Page 29 of Sequel to the Easter Bunny

Ari smiles beside me. “Let him cause his problems. The more the people see you fix them, the less afraid of you they’ll be. And it’s been a very long time since people have been happy to look at your tower.”

“All I did was fix a single building and make it pretty.”

“And Jamus didn’t do anything about their problems. He ignored them and they hated him for it.” She leads the way back to the car as neighbours hurry out to look at the building that would no doubt have collapsed in a day or two. “Now that he’s moved from indifference to actively causing problems… and once they figure out he can’t do what you can…. Well, I don’t think much of his chances.”

“I should make him leave.”

“You could. But we both know you don’t have time for that.” She waits until I’m in the car and have closed the door. “Now, let’s go find this peacock.”

“I thought we had a list.”

“We did, but that little show you put on gives me more to work with. I thought I’d need you to perform more miracles to hold us over through the night, but the whispers about that will be passed around for weeks.”

She looks in the rearview mirror and I turn back to. The entire street behind us has burst into bloom.

A chirp echoes on the tablet between us, and I pick it up to see a message from one of her apps….

“They’re calling it a second spring.”

“Perfect. The more we can boost your image now, the easier this is all going to be.”

“I don’t want an image boost. I want to get things fixed.”

“I know that, and you know that, but if you fix everything in the Valley and no one likes you…. You’ll still have problems.”

I don’t like it, but I don’t have any room to argue.

“Okay. Tell me how we’re going to find this peacock.”

“If Juun can’t find it, it’s because it’s somewhere in this realm that one of the other gods has laid claim to. A place the old gods can come to freely in our world.”

“Those exist?”

She nods. “The lawns around the spire are Ester’s. It’s why the festivals are held on them. But the other principal gods all have their… places in this world.”

I watch her for a moment, but she’s not going to give me anything else without being asked. “That still leaves four places it could be, even if you know where all of them are.”

“Only one, actually. Ester wouldn’t take it from her. Gren doesn’t care enough to bother, and Death… he doesn’t have a physical place in this world… he is his place in this world, so that leaves Heim.”

“Why would the god of winter steal summer’s peacock?”

“I don’t think he did.” She smiles and offers a wave to a woman crossing the street in front of us. “But Heim’s children would all have access to his piece of this world, so…. I think it’s safe to say that Minoka stole it and put it there, where he knew Juun wouldn’t be able to find it.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s the trickster god. He does anything that will amuse himself and annoy others. And Juun hates him, so he takes great pleasure in tormenting her, especially.”

The Godswood & The Gods Wouldn’t

I have to force myself to look at the trees beyond the window instead of staring at my own reflection.

“It’s strange….”

Ari doesn’t interrupt as I gather my thoughts.

“Juun says she’s doing all of this because I’m greedy. Because the Power is what I wanted.”

“Isn’t it?” She asks, the question oddly void of judgement. “You took Ester’s bargain. What was your goal if not to get the Power? I thought your Eebie was just a bonus.”

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