Page 86 of Sequel to the Easter Bunny

Reaching up, he pulls one of the lilies from the ceiling and drags it down to me. When he lets it go, it dangles on a thick, green vine.

The mask feels sticky against my face, but I can’t take it off yet. I’m not going to give up until there’s no other option.

“I’ll leave you to clean up.” He looks down me like he wants to memorise the way I look.

“You could just wave this all away.”

“I know… but I think you need some time to think, without me.” He traces the line of the mask against my cheek. “I’ll be out there unless you need me. I won’t come back unless you call… so you can take the mask off if you want to clean it, or your face beneath.”

“What do I clean it with?” There aren’t any bottles lying around.

“Moving to that moss-covered wall he pushes the leaves back to reveal a bud that is the size of my hand, green and orange, and looks like a tropical pinecone, or maybe a dragon’s egg.

Grasping the scaly looking flower, he pulls, milking it, and the creamy-white substance that comes from it makes me raise both brows at him.

His lips twitch with a smile, but he says nothing.

“Don’t go far,” I kiss him and let him go. “I won’t be long.”

He disappears around the corner, and I hesitate. Not because I worry he’s trying to trick me, or that he’ll come back too soon, but because I’ve never been alone inside his domain. It feels somehow wrong.

I turn from the entrance to the space and reach for the mask that is my one barrier to a default life among the gods.

It would be so easy to just let it happen. To give up any and all responsibility to the mortal realm.

Undoing the ribbons takes a few hard tugs and I’m grateful it never seems to be at risk of falling off on its own.

My face feels light—colder—without it.

So I rush through the motions not wanting the risk.

I dry my face with a fluffy leaf as soft as Jack’s skin and put the mask back on over my still-wet hair

Wrapping the leaf around me, I snuggle into it before I bother trying to dry the rest of my body.

A low chuckle makes me stumble back, blinking.

“You’re even prettier when you’re soft and sweet.” Minoka leans against one of the tree trunks.

“How did you get in here?”

“There are loopholes to everything, my dear… even the sanctity of a god’s domain.”

Jack appears at my side in an instance and moves me behind him.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt your precious bride. I’ve come to save her.”

“How do you plan to do that?” I ask it, but I’m not hopeful.

“The same way we do everything here. I’ll make a deal.”

“I’ve already made too many.”

Snorting as if it’s a ridiculous idea, he says, “Hear my pitch first, at the very least.”

Jack points away, shaking his head. “Go wait out there.”

Minoka does, sauntering like he knows we have no choice.

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