmth. His hands at her waist moved in opposite directions, one lowering to grasp her hip and pull her closer, and the other rising to cup her face, the motion tender. She whimpered and gasped again as he pushed her against the wall, his body pressing against hers. Possessive and caging, for a moment, she allowed it, grinding her hips toward him and making small sounds of pleasure.

Aldric broke the kiss to trail heated kisses down her bare throat, and he was grasping her ass, gripping her hard against his growing erection. She could feel it even through the thick fabric of her dress. She shuddered to feel it, to imagine—

No.

She pulled back as far as she could, yanking herself out of his touch. "Stop," she said, her voice breathier than she wanted. "Aldric—"

He silenced her with another kiss, lips crashing against hers and teeth coming down on her bottom lip before his tongue swept in and soothed the throbbing flesh he left behind.

She could feel his magic like a flickering flame she held her hand out to. It lapped at her, and she responded to it, gripping him tighter for a moment until sense rushed in yet again like a bucket of ice water dumped over her head. "Stop," she breathed, pulling herself away, the back of her head thumping against the wood paneling. "Stop!"

Aldric froze, then began to chuckle, his face buried against the side of her neck. "You desire me," he said at last. "Deny it all you want, pet, but you respond to my touch." His lips feathered along her skin, and she shivered. He drew in a breath, as though he were scenting her, and his body settled heavier against hers. She tried to draw back again, to pull away, but she was trapped by the wall and his arms on either side of her. "I can taste your power," he whispered, nuzzling still at her hair and neck. "It would not be coming out to play unless you wanted me."

"That's just a reaction," she huffed, attempting to push him away again. He would not budge. "Get off me."

He laughed again, but then the pressing heat of him lifted, and cool air rushed in to fill the space he had just occupied. Sarah stayed still where she was, not daring to move, not knowing where he was. She had no idea where her white stick had gotten to, and she couldn't exactly storm out when she could not even see to make her way back to her rooms. This is so unfair, she thought.

"You don't love me," she said, her voice steady despite her frantic heartbeat. "You want to possess me. There's a difference."

"Maybe," he said, sounding agreeable as always. "Does it matter?"

"Yes!" Her hands clenched into fists at her side. "It's not like I'm some painting you can put on your wall or a statue for your garden. I'm not a tool to be used. I am not my power." She lifted her chin, wishing with a fervor that she had her eyes back.

Gloved fingers brushed along the line of her jaw. "You are no simple thing. You are the greatest of treasures—a Champion of the Labyrinth. Fae-touched. There has never been one such as you before, and there may never be again. I do not see you like some picture to gaze at, though your beauty certainly captivates me." Fingers threaded through her hair, and she suppressed the urge to react, staying stock still instead. "I disagree that one has to love without calculating the worth of the other party. You may not be your power, but your power is a part of you. What you can offer to me, and to Faerie, as the future Goblin Queen is an inherent part of your value."

"And you just so happened to develop feelings for me?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." His thumb played along the shell of her ear, and gooseflesh rose at the touch. "I admit my initial inclination was simply to bed you and keep you, but now I see how much more you have to offer. I want you at my side. To advise, to strengthen, and to love. Is that so hard to believe?"

Sarah's mouth had gone dry. "You're just saying what you think I want to hear. You're trying to manipulate me."

"Am I?" His breath on her face again. "Is that what you want to hear, sweet Sarah? Declarations of love, from me?" Lips brushed lips, feather-light, and she gasped, inhaling the scent of him. He seemed to take this as an invitation, for just as suddenly his mouth was crushed against hers, swallowing her sound of protest.

Sarah's head swam. Damn it, I'm only human. And being kissed by Aldric was a sensation unlike any she had truly experienced before. A thrill of the forbidden ran through the feeling, and a dark part of her wanted to succumb. Another aspect of her wondered if he would spare Jareth if she consented to be with him. Would Aldric turn his sights from the Labyrinth if she asked? She thought he might.

He kissed her like he would devour her, as though he could never get enough of the taste of her. And—gods help me—she let him. For a moment, she let thoughts of Jareth slip from her mind, and she felt it when her magic unfurled, spilling through the connection between their bodies to let him drink it in. As it bloomed in him, she could feel his body. His heartbeat, the deep lungful of air he just breathed in, the rising heat in his blood. The power danced along his every vein and artery, and so did she. And as she did, she realized that with just the right kind of nudge, the power that played within him could just as easily turn sharp and deadly.

Aldric broke the kiss with a gasp, though one hand remained curled around the back of her neck, holding her in place. "That was—"

She placed her hand on his chest and shoved with all her might, and he stumbled back, hand falling away. "Never again," she declared. "You will never force a kiss on me again." She could still taste him, not just in her mouth but in her mind. She could not shake the sensation, nor the knowledge that she held a strange sort of power here. One she did not quite understand, perhaps, but one that she would leverage to her fullest advantage.

Something in the air shifted. An undercurrent that had the hair on the back of Sarah's neck rising. Aldric's voice was low and calm when he spoke. "Of course not," he said. "I'll wait for you to tell me to."

"That'll never happen."

"We'll see."

Another silence, and this time she lifted her chin, determined not to break it.

Aldric chuckled. "You are stubborn. It's part of why I like you."

"Can you take me back to my room, please?" She was done with this conversation. With him.

"Certainly. Here." The slender aluminum pole touched her hand, and she gripped it close, pulling it away from him. "But while Finnick and the others are here, I will escort you myself to your rooms."

Sarah bit her lip but put out a hand. Aldric tucked it into his arm, and a moment later, he was leading her through the dining room and out into the hall.

"I forgot to tell you how lovely you look in that dress," Aldric purred as they walked. "Did Maisy pick it out?"

"No. Gretchen gave me the choice of the green or the blue."

"Mm, good. The green will bring out your eyes when we unwrap them tomorrow." He squeezed her hand. "Your rooms, my love."

She bit back the retort she wanted to spit out at him. She heard the door open and used her white stick to tap her way into the sitting room. She turned her head back, sensing that Aldric was still standing near. "Can I get a little privacy?"

"Of course. There will be a dinner tonight. More guests will have arrived by then. Shall I send one of the brownies to attend to you now?"

"No, thank you." She turned away from him, finding her way to a chair and sinking down onto it.

"I'll leave you until this evening, then. Call out if you require anything. Someone will hear."

Sarah did not respond, and a moment later, she heard the door click closed.

Her bandages itched, and her lips still seemed to throb in time to her heartbeat. She traced them, and where she touched, tingles rose.

A part of her wanted nothing more than to touch the tattoo on her shoulder and speak to Jareth. To tell him everything that had happened, but—

But I let Aldric kiss me. Again. Several times.

Shame burned through her, and she scowled to the empty space. Nothing had prepared her for this. First, a global pandemic forced her childhood nemesis into her life, which had caused her to face up to her growing feelings, and then his brother declared a war against him, which she had found herself inexorably caught up in.

This is too much, she thought, and she could feel the burn of tears even beneath her bandages. She had invited the strange and the paranormal into her life when she was fifteen on accident, not knowing the words she spoke would summon a host of goblins and their beguiling king. Not knowing that simple phrase would turn her life upside-down.

"It's not fair," she whispered to the empty room, though she swore she could hear laughter in response. The laughter of Aldric and Jareth. They would not let her go, she realized with bone-deep certainty.

Not anymore. She wasn't sure if she would even let them.

Hello everyone,

Thank you for your enduring patience. I promise I am not nor will I ever abandon this story. It's already plotted, it just needs to be written.

I took December off writing (which meant I still wrote, just not 'projects'), which ended up being one of the best decisions I've ever made. I hit January feeling refreshed and ready to go.

I wanted to let you all know as well that I just finished and uploaded a sequel to my short story I Dare You. It's called Two Truths and a Lie and I'm actually wickedly proud of it and would love to know what you think. You don't necessarily have to read the first before reading the second, though I do recommend it. A dark/morally ambiguous Jareth abounds in those stories, however, just so that you're aware.

Speaking of Jareth, I'm sorry we didn't see much of him in this chapter but I'll be sure to make up for that lack in the future.

I hope all of you are having a good New Year. I love you. Stay safe out there.

Xoxo,

CrimsonSympathy