Chapter 26
In London, Grace awoke from a sleepless slumber and began to walk around her apartment. She was starting to regret in kicking Pitch out.
Deep down in her mind, a question began to form. "What if Pitch is in love with me?" she asked herself.
Surely Pitch was trying to protect her, but why? Mora was the biggest threat Grace can think of, but Grace began to ask herself, "What if the Man in the Moon does not approve of our love?"
She really wanted to know why Pitch's master would not accept their love and a theory came to her head.
The guardians did not show themselves when they were on duty, they only came out at night when the children are asleep. If a child was lucky in spotting a guardian, their parents would suggest something else, like a dream.
The children knew of the guardians' existence because they left gifts behind and they listened to people's stories.
Grace nodded her head with this theory, but she still wanted to know why the guardians' master, the Man in the Moon would not let them love mortals.
Before she could think of anything, Grace heard something in the living room of her apartment.
She took an umbrella, as it was the only thing she could use as a weapon, and quietly went down the hall and into the living room.
She turned on the switch, but no lights came on. Instead, the lights on the ceiling crackled and sparkled and they died out.
Grace knew that someone or something was in the room. Her heart pounded so hard and loud that she thought it would burst.
Something brushed passed her and she gasped in terror. Suddenly, something grabbed her by the ankles and it pulled on her and she collapsed. Grace tried to scream, but something covered her mouth and then, the night terrors showed themselves.
They held her upright and then, someone came out of the darkness, it was Mora.
"Well, well, it's a pleasure to meet you, again," she said in a cold voice.
Grace wanted to believe that this was nothing but a bad dream, but it wasn't.
"Too bad Pitch is not here to save you and I'm afraid he won't be able to," Mora added.
Then, she and the night terrors left the apartment, taking Grace with them.
During the flight, Grace spotted a stream of golden sand and she knew that Sandy must be around.
"Oh, I hope you don't mind if I talk to your friend, the Sand Man," Mora said while she rode on the big black sand bird.
Up on a golden cloud, Sandy spotted the night terrors and braced for impact. The night terrors surrounded him and he prepared himself to fight.
"Now, now, Sandy," Mora said and appeared in front of him, "I don't think it's a good idea to fight," she added and she featured Grace to him.
Sandy gave a surprised look, but then featured anger toward Mora.
"I have a message for you to send to the guardians and Pitch," the goddess said to him, "If Pitch wishes to see the girl alive, tell him to come to my northern domain."
Then, Mora, the night terrors, and Grace flew away from the Sand Man.
Sandy was now unsure if he should go after them and save Grace himself, but he would need help.
He then created his signal to the guardians; golden waves appeared in the sky, much like North's northern lights and the waves headed for North's home.
North and Jack saw this and North sent out his signal.
Tooth and some of her assistants headed out to the North Pole and so did Bunnymund.
In the ice caves, Pitch saw the lights and he too went on his way.
When the six of them came together in North's home, Sandy tried to tell them through a series of sand above his head, but no one understood him.
"Sandy, no offence, but we don't understand you," Jack said.
The Sand Man took it slowly and featured one sandy picture at a time, starting with Grace. Then, he featured Mora and the night terrors.
Pitch's heart stopped beating when he realized what Sandy was telling them.
"Mora has got Grace!" he told the others and Sandy showed more.
He featured some icicles and Mora and Pitch knew what that meant.
"She's in Mora's northern domain!" he replied.
Jack and North looked at each other and that's when they realized something. "She tricked us!" the winter spirit shouted, slamming his staff to the ground.
"That's another reason why I left Mora, she is a good liar," Pitch said and then descended down the stairs.
"Whoa, where are you going?" Jack asked, floating in front of the boogeyman.
"I'm going to save Grace and I can do this myself," Pitch answered.
"What if it's another trick?" Tooth asked.
"I don't care, I'm going to finish this," he replied and he looked up at the moon.
"Old friend, I need your magic just this once, take me to Mora's domain," Pitch prayed aloud.
"Pitch, don't do this! Mora will kill Grace! And maybe you!" Jack begged.
"If Mora does kill me, then it's a sacrifice I am willing to make," the boogeyman replied.
Then, Pitch's form dissolved into black sand and he became a shadow. He floated away from the guardians and out of North's workshop.
"I don't like this North; I'm going after him," Bunnymund said, "I just hope my tunnels led to Mora's place."
Just then, a howling wind was heard and Jack looked up to see snow and ice slamming against the windows.
"Jack, are you doing that?" Tooth asked.
"No, but I have a feeling that Mora is behind it," the winter spirit replied.
"We better get going," North said to them.
Bunnymund tapped on the ground and a hole appeared. Sandy floated in front of the Easter Bunny, "You coming, mate?" he asked and Sandy nodded. "You better keep up," Bunnymund said and they disappeared down the hole.
North, Jack, and Tooth got into North's sleigh and they headed out to find Grace and Pitch.