Chapter 1: Of Thieves and Tales (Part 7/7)

Old Jareth smiled knowingly, his fingers tapping against the arm of the bench. “I thought you might ask. But this isn’t just any tale. This is one of the old ones. This is the forbidden tale…the kind of story that sticks with you.”

Callen edged closer, practically bouncing on his heels. “So? Tell us! You can try and scare me! It ain’t gonna work!”

Jareth’s smile widened. “Oh, you say that now, boy. But we’ll see.” He shifted slightly, settling into the bench as if preparing for something grand. “It’s a story about a group of adventurers, long ago. People who went looking for something…lost, forgotten. And what they found – well, that’s the part no one forgets.”

Mae’s eyes were wide now. “What did they find?”

Jareth leaned in, his voice dropping to a hushed tone. “A place. An island…hidden from the rest of the world. A place that no map could ever lead you to. They called it the Lost Isle.”

The kids were silent now, hanging on his every word.

(End of Chapter 1)