Labyrinth: Into the Malignant Book 2

The Truth

Sarah

Elliana, my child, my eldest daughter was missing. "Mom! Please!"Her voice rang through my head causing my entire world to shake. My eyes snapped open and I sat up hyperventilating. Arms wrapped around me. Jareth pulled me to him and I buried my head in his chest. My body shook from fear. Jareth held me to him and stroked my hair. "I know" He soothed. "She's my daughter to. We will find her" He added placing his own head on mine.

It was the third day since Elliana had been taken. I had gotten minimal sleep, and even when exhaustion pulled me into its terrifying embrace, I had dreams of horrible things happening to Elliana. It didn't make me feel better that my son had run after her. The cause of my dreams including Elliana had been from someone whose face was always hidden. They had only included Elliana, never Leegan.

"What are you thinking about?" Jareth whispered. "Elliana and Leegan, the only times I dream it's of Elliana, but the man is saying how he will take her. He never shows he has her. He never even acknowledges Leegan" I whispered. "Maybe our headstrong daughter has a lot of her mother in her and has evaded them and is coming back now" He comforted. "How will we know? I can't even communicate with her because it's like she dropped off the face of the planet. Jareth?" I asked hesitantly. "Hmm?" He replied.

"I snuck into your room when you had the conversation with Leegan" I admitted. Jareth stiffened. He knew from what I'd heard that I would be even more scared. "The crystal? It broke connection. Not even in the rifts do the crystals break connection. Do you know where they are?" I asked. Jareth physically shuddered. "I have an idea, but it is near impossible. The place was destroyed along with every creature in it long ago. Edoneon should be here today. He will have news" Jareth answered honestly. My arms began to ache from the memory of Elliana and Leegan running to me as three year olds fighting for the first hug from their mommy.

"If it is that place?" I asked. "Then we have faith Leegan can bring her back. I haven't trained him for nothing all these years. He learned about the creatures and ancient languages. He knows how to fight and so does Elliana" Jareth replied. I nodded into his chest. "Will that be enough?" I muttered. "You're questioning the children of the feared Goblin and High King Sarah. Nothing will break those two goblins" He said confidently. Minor comfort returned at the mention of his nicknames for the two. "I trust you Jareth" I said as another pang of exhaustion hit. "I love you Sarah" He mumbled before he placed my head on my pillow and waited for me to fall to sleep before he did. For the rest of the night I had no dreams, just darkness.

The light of the next morning woke me and I stood up and threw on a dull grey dress. The door opened slowly then and I looked to see Jareth looking at me. "He's here" Jareth said holding out his hand to me. I took it and we walked down the hallway. "I need to wake up Pacen and Linthia" I said starting to pull away, but Jareth held me tightly. "I have woken them up and sent them with my sister and Desben for breakfast" Jareth said. I nodded numbly and we walked to the conference room. I had spent most of my time with my younger children just to show them I loved them. I didn't want them gone to. I loved them so dearly.

Jareth opened the door then and Edoneon was staring out the window. I remembered back to when I had first seen him in the Rift. He still had the same rugged and a bit outcastish look. His dark grey, battered wings flexed when he heard us and he turned around. The thin white scars along his tanned abdomen and back had doubled from his establishing his kingdom once again. His true place in the underground was to be king of the Rift and he was finally taking that roll. Edoneon's dark hair was messy as usual and his eyes still sparked with mischief.

He gave us a stiff nod before we sat at the large table. "Anything?" Jareth asked. "I'm afraid she's gone into the Malignant" Edoneon said and Jareth's fists clenched so tight that his knuckles turned white. "I assumed it was taken care of in my father's reign?" He muttered through clenched teeth. "It was supposed to be, but something happened and it was not. I know it's starting to rise in power. They are building their armies. The reason for taking Elliana is unclear. If they were intending to get to you, they did a very poor job" Edoneon looked to the floor before returning his pained gaze to us.