The Greatest Fear of the Nightmare King

Chapter 6

"How's he doing?"

Jack spoke quietly as he looked at Tooth with concern, who responded by giving him a sympathetic half-smile. "He stopped trying to use his nightmare sand a couple of hours ago. I've never seen Pitch like this. He just sits there, awake, but not responding to anything I say. It's like he just gave up."

There's nothing he could do now but try again to talk to him, so Jack nodded and walked past Tooth, toward the room that Pitch was doubtless still sulking in.

-

I can't use my sand. I can't summon my shadows. I can't make nightmares. I can't cause fear.

Why am I here? Oh, of course, because Jack wanted to play hero. He can't just leave well enough alone, can he? There's nothing left for me here, he should have just left me in my cage to disappear.

This place is blinded with wonder. I'm practically drowning in the lights of the Guardian's believers that shine brightly on the globe. I'm not scared. Not even a little. I should be scared, I'm always scared, but I'm not right now. Why am I not scared? I can't smell any fear in the air, not even my own.

Who am I without fear? Is there anything left? I must be feeling something, but I know fear and this is not it. Shouldn't I be angry at the Guardians for keeping me captive here? No...this isn't anger. This is something else...

"Not going to try to escape?" Jack's entrance interrupted my thoughts.

"I don't see the point. I wouldn't get far. Tell me, Jack- do you always enter without knocking, or do you only do that when I'm involved?" Jack laughs as he leans on his staff.

"Tooth said you weren't speaking." He smirks. "Am I special?"

I roll my eyes. Not only did he avoid my question, but he's mocking me. In truth, I would rather not hurt my pride further by interacting with Queen Toothiana, not when I know I can't escape. It probably would have been best if I had avoided talking to Jack as well, but I suppose there's no point in it now that I've made my first mistake in responding. "Perhaps you are. It would certainly explain your idiotic behavior and your blatant disregard for manners."

"Oh, my poor ego!" He pretended to be wounded by my comment. How childish. "And here I was starting to think you actually appreciated my good company."

"You flatter yourself. What do you want?"

Jack's smirk only grew wider. He's up to something, and it's probably not going to be good news. "You want your shadows back, right?" I stare at him in suspicion as I stand, just so I can loom over him menacingly. "So you did take them." I should have known the guardians would do something like this. I need to stop underestimating Jack's cleverness and the guardians' power. If only I had spent more time building up on more nightmare sand, I could've...well. Doesn't matter now.

Jack raises his hand defensively as he takes a step back so we're no longer in close proximity. "Whoa, there. I didn't take them, I just have an idea on how you could get them back." I'm not going to trust him. I'm not. That doesn't mean I can't hear his theory. I stay silent.