Chapter Twenty-Nine
Sarah
What would be Day 27 of Quarantine.
Underground.
The Labyrinth.
The inside of the cottage was quaint and perfect. Everything that Sarah had imagined from a fairytale hut in the woods.
A crackling fire took up one wall in a fireplace wide enough to roast a pig upon. A screen kept the embers from the thick, hand-woven carpets spread across hardwood floors. Shelves lined the walls with books, crockery, trinkets, and cookware. Herbs hung from the eaves, and a table sat between the fire and the window, set with a vase of wildflowers. More flowers were on shelves and the side tables to the large bed.
The bed to which her eye was drawn, repeatedly, as she picked her way through the room, looking at one thing and then the next.
It was after midnight. She could sense the shift of the days and wondered where the previous afternoon had seemed to go. Every moment since she had asked her questions and realized what options were open to, ever since she had let Aldric kiss her again, she had been wondering if it would lead here.
Alone.
"Sarah," Aldric said from behind her, drawing her attention. He stood just inside the threshold, and he looked… utterly lost. He looked just as helpless at this as she felt. "I—we don't have to do this."
She fingered the talisman at her neck, the sharp points dimpling the pads of her fingers. She took a deep breath. "Before anything happens, I need you to know something about me. About my past."
He gazed at her, and there was a weight to that look that she was finding difficult not to succumb to. A heat to those eyes that was harder to ignore. She almost would have had sex in the library if it weren't for the fact that, warding or no, they were still technically in public. That had been nearly the only thing that stopped her. That, and the need to talk over some things.
Which was almost to an end.
Her body, already keyed up from multiple kisses, seemed to throb in time to her heartbeat. She licked her lips, unsure where to start. "Jareth has been coming to see me yearly since I was of age."
Aldric just watched her, waiting.
"When I was twenty-four, I almost returned with him because…" she swallowed. "I had just moved to New York, the city we were in, and I was desperate for money. Any kind of job where I could make use of my—" her breath hitched, an old wound smarting, and shame building. She should have known better by then. "Acting abilities."
His frown deepend. "I did not know you wanted to be an actress, pet."
"It was a long time ago. I was still very young, with a head full of dreams. I had just graduated college, and I was trying to make it in a city known for chewing people up. I was determined it would not do the same thing to me."
Which was where the story ended when she told anyone else. She would mention finding the graphic design program, putting her head down, and getting a job at the company she'd still been employed at by the time the pandemic hit. No one knew the horrid in-between.
No one but Jareth.
"I answered a casting call, and in retrospect there were a lot of red flags about it. The booking agent called me day-of to change the venue and, considering it was the only place that had responded to my headshots and casting reel, I went along with it. Eagerly." She pressed harder against the points of the pendant, feeling the zing of energy that linked her now to something far bigger than herself. It soothed her heart, which had sped at the telling.
"When I got there—it was a nice apartment, another red flag—I was the only woman in a room of five men," she swallowed hard. "And I realized what kind of movie they were trying to cast me for."
At the tilt of Aldric's head, she hurried through the rest.
"I went to leave after a few minutes, but they stopped me. Told me they would put the cameras away, but it wouldn't be fair of me to leave, not after they'd gone through so much trouble. They—" she looked away, unable to face the sudden understanding dawning on the fae lord's features. "There's something I've only told Jareth."
"Pet, you don't need to—"
"I do," she said, sucking in a breath, resolve strengthening. "They got me pregnant."
Aldric made a sound of distress, moving toward her. She backed up a step, and he froze, staring at her.
"This was almost a decade ago," she said gently. "And Jareth told me he killed them."
"And you?" he asked.
"They have a procedure in my world. I had it done. It wasn't even a proper baby at that point. I found out early."
He exhaled.
"Aldric, I don't know if I ever want children after that. Do you understand what that means?" She knew how precious a child was to a fae, and Aldric had said something about an heir before. It was obviously on his mind. "If you want me for more than a night—"
"I do," he said without hesitation.
"I need you to understand that the kid option could be off the table." She lifted her chin. "I wanted you to know everything you were getting into."
Aldric coughed out a laugh, smiled, then frowned again. "You're all right?"
"It was years ago. I barely think of it, but it's an important part of my past." She stepped closer to him, closing the distance she had temporarily created. The firelight played with highlights and shadows on his face, showcasing the differences and the similarities between the two fae she held in her heart. "Does it change anything?"
"Nothing," he said, heat and conviction in his tone. "I love you. Always, I will love you. I only wish I could have taken part in their deaths. I would have ensured they lingered long in pain beyond comprehension." The last he said with so much venom that she almost pulled back again, but then the hard lines of his face softened, and he reached for her, gloved fingertips brushing the hair back from her face. "I am so sorry. And more, now, for what I did to you at my estate in the wilds. I should never have extracted those wishes. I should never have—"
She pressed her cheek against his hand, nuzzling gently, kissing his wrist where it lay exposed between the cuff of his gloves and shirt. Aldric pulled in a breath as she did so. "Lessons learned," she said, an edge to her voice as she narrowed her eyes at him. "I hope."
"Yes, pet."
Sarah disentangled herself from him and explored more of the room, fingers trailing over the crockery and polished wooden surfaces. She could feel Aldric's eyes on her as she moved, but she needed a moment to think with him out of sight.
Some small parts of her were scandalized by the very notion of what she was doing, but the more time Sarah spent with Aldric and Jareth, the more at ease she felt with them both. And in so doing, she realized that she could not bear to be given a stark choice between one or the other. She had been willing to let Aldric go when it appeared he would never turn his sights on murdering Jareth, but now?
She looked over her shoulder to find him paging through a book, though his attention did not seem wholly on it. She smiled and returned to her explorations, finding a small water closet with a toilet, sink, and standing shower large enough for at least two people to comfortably fit in.
Closing herself in, she studied her reflection in the hanging mirror, touching the amulet between her breasts.
Like Jareth, you've told him everything, and he's still here. The only people in all the worlds who knew the whole truth of it and did not judge her. Still wanted her, even, despite everything.
Reaching up, she touched the tattoo on her shoulder. Jareth?
Yes, precious? His voice floated through her mind a moment later.
Are you sure you're all right with this?
There was no hesitation. I am sure I love you and want you to be happy. He paused, then added, you need each other, I think.
Sarah closed her eyes, a tear escaping to run a track down her cheek. I think we do, too.
Does he know?
Yes. I just told him. She chewed her lower lip. I love you.
And I, you. There was the sense of his laughter roiling through her like a wave. Do not fret on my account.
Thank you.
Her hand fell from her shoulder, and she opened her eyes, then did a little twist of magic, delighting in the sensation of the new clothes wrapped around her. Emerald silk and black lace, she gave herself a one-piece sleeveless sheath camisole that fell to mid-thigh but was slit on one side up to the hip. Lace underwear and thigh-high silk stockings nearly completed the ensemble. She looked around, did another weaving, and shrugged into a satin robe that covered her except where it plunged down her front, exposing the negligee. Slipping her stocking feet into low-heeled black slippers, she admired herself.
She and Jareth had played with costumes, but this was the first time she garbed herself with magic, and she smiled in the mirror, pleased with the result. Mussing her waist-length hair to fall over one shoulder, she tapped her reflection and gave herself kohl-rimmed eyes. Next, she helped herself to some oils in little jars, cinnamon, and clove.
I smell like a cookie, she thought, followed on the heels by, maybe he'll eat me.
She stifled a giggle, glancing at herself in the mirror again. Her eyes were bright, and color was high on her cheeks. If she had a predilection for women, she had to admit that she looked stunning and already well into seduction.
Sarah took a deep breath and, letting it out, turned the doorknob.
Aldric was standing with his back to her, facing the fire, but when he heard the door open, he turned, hands clasped behind him.
She paused, hand on the doorframe, and drank in the sight, especially as raw longing filled his features. "Oh, Sarah," he murmured. "You are a vision."
Smiling a little, she moved toward him, hesitating and stopping at the foot of the carved wooden bed, her hand on one of the posts. "I don't know what might happen if—when we…" she motioned between them, and his smile was luscious. She wanted to grab him, but sense kept her in place a moment longer. "I know the magical exchange may not be what it was before Jareth."
"Do you think I want you for that alone?" He unclasped his hands, letting them fall to his sides as he stepped toward her. His fine clothes shimmered in the firelight, as did he, the magic coming out to play already. "We resonate, sweet Sarah. I know we do. But I would want you without a whisper of power in your possession, this I swear."
She felt the truth ring through the promise he had made her weeks ago. He would always speak honestly.
Staring at her, Aldric began to remove his gloves. Slowly, methodically, he peeled off one and then the other, watching her with his two-toned eyes. "Do you still want me to touch you?" he asked.
Her mouth had gone dry just watching him do this simple thing. Seeing his long fingertips bared to her for the first time in true memory. "Yes," she breathed. "Gods, Aldric… I want all of you."
His eyes closed for the briefest of moments as though he were savoring her words. Tasting them. She took the opportunity to move closer to him so that when they opened, she stood before him, breathing deep of that tantalizing mixture of autumn leaves, warm brandy, and woodsmoke.
She touched his chest, sliding her hands up them to his shoulders as she stepped closer, feeling the heat of him like he was her own fire. Tilting her head up a little, she brushed her lips against his. "Kiss me," she whispered. "Please."
Aldric growled approvingly, his mouth slanting over hers, and then—
He was touching her, bare fingers caressing her skin where it was exposed until they were woven with hers, and they were touching palm to palm. "If we are to have a farsight," he said, his voice a rasp as he broke their kiss. "This will trigger it."
They waited for a heartbeat, staring at one another from inches away, breathing heavily of the same air. "I don't feel anything," Sarah said softly, leaning her chest against his and sliding her hands out of his grip. She kissed his neck, which he obligingly tilted to the side with a groan, flicking her tongue out to taste his heated skin.
Hands tangled in her hair, pulling her head back, and then Aldric kissed her once more, tongue and teeth working her lips apart so that he could delve deep, claiming her mouth as she moaned into the sensation.
She began to work the buttons of his jacket, going slow even though she wanted to rip it off, especially as his tongue continued to stroke hers. Heat and moisture were gathering between her legs, to the point where she wondered if he could smell her already.
The kiss broke as she slid the jacket off his shoulders. He wore a loose shirt beneath that he pulled over his head before reaching for her again, but she stopped him, hand on his chest, eyes searching.
She had seen him naked for a moment before when he had accepted the amulet back, but it had not been long enough for her to notice the scars. They were thin and silvered but numerous, crossing his ribs and chest. "What is this?" she asked, tracing one of them.
Aldric was quiet for a moment, then said in a small voice, "Sometimes it helps."
Sarah's gaze snapped to his. "Oh," she breathed. "Oh, Aldric. Please—"
He used both hands to cover the one she had on his chest. "One last thing. She and I experienced a farsight together more than a century ago. And I saw that she would never stop coming for me." His breath hitched on the last, and he glanced away.
Sarah pressed herself to him again and breathed into his ear, "We'll stop her."
Aldric shuddered. "Please."
She was unsure what the please was for, but she turned his face to her and kissed him again, thinking of Jareth's words earlier. You need each other, I think.
She poured every complicated thing she felt toward Aldric into the kiss, one hand on his naked chest and another cradling his face. It was a gentle thing with an edge of desperation and abandon. This was yet another step down a path leading her further from any semblance of human normalcy, but…
To hell with that, she thought with some degree of savagery. To have them both, I would trade much. What has 'normal' ever given me?
Fingers beginning to explore his chest, Sarah skimmed her nails down the planes of his stomach and then lower, feeling the thick press of him against his pants. Aldric gasped, breaking the kiss, and she watched him, ready to pull away if she needed to, but all she saw in his face was fierce desire.
"Sarah," he breathed, fingering the edge of her robe. "I want to see you."
She nodded, and his hands made quick work of the sash at her waist, parting the fabric and pushing it from her shoulders so that it puddled to the ground.
"My gods," he said, sounding hoarse as his gaze skimmed down her body, taking in everything. "I did not realize it would be like this."
She smiled a little shyly. "Like what?"
"To have you come to me willingly, to seek me out. I did not realize the difference it would make." His voice was strained. "I want very much to be inside you."
Her knees went weak at the confession. "I want that, too."
Hands were cradling her face, tilting it up for another searing kiss. She whimpered, holding onto his wrists, dragging her body closer to collide with his, the satin and lace thin between them. Nipples hardening against the warmth he exuded, she breathed into the kiss and reached for the lacings on his pants, freeing him to her touch.
He was silk and fired steel that she delighted in exploring, and he bucked against her hand. Then he was walking her backward, still cradling her, kissing her. Not breaking from that kiss until the back of her thighs hit the mattress.
Reverently, he lifted the slip over her head, casting it aside before bringing his hand to cup one breast, thumb brushing against her nipple. Sarah gasped, gripping his arms. "Aldric, please," she moaned.
"Yes, pet," he murmured. "I can smell how much you want me. I want to taste it, too."
She shivered and let out a little squeak when he lifted her and slid her back onto the bed. He shed the rest of his clothes, then crawled after her, hooking his fingers in the bands of her black lace underwear before dragging it down her legs. "The stockings we'll keep, I think," he whispered, parting her knees. "Oh, there you are."
Sarah keened when his breath hit her soaked curls, thighs falling open as his palms moved up her legs. "Gods, please," she begged, head falling back when his lips touched her just there. Then his tongue was teasing apart her folds in long strokes, which soon reached the bud of her pleasure, causing her to cry out.
Up on her elbows, Sarah watched him bring her to the first orgasm, and it looked as though he were feasting upon her. As though he savored every taste, every breathy plea that fell from her lips. She trembled to see him, hands wrapped around her thighs, his eyes closed to slits. He sucked her clit into his mouth, and she came screaming, the world growing hazy as pleasure roiled through her, consuming thought.
"Come here," she said, reaching for him even as he continued to lick and suck at her. His heated tongue was almost too much, and she was grateful for the minor reprieve as he climbed up her, holding himself suspended above her so that they did not touch save where her hand curled around his arm.
She could see the strain in him. He wanted her fiercely but was holding on to control by a hair's breadth.
Eyes on his, she reached with her free hand to the juncture of his legs, stroking. Aldric hissed out a breath, neck corded as he looked down the length of their bodies to what she was doing. His hair brushed her shoulders as he did, and she shivered at the touch, parting her legs in invitation. "I want you," she whispered.
"Sarah, pet," he moaned, thrusting against her hand. "I don't know if I can be—" he gasped when she tightened her grip. "I want you so much."
"You don't have to be gentle," she soothed, the ache within her so intense that his words only brought a moan from her lips. "Please…"
Aldric took himself in hand and guided himself to her entrance, pressing just the tip of himself within her. She gasped and wriggled, wanting more, but just as she opened her mouth to demand it, he thrust within at the same moment as his mouth came down over hers, tasting of her.
Sarah's cry was trapped in her throat, as was the next when he dragged himself out of her and plunged back in, seating himself deep. His tongue plundered her mouth as surely as he pressed between her legs, and she was helpless, utterly.
She wrapped her arms around him, nails digging into his shoulder and hip, feeling the motion as he continued to move. She urged him on, angling her hips up toward his thrusts. Magic was uncoiling between them, shooting through her with each movement as her own opened up like a spring flood.
"Gods," he gasped as he tore from the kiss, burying his face against her neck. His next words were heated puffs against her neck. "You're incredible, Sarah."
She moaned, gripped him tighter everywhere she could, and crashed apart, pleasure coursing through her body like lightning. She cried out her orgasm alongside his name, overcome with shivers as, still thrusting inside her, he trailed kisses down her chest until he had one nipple sucked into his mouth.
He was relentless, and she could sense that his end was still some ways off, his pleasures stretching as he beheld her, writhing.
Sarah whimpered and pressed against his chest, maintaining their connection as they flipped, allowing her to take control of the tempo. Hips rocking, she slid along his cock, little sounds falling from her lips as she did. The angle was sharper with him beneath her like this.
And Aldric was not passive, thrusting into her, grasping her hips and thighs to help anchor her movements. As she was driven to another orgasm, she felt the magic in her cascade out, flooding into him.
The fae gave a choked gasp, blunted nails digging into her skin, and then he was pulling her down atop him, teeth grazing her throat for a moment before he bit down on the soft flesh of her upper breast, sucking and working the spot as surely as Jareth had to her neck several days before. Pain blossomed, and as it did, it wove through each exhilarating stroke and touch, magnifying it.
Sarah grasped his head, fingers weaving through his silken hair as she screamed, "Aldric, please!"
He broke from her chest and sought her mouth, the faint tang of blood to his lips, but every thrust and pinch of pain had brought her so high that she came again, spasming around his shaft and trembling all over.
Aldric rolled them so she was under him again, clutching her close as his hips gave up any attempt at gentleness. She could hear them, loud and wet in the small room, and she shook, nails digging into his back and shoulders. He made a soft sound as, his voice a growl of pure lust, he lost all semblance of control. Diving into her so swiftly she was sure she would come apart utterly when his breathing started to change, she could sense her end speeding toward her just as suddenly.
"Sarah," he moaned, slamming into her a final time before going still, her trembling orgasm crashing over her in the same moment, so they cried out together. Magic poured out of him, and she swelled with it, clawing at the covers as she came apart.
Aldric stayed within her for a long moment, breathing hard with his face pressed to the side of hers, his heartbeat a rhythm she could feel through where their chests were pressed together. It matched her frantic beating.
She was raw nerve and heat, sweat and gentle laughter. Coming down from a heady flush of magical exchange. Holding him weakly, she said in a strained voice, "Please don't let that be the only time."
Aldric started to chuckle, then laugh, his cock twitching within her in such a way as had her gasping and writhing again. "I intend it to be but a preview," he whispered.
###
Somewhere in a haze of half-wakefulness and dreams, Sarah felt Aldric's lips on her stomach, kissing a trail around her belly button. Making her skin jump and twitch.
The golden light of the cabin came into soft focus, and Sarah rolled her eyes up to the window to find that the moon was set, leaving only a blanket of stars. Lightning bugs were still out, but not so numerous as earlier in the evening.
Aldric kissed her hips, one then the other, and, lifting one of her legs, gently began kissing his way down her thigh.
"Mm," Sarah murmured, barely able to keep her eyes open. She was sated and sore in all the right places. "What are you doing?"
"Loving you," he whispered back, his voice a caress in the dark. "Worshipping you."
He was heated palms and skilled fingers, letting her lie there while he kissed every inch of her until he was stretched out by her side, hand splayed across her belly. "A selfish part of me wishes you were mine alone," he admitted to her in the dimness. "But I have the feeling you need more than what I can offer."
Sarah turned toward him, wakefulness coming over her more fully now. She blinked at him. "Do you think you're lesser?" she asked.
There was a slight flinch around his eyes, and Aldric nodded.
"You're not." She touched his jaw, sliding her fingers along the hard lines. "I don't know how to describe it. Now that I know it's permitted? Not only that but, in some ways, expected? We resonate. You and me. Me and him. I could not give up Jareth for you, but I could not give you up for him. I can't bear the choice." She chuckled and tucked against him, reveling in the warmth and the smell of him. "I think we were meant to find each other."
"Fate?"
"If you like, though, you both could have done a better job at initial meetings. You're a pair of manipulative bastards, and you're both lucky I'll have you."
Aldric's laugh was rich, and he gathered her to him, kissing the top of her head. "I love you."
"I love you, too," she murmured, sleep nudging at her now that she was surrounded by his immense warmth. But then she was noticing the hard press of him against her belly and her body was responding. Flooding with its own warmth and wetness as she squeezed her thighs together.
Their coupling has been heated and rough prior to this, and while delightful, Sarah craved something else.
"Aldric," she murmured, sliding her hand up his back as she raised a leg to hook around his, dragging that heated length closer. "Can we make love?"
He grasped her hip, sliding her up his body just enough that her core slipped along the underside of his shaft. She trembled, and he kissed her, the motion gentle as his hips rocked against hers, continuing to tease her with languid, shallow movements that only just rubbed her clit. "I've never done it before," he said, some vulnerability in his tone that made her stop squirming against him and instead catch his gaze. "We go slower, I know, but…"
Sarah held her breath for a moment, then cupped the back of his neck, sliding her fingers through his darker hair. "It's the same basic function, yes, but we come to each other with gentleness. Treasuring each moment," her voice was lowering to a whisper. "With our hearts first. The fire warms all the way through instead of—"
"Consuming," he murmured back, pulling her hand away from his neck and giving the tip of one finger a gentle nip. "Are you sure? With me?"
"I want all of you, Aldric," she breathed, now solidly in wakefulness and wanting nothing more than that heavy weight that was pressed so stiff against her. She let out a low moan when he eased her onto her back, bare fingers like firebrands tracing swirling patterns against her skin.
Already the magic was coming to play between them. The resonance that Aldric had long spoken of was different enough from what she shared with Jareth, but it felt just as potent. She let some of it out of herself, sending little orbs of golden light to illuminate the air around them like several dozen tiny floating flames.
"Beautiful," he murmured, though he was looking just at her, his palms parting her thighs. Settling between her legs, he palmed a breast and nuzzled at her neck. She lifted her hips, seeking, and he slipped inside her without much resistance, both of them letting out a sigh as it happened.
"Kiss me," she whispered, wrapping her legs around him and running fingers through his hair to his shoulders. "I want your mouth on mine while you're in me."
Aldric groaned, flexing his hips to drag out of her and back in, the motions fluid and slow, building. When Sarah gasped, he caught her lips, tongue sweeping down and gently caressing hers. And then she was consumed with the sensation of him—everywhere.
Magic caressed as surely as his fingers did. Sarah cried out, swelling and squeezing as she came. Aldric's fingers laced with hers as he continued to rock into her, his breath coming in heated puffs against her neck.
"Oh, yes," she breathed, feeling him deep. Pressed against her chest, holding her hands, and thick within her. She was so slick, so warm, but he was hot as fire, near burning her, and yet—she craved this. Wanted more.
Sarah squeezed his fingers and pressed, rolling them so that she straddled his hips. He was still within her, and once she was fully atop him, she began to move. Slow, yet the sensation of him deepened, and she could not help a sharp cry tumbling from her lips.
"Oh, love," Aldric gasped, flexing under her, pressing up. "You're resplendent."
His hands guided her hips and cupped her rear. Sarah was shaking, thighs trembling as another orgasm came crashing over her. She grasped one of his hands and brought it to her breast, squeezing, the sensation of his heated hands on her enough to make her nearly come all over again.
"My gods," he choked, rolling a nipple between his fingers, eyes locked on hers. "Please, my love."
She rolled over his length, her pace increasing as Aldric gasped. And then she bore down around him, tightening her muscles to the point that it was difficult to continue moving above him, and he was gripping her back, his eyes wide and wild.
"Come for me, lover," Sarah whispered, not slowing but keeping her gaze on him. Watching for any hint of fear or panic. But he never flinched, and soon he was letting out a hoarse cry, bucking beneath her so she moaned in renewed pleasure. She could sense him flooding her with heat, and she groaned, running her hands up his chest as she lay across him.
This time instead of rushing back and forth, the magic sank gently from her into him, and Aldric pulled in a deep breath as it filled him.
"What does it feel like?" she asked, the side of her face pressed against his chest.
"Like home," he said, then began to laugh, the motion enough that he slipped from her. She remained atop him, unwilling to move just yet. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him. "I don't think I've ever felt the like. You…" he trailed off.
She rubbed her cheek against his chest, then kissed it, and lifted her head enough to look at him. "Me, what?"
"You are a wonder," he whispered, his mismatched eyes softening as he looked at her. "The greatest treasure."
Sarah smiled and wrapped tighter around him, closing her eyes for a moment before groaning and muttering, "I have to go to the bathroom. Don't go anywhere."
Aldric chuckled and released her.
By the time she stumbled out of the restroom and back to bed, Aldric was wrapped partly in covers and watching her come to bed with hooded eyes.
She slipped into bed and moved close, tentative, until he wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her close. "Will you let me sleep now?" she teased.
"It was you who asked to make love," he murmured, and sleep was thick in his voice. "I am merely here to grant your desires, my love."
Sarah let out a quiet snort and nestled closer, closing her eyes as heat enveloped her.
And she slipped softly into dreams.
###
Sarah finished braiding her hair before gently kissing Aldric on the cheek. "Good morning," she whispered. "I made breakfast."
His eyes opened into slits and, groaning, he stretched before reaching for her, dragging her further onto the bed as she giggled. "I think I would like to feast on something, indeed," he growled, squeezing her rear. "Care for a tumble, pet?"
"You're insatiable," she teased. "We were at it three times—"
"Four," he corrected. "And you initiated that one. I am utterly spent." He went limp in demonstration, and she laughed even more. Lifting his head, he grinned at her. "I can still rouse, however, if my Queen wills it."
"Oh, I'm your Queen, am I?" she asked, playing with a lock of his hair. "I did not realize you were petitioning to become a citizen of the Labyrinth."
"If that's what it takes to stay with you, I'll do it."
She searched his face, suddenly serious as his tone had been. "You mean that, don't you?"
Fingers threaded through her hair, and Aldric brought her down for a kiss, smelling of sweet brandy and firesides. "Of course I do."
She did warm with his touch but pulled away before she could get too distracted. "Breakfast," she reminded him. "I haven't eaten in days, I don't think. I'm starving."
"Days, pet?" He sat up, the covers falling from his chest to reveal the silver scars. She had traced each one. Kissed dozens of them.
Gods, he's distracting, she thought, turning her head from the sight of him as he slipped naked from the bed. She was wearing her day clothes, but she had dressed with magic, making the mundane happen instantly. "Yeah, I think. It's hard to tell."
He frowned at her, then disappeared into the small washroom, emerging a few minutes later wearing pants, at least, his attention still wholly on her. "I don't think that's good for you. With the Labyrinth to sustain you, you might not feel as hungry as you used to, but you still need sustenance. I thought you were looking a bit thin."
She blinked and glanced down at herself. She had recovered well after the attack with the selkie and the lamia, but there was a concave to her stomach again, though not nearly so pronounced. And when she assessed, she realized she was weaker than she should be. Hungrier, too.
Sighing, she stood and motioned to the spread she'd made on the round wooden table. "Well, good thing I made this."
The cupboards had been well-stocked, and even though she had made no effort to be quiet, Aldric had slept through all her poking around and experimenting with the strange kitchen. This was not a gas range but an open fire. Several wrought iron apparatus surrounded the thing, and while she was curious to try it all, she sent her magic to work instead.
A kettle of black tea, butter-seared cinnamon bread, and a bowl of fresh-cut plums was now on the table alongside a steaming platter of fluffy scrambled eggs and crisp, thick-cut bacon.
Sarah took a plate and started loading it, finally succumbing to the hunger clawing at her empty belly. There had been so much going on that she had forgotten. That and, as Aldric noted, the Labyrinth was sustaining her. It made a difference.
She looked up when she noticed that Aldric had not moved from where he was staring at the breakfast table, his eyes wide. "What is it?" she asked.
"I haven't had someone make me a breakfast, or a meal, like this… not since—" he swallowed and shook himself, trying to smile at her but failing. "I'm sorry. My mother was the last person I cared for who cooked for me."
"Oh," Sarah breathed. "You don't talk about her."
"No," he said and slid into the chair on the other side of the table from her. She set her plate down and sat as well. "I suppose losing her was more of a blow than I wanted to recognize."
Sarah stirred her eggs, which were still steaming, peppered, and sprinkled with flakes of sea salt. "You blamed Jareth for it before."
Aldric let out a small laugh and started to pile his plate. "You know I was jealous of him. There was the pain of losing my mother, yes, but the attention he received from Kieryn and Reganne made me say something so foolish." He looked at her, and his expression was serious. As always, she could sense the truth of his words ringing like a fair chord between them. "Such a thing is never the fault of the child."
Sarah smiled and began to eat, her appetite returning the moment food passed her lips. She had devoured more than half her plate before looking up again to find Aldric doing the same. She dragged her chair to his side, leaning into him momentarily before tucking in again.
He looked pleased but said nothing, though one of his hands came to rest on her thigh, his fingers bare and the heat of him fierce through her denim jeans.
Precious came a voice from inside her mind, and she set her fork down. She was mostly finished as it was.
She touched her tattoo. Yes?
You're needed at the castle. Soon as you're able. Aldric as well, if you're still with him.
I am. We'll be there soon.
Thank you, my love.
The communication ended, and she looked over to find Aldric watching her. His plate was spotless. It almost looked like he had licked it. "Was that Jareth?"
"Yes. He's asking for us both back as soon as possible." She rose, holding a hand out to him. "Do you want to transport us, or shall I give it a go?"
Chuckling, Aldric made a motion and clothed himself fully, including black leather gloves that she was disappointed to feel beneath her fingers. She had enjoyed touching him and grown used to it even though it had only been a few hours. "I think, pet, that I will do the transportation spells for this moment. Until we know how well you wield your magic."
She grinned, coming close enough to kiss him, tasting honeyed tea and salt on his breath. When she pulled back, her eyes were hooded. "Is this real?" she could not help but ask. "Do I have you both?"
His hands came to bracket her face, and she stared into those blue and brown eyes from inches away, finding them searching. Then he smiled and kissed her again, the motion tender. "It is," he murmured, trailing lips along her cheeks. "You do. And only one thing in the world would make me happier."
She knew what that was without asking, but she shivered when she thought what that would mean for them and all of Faerie.
Squeezing his hands, she kept hold of them for the transportation magic. "Let's get back."
The small cabin seemed to dissolve, and they were in the next blink in the throne room.
Stepping away from Aldric, Sarah went to Jareth, who greeted her with an embrace that smelled of home. "Good morning, precious," he murmured, searching her face when they pulled apart. Whatever he saw there must have satisfied him, for he flashed her a smile. "I am sorry to pull you away, but some things have happened, and there is much to discuss."
"What is it?" she asked, taking his arm when he offered it.
Jareth motioned toward the archway that would lead to the receiving hall. "There is an envoy from the Seelie Court."
Aldric looked toward where his brother gestured. "What do they want?"
"They would not speak until I had my Queen," Jareth said, sounding slightly annoyed. "I'll have a herald send them in. For all that they're being discourteous, they are still from the High Seat, and I cannot ignore this." He looked Sarah over. "We should have you change first."
She tugged herself out of his grip and mounted the dais to her throne, letting the flush of magic from her night with Aldric garb her in a glittering, armored black dress split down the front to reveal leather-clad legs and long boots. Without needing to look, she knew she appeared similar to how The Goblin King had seemed to her all those years ago. She even had a ragged black and green cape affixed to her shoulders.
Seated, she raised an eyebrow at the two fae below her. "Well?"
Jareth huffed and, in a flash, was dressed similarly to her. Aldric stayed in what he had been wearing, court clothes to start with—thick red brocade shot with gold thread—but he moved to the side of the room, near the back corner. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.
The Goblin King made a motion when he had seated himself on the throne beside her, and a coronet sounded from the adjoining room.
The envoy was a sprite. Perhaps a foot tall, it was dressed in what looked like cloth of gold, which matched its glittering skin. Almond-shaped beetle-black eyes blinked up at them. "Your majesties, I am Klothe of the Seelie Court, special envoy to High Queen Aurora of Faerie. Empress of the Summerlands and reigning monarch of the Seelie Court," it bowed low, its long and narrow nose almost touching the floor before it straightened again, hands clasped behind its back. "I am here to speak with the Queen's voice."
"You are welcome as a guest, with all the rights so entitled," Jareth said, his voice silken. Sarah shivered a little. "What can we do for our High Queen?"
The sprite smiled, revealing double rows of needle-like black teeth. It had a forked tongue that it used to taste the air. "A moment," it said, and then something shifted in the air, a magic that Sarah was quite unsure of. The voice that came out of the sprite next was different. Feminine and rich, it made Aldric grow still, even though the sprite had yet to acknowledge his presence. "Thank you for taking my envoy, Goblin King, and Queen now, I hear. When will the coronation take place?"
"After the wedding," Jareth said before Sarah could get over her momentary shock to ask what was happening. "If you allow it, we will name you a guest of honor at both events."
Aurora's voice purred, sounding ridiculous coming from such a small creature who stood stock still, staring at them with those disconcerting black eyes. "I have yet to journey to the Labyrinth. We all felt it when your bride-to-be took the throne."
Jareth shifted, reaching for his arm. In the next moment, Sarah heard his voice through her mind. Precious, she cannot see us, but she can listen to us. Klothe, however, will relay back everything it sees.
Sarah gave no sign she had heard but relaxed a slight amount. It was good to know that Aurora could not see her. At least not yet. She was unsure she could school her features enough to fool that creature.
"I chose Sarah," Jareth said, and she was grateful she had clad her fingers in leather gloves, disguising the Labyrinth mark upon the back of her hand. "And it seems that the Labyrinth agreed."
It was a twist of the truth if not an outright lie, and Sarah wondered at that for a moment.
"When is the blessed event to occur?"
"Before the full moon sets," The Goblin King intoned. "The wedding in two days. The coronation in three."
"That's not much time, little king," Aurora tittered a laugh. "Very well. Just be sure I'm turning out for something extraordinary. I will see you soon."
Sarah spoke at last. "We will be sure of that."
The sprite blinked, which it had not done in minutes since Aurora's voice came out of its mouth. "We will require accommodations," it said, and its voice was its own again.
"But of course," Jareth summoned a crystal and sent it floating toward Klothe. "Follow this, and it will take you to your rooms in the castle."
It started to follow the crystal when it noticed Aldric in the corner. It visibly startled. "Lord Aldric? We thought you were faded and your seat lost."
Lips curling, the fae lord unfolded his arms. "We're listening to hearsay and gossip, are we?"
The sprite looked immensely offended, and then its eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here, of all places? You are at war with The Goblin Kingdom."
"Does one make peace with their friends or their enemies?" Jareth asked, acid in his voice. "Lord Aldric is here as my guest and is under the rights afforded. He will be staying through the coronation as well. After that, we shall see."
With a derisive glance around the throne room, the sprite sniffed and continued to follow the crystal out into the castle and the suite of guest rooms.
Sarah relaxed and then noticed the two fae men glaring at each other. She rolled her eyes. "Cut it out."
She rose from the throne, feeling the purr of the Labyrinth as she did, and strode from the room, following the sense it gave her. Halfway down the first hall, she noticed that Aldric and Jareth were following her, steps drumming like a pair of guards.
Sarah had partially explored the castle but stuck primarily to the central library, Jareth's room, and the few areas he had brought her and Aldric to. Yet inside her mind, she could sense the working of the land.
Jareth had said that he did not know all the Labyrinth's secrets, and she understood why now. While it did not think as she thought, it seemed to enjoy her presence and let her see more of itself.
She was reminded of a shy cat showing off its belly for the first time. Flipping over and then skittering off before seeing if she would pursue. The Labyrinth was large, playful, ancient, and whimsical. It contained multitudes.
Mounting a set of stairs, Sarah climbed a squat tower. A large door barred her way at the top, coated in dust, so she left fingerprints on the brass handle when she turned it.
"This was not here before," Jareth said. "It's been at least a century since the Labyrinth supplied a new part of the castle."
"This isn't new," she murmured, stepping through the door.
When she first walked in, she was blinded by the noonday sun. It shone brilliantly against a roof made of swirling copper and glass. It was like a greenhouse on top of the world, filled with trees that brushed the tall ceiling, growing straight from the wooden floor.
Sarah stepped up to the closest one and placed her hand on it. It shivered, and she stepped away, eyes wide and wondering. Glancing around, she noticed the room was circular, with a lofted space above her head and an ornamental staircase leading up the outer wall toward it. She knew without looking that she would find her bedroom above, but the area in the open space below was like a garden. Her own.
She had never had such a thing in New York. She had lived with her parents or in apartments all her life, unable to care for more than an aloe vera plant.
Yet here was an abundance of greenery and sweet-smelling flowers, the space littered with cushioned chairs and short, round cabinets containing books and sundries. While the trees numbered in the dozen, at least, they were thin and tall, spreading branches nearer the ceiling where they helped block some of the harsh sunlight.
Sarah noticed Jareth and Aldric were in quiet discussion near the door, their expressions serious. She left them to it and explored further.
A small pantry and kitchen area under the loft was stocked with fruits, nuts, bread, cheese, wine, and tea. Walking up the staircase, she trailed her hand along the ornate railing, letting her fingers play in the grooves where the Labyrinth had lovingly placed whorls and designs to delight the eye.
The sleeping area was relatively small, just about the size of her bedroom in New York. A wide bed piled high with emerald and blue pillows took up one end. There was a carved armoire, a vanity with a mirror, and a door that led to a combined closet and powder room.
Everything seemed to be made just for her, and, with a questioning push back toward her bond with the Labyrinth, she discovered that it was. It had been waiting for her for a long time, and now it wanted to show her everything she would be fighting for.
Sarah shucked the imposing royal garments she had been wearing and slipped into something far more comfortable, leaving the bathroom to collapse on the bed. It had a thick top of goose down stuffed in cotton, which made it feel like she was sinking into a cloud.
###
She woke with a start to a star-strewn sky seen through vines of twisting metal and thin, crisscrossing branches covered in leaves that looked black silhouetted against the sky.
"Evening, precious," Jareth rumbled near her ear, and she looked over to see him stretched out on the bed at her side. He had an arm over her stomach. "You were exhausted."
"She did not get much rest last night," Aldric said, a thread of smug satisfaction to his tone. "Neither did I."
Sarah turned her head and found Aldric lying on the other side, a lock of her hair slipping from his fingers as she moved. They smiled at one another, and she relaxed back into the bed, snuggling deep into the warm concave she had made in the goose down.
"Were you two here the whole time?" she asked, sleep still in her voice. She stretched and glanced between them both. "And how long were you watching me?"
"Just the last half hour or so, precious, as I sensed your dreams dissipating," Jareth murmured. His thumb was rubbing in slow circles along her abdomen. "We've been talking."
"Planning," Aldric supplied.
"We think that we have the shape of what will come," the Goblin King murmured, lips at her ear so that gooseflesh rose at each word. "But there are some things that we must discuss." He raised his hand and twisted, the pop of ozone and sprinkle of magic something more familiar to her now. "I've re-sealed the warding to prevent any of Aurora's spies from overhearing."
"We're going to kill her at the banquet," Aldric said. "I will offer her my hand for a dance and, once she's clear from the main table, Jareth will hold her with his magic, and I will behead her."
Sarah chuckled. "It sounds so simple."
"It could be. It should be. The more complicated the plan, the more things could go wrong, and we don't wish to fail in this."
"You have only just tasted what life may be like, long in the Underground," Jareth said. "But you may not yet have a grasp of how long forever is when you're shackled in an oubliette, or trotted out as a warning. She has a few of those already, as a show for others who would dare subvert her rule in any way."
"Some of them had as small infractions as not bowing low enough as she breezed by," Aldric growled. "She is a tyrant. Few will miss her."
"Who will take her place?" Sarah asked. "She doesn't have an heir, does she?"
"She has a cousin. He's a good man. A soldier I served and trained under," Aldric said. "He would be next in line for the throne, and I see no reason to stop his ascension."
"You don't want it?" she teased, lacing her fingers with his in one hand, and Jareth's in the other. She was so warm, snug between the two of them. She wanted to fall back into sleep, and dreams, but… "I thought you wanted to rule, Aldric."
"I have little claim to the high seat," he murmured. "And I only wanted the throne here because of what I believed Jareth had done. I have never had a desire to rule, truly."
"Aldric has already formally petitioned me to become a member of our court, precious," Jareth squeezed her fingers. "I have granted him a preliminary acception, pending your approval."
Sarah yawned. "If I say yes, does it mean I can go back to sleep?"
Aldric let out a laugh, slipping from the bed with a lingering touch. "I will find my own quarters. Thank you for—everything."
"Don't you dare leave," Sarah said, sitting up and reaching for him. "This may be some of the last nights we have before shit hits the fan, and I want to sleep with both of you." She hesitated, glancing between them. "Please?"
"From at each other's throats to sharing the same bed?"Aldric laughed as he came to slid back against her. "You truly are a singular woman, Sarah Williams. Centuries of blood feud have come to an end because of you."
"Because of the truth," she argued, stifling another yawn as she turned her back on Aldric and wrapped her arm around Jareth's waist. He kissed her forehead and smelled of magic, his warmth such that she felt like she would be dizzy. "I love you," she muttered against where she clutched his shirt. Then, after a beat of silence, said, "I love you, too, Aldric."
The fae lord's breath hitched, and she felt a kiss press to the back of her hair.
And then she felt nothing much but heat and a flickering of magic from her link to the Labyrinth saying to her, this is what you're fighting for.
Hello, my friends 😊
I hope you enjoyed this part of the tale. Potentially the last bit of peace for our favorite characters before I do what I do best 😁
That said, please be patient with me as I'm about to embark on my fourth move since the pandemic started. I'm heading to the Pacific Northwest this time. I'm moving in another ten days or so.
I wish I could say the move was amicable or desired, but it isn't. Not truly. I intervened somewhere I "shouldn't have" (would again, in a heartbeat), and it destroyed my ability to stay where I am presently. So here I am, about to do move #36. Fun times.
Thank you to mrygm for taking a look at this chapter and giving me a few thoughts. I truly appreciate it.
And thank you for reading, and sticking with this story.
You rock.
~CrimsonSympathy