It disappears almost as quickly as it struck.
With a sigh like a breeze, Ester looks to Juun. “Soulsealing could be appropriate….”
The god of summer looks like she wants to say no, but in the end, she shakes herself as though brushing off a chill and says, “That is acceptable.”
“Is that acceptable?” I ask, looking up at Jack.
He watches them for a long moment. “Yes. That will work.”
“Good.” Juun turns sharply to me. “You are not allowed to leave this realm until we have put together the appropriate ceremony.”
“How long is that going to take?”
“Not long.” She waves us away like we’re irritating children, asking for more than we deserve.
As I leave with Jack, though, I can’t help but wonder who’s time that relies on.
The Bunny’s Bride
We should probably go back to Jack’s domain, but he takes me to Babel and pulls me into his lap as he sits on one of the curved sofas, in full view of anyone lurking.
A glass of bright and glittering liquid fills his hand, and he offers it to me.
He doesn’t seem surprised when Minoka joins us.
The trickster slides onto the other side of the sofa lounging and letting all of himself hang out. “How are the lovebunnies? I haven’t wrecked you, have I?”
“Of course not,” I let my fingers play over the arm Jack has wrapped around me. “Your games may normally have winners and losers, but I think this time around we all won, in our own way.”
His eyes narrow, “Easily said by the woman who tricked me.”
“I did what I had to do.”
Minoka’s wide nose twitches, and he laughs, a deep sound, “Of course you did.”
His gaze turns to Jack. “Congratulations on getting what you’ve always wanted… someone in this hell should.”
And when he stands, he says, “I’d be happy to have you back any time. Together, or alone. Either way, it’ll be fun.”
“Thank you, but I think we’ll pass.”
“Most mortals who have a taste of my cock begin to crave it.”
“I’m not most mortals.”
His smile is all teeth. “No you are not.”
He looks like he might say more, so I stop him. “Behave, or I’ll tell your mother what you’ve been up to.”
The shift in him is as startling as it is immediate. Sadness seems to cave his shoulders, his eyes go glossy as though he wears unshed tears.
“How is she?”
The softness in his voice is unsettling.
“She was well the last time I saw her.”
“Good.” He says it while nodding, his eyes no longer focused on me as he walks away. “Good.”