Pitch's lair wasn't much different from the last time Jack had come down here from this entrance, but though the differences were subtle, they were still obvious to those who were looking for them.
Shadows, but less deep, not following along after them as they passed. The echoes were natural, the way more straightforward.
And, of course, the light of Sandy and Nightlight glowed around the three of them, dispelling much of the lingering fear Pitch had infused it with, like a good dream or a favorite nightlight would.
Jack was both relieved and more upset when they got to the main part of the lair, where the cages still hung from the cavernous ceiling and the metal globe twinkled with lights.
It was more cavernous than last time, as this time there were no piles of teeth to fill up the space. Jack wasn't sure if it was an improvement – the tooth boxes had been terrible, not in their obvious appearance but in what they represented, but they had muffled sound and filled up space.
Nightlight was looking up at the cages and pressing closer to Jack, close enough Jack felt him shiver.
"You okay?" Jack whispered. "He used those for the baby teeth, but I think the locks are broken now."
Nightlight's shivers ceased as he looked around, still pressed close to Jack.
"We aren't as far underground as we were before," he said through flickers of light, and Jack was reminded briefly of Tooth's comment that Nightlight had turned into a downright chatterbox compared to how he was before he and Katherine had left. "Light can reach us here." He smiled at Jack, suddenly seeming to be reassured by that fact. "Last time, there was lava, and fearlings, and a cage made of lead that no light could penetrate. This lair is much better."
"The more I hear about how Pitch was, the happier I am I didn't know him then," Jack said.
"Oh, go away," Pitch's voice moaned, and all three snapped to attention. "You are loud. And whatever light you brought it annoying. Either kill me or leave me to do my dark brooding in peace."
The trio looked at each other before Jack pointed at the globe. "Pitch? You in there?" he called.
A thin grey hand rose languidly from the depths of the globe, waving briefly and tiredly in the space of the oceans before falling again. "Go away, Frost."
Sandy sent a curious stream of dream sand over the globe, and Pitch groaned again. "You had to bring Sanderson along, didn't you."
Sandy floated over to the globe, leaning over one of the metal continents to look inside. Jack joined him on the opposite side of the globe.
Pitch was curled up inside the hollow globe, and he opened one eye to glare up at them sulkily. With how bedraggled and exhausted he looked, it was about as effective as a kitten's glare, but the attempt was still made.
Curious, Nightlight poked his head up beside Jack's.
"Oh. You're back," Pitch said flatly, staring at Nightlight blearily. He then looked back and forth between Jack and Nightlight for a moment before he groaned, long and low, throwing a dramatic arm over his eyes.
"No. No, I can't deal with this," he moaned, sliding out of the globe, so fluidly he was almost more shadow than person, into a pile at the base. He rose slowly, using the globe to pull himself up, and wobbled over to a chaise lounge that they hadn't seen before, half hidden in shadows as it was.
