Chapter 121

Celestia's chest felt like it was being torn apart. She knew she was no match for Jareth's strength, so after a few moments of futile struggle, she gave up. She just stood there, letting him kiss her, numb and unresponsive. His kiss was fierce and unrelenting. Even though she didn't react, it didn't do much to calm the fire burning in his chest. Why? Why did things turn out like this? The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt. At some point, tears started slipping from her eyes, even though she hadn't realized she'd started crying. Cool drops slid down her cheeks, and the moment Jareth tasted the saltiness, he froze. Lifting his head slowly, his gaze met hers. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and in that instant, something softened inside him. A flicker of regret passed through his eyes. Her tears kept falling like a broken string of pearls, each drop blurring his face until she could barely make out his expression. "I'm sorry." The words came low and unexpected from a