Page 100 of Sequel to the Easter Bunny

Heim’s gaze lingers on Jack for only a moment before he turns to me.

This time, he doesn’t speak in the old gods’ tongue. This time, he speaks to me with a clarity that brooks no misunderstanding.

“I have been informed of your duplicitous attempt to subvert my former ruling. I am not swayed.”

A different chill courses through me.

“Did you think that would prove something to me? If anything, it shows I was right not to trust you.”

“I did what I’ve done to keep Jack. If all I wanted was more Power, I would have accepted your ridiculous bargain. Or any of the other offers made to me before this.” I am so tired of having to explain myself to them. “Everything I have done is because you have made me do it. I am here, now, because you wouldn’t give your blessing and I took the chance that I would be able to keep the god I love and—

“Mortals cannot love gods. Not really.” Heim’s attention slides to Jack, his expression almost pitying. “All they do is cause pain.”

“I would never do anything to hurt Jack. You, maybe.”

Heim actually looks amused for once, but it doesn’t last. “And yet, you were willing to have a different god’s child to save your pitiful life.”

“I didn’t want that. You forced my hand. But it was a risk I would have been willing to take. Luckily, I didn’t have to.”

“What?” Minoka appears from the shadows, and I’ve no doubt that he’s been listening the whole time.

“There’s nothing in this realm quite like bargains within bargains. You of all the gods should know not to trust someone willing to take your deal at such an easy price.”

Minoka looks like he’s trying to retrace the steps. Each moment his eyes flit back and forth he seems to puff up more, irritation colouring his wide ears. “You broke our bargain, how dare you try to come here and treat with the god of winter through your duplicity.”

The room goes suddenly chill, and Minoka turns to Heim, his spine straightening.

“She didn’t do anything wrong. Your bargain didn’t account for Ester’s involvement. You should know better than to trust that bitch to stay out of it.” The god of winter looks at me with narrowed eyes, a curious expression twisting his lips.

I only have one card left to play.

“What will your wife think when I don’t return to my realm?” I look up at him and ignore the new tension in his jaw. “The stories of what happens in this realm always bleed into the mortal world. She’ll hear the whispers, and she’ll know that while she did everything she could to help me, you are the one who fucked it all up.”

He shifts on his throne, rising to his mountainous height and turns away, but his voice echoes throughout the glacial space. “You have my blessing. Leave and try not to bother me again.”

He disappears into the dark blue of the ice, leaving us with Minoka whose eyes flicker with black flames.

But then, like a switch has flipped… like it was all a show for his father, that fire extinguishes and he drops back to the relaxed pose that reminds me of a lazy cat. He waves his hand in a dismissive gesture as though he didn’t just look like he wanted to tear my limbs off.

“I didn’t want your child, anyway. Our bargain is done and you have what you want.” His hooves clop on the ice as he, too, turns from us and walks into the dark of Heim’s domain.

“Is it over?” I look up at Jack,

He’s still watching Minoka’s retreating form. “It better be.”

Jack sweeps me into his arms, and as we turn, Heim’s domain disappears. In the dark space between domains, Jack sweeps his hands over me, and the cold-weather clothing disappears, replaced by that dress I’ve begun to think of as his favourite.

The chill of Heim’s domain goes with it.

“There’s only one thing left to do.” I take Jack’s hand, and lead the way to the shimmering veil of Juun’s domain.

End of Terms

Juun’s domain is not so bright or so hot as I remember it. That may, in part, be because of the forest encroaching on the sand.

Wide, flat leaves flutter in the breeze, reaching out from their rounded canopy toward the barren waste.

Their realms have started to bleed together.

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