Page 50 of Sequel to the Easter Bunny

They pull the flute from their hip and blow along the pipes, making a shrill noise before they move on to something more melodic.

When they pull the flute from their lips, they grimace down at it. “Yes, if you bring me an instrument from your world that I can replace this with…. I will give it to you.”

“Any requests?”

They smile and tap the flute against their palm. “Make sure that whatever it is, I can still annoy the piss out of her.”

Loose Ends

The door Jack opens for me leads directly into the tower, and this time, I take a moment to change before I head down to the library-turned office.

And I’m glad of it when the door opens an hour later.

Flashing Ari isn’t my ideal way to wish her a good morning.

“Well?” Ari says, flopping into the overstuffed chair in the corner and batting at the lamp’s pull cord. “How did the peacock delivery go?”

She snickers and I can guess why.

I snap the pencil box closed and look at her, not sure if I want to throw something at her.

“You knew it was Juun’s actual cock the whole time.”

“I had my suspicions. When Minoka takes something, he doesn’t play nice.”

“What did he take from you?”

“Oh, I’ve never met him, but his reputation is roguish.” She laughs, and it sounds like she’s laughing at him.

“Well, it worked, and that’s all that matters. I have two tasks done and now, I just have to find a replacement for Diyo’s flute.”

Her brows pinch. “Is it broken?”

“No, Juun wants it and I have to find something that will work here as a trade and take it back before darkfall.”

“Of course you do.” She scrunches her nose up in concentration. “They won’t part with that lightly.”

My list of places to find what I need is small, but I have faith that something exists in this realm I can hand over in exchange for that flute.

“I assume that’s where you plan to go to look for the replacement.” Ari rises from the chair holding her hand out for the list in mine. When I hand it over, she takes one look, says, “Yeah, we are not going any of those places,” crumples it up and tosses it in the trash.

“There’s a music store a few miles from the water treatment plant.”

“Okay.” I let her slip her fingers in mine and drag me out of the room. “Why is the water treatment plant your go-to landmark?”

“Because you have another mess to clean up.”

“What happened?”

“Someone fucked with the pumps. It should be an easy fix… but we won’t know exactly what’s going on until we get there.”

“Do you think it’s Jamus again?”

“Maybe, maybe not? It could just be some other delinquent looking to push boundaries now that the person at the top of the tower is less likely to lop off heads.”

When I freeze she winces. “You didn’t know what he was doing, did you?”

“No. He managed to hide that from me.”

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