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MysweetNikolai.

His reassurance was all I needed.

“I think my father is a god. I’ve been trying to find out more about him.”

“Are you serious? Your father is an actualgod?”

“I think, but I will never know for sure. I can’t ask my mother for more information.”

“Yeah, I tried to get more information out of my mum when I was a teenager.” Bunny snorted. “She hated that.”

I pressed a kiss on his brow.

“I’ve been having these dreams for a while, you know? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I shifted in them, just like I did tonight. This god,hisanimal, is a stag. It fits…”

“It does.” Nikolai lifted his head, gripped my antlers, and kissed me. I took hold of his wrists to break his grip on me.

“Let’s eat first, Bunny. You need your strength.”

My sweet human chuckled. He palmed my ass and pinched me.

“Yeah, I do.”

I extended my magic to my antlers again, glad that I could manipulate them like I could every part of my body. Just like earlier, I was unable to eliminate them entirely. They shrank until they were nothing but two little nubs on my scalp.

“Aw, I’m sad to see them go.” Nikolai squeezed my glute again. “You look so hot with antlers, Jules.”

“Oh.” I gasped. “I’m sure I can wear them when you’re around. Maybe not all the time, though. It’s a bit of a hassle when I get caught in branches or lamps.”

Bunny snorted and buried his face in my neck. “Is that a fear you have?”

“No. Earlier, when I let the chickens out, I got stuck in one of the apple trees.”

“Oh my God.” Nikolai started to giggle. “I’m sorry, baby but that’s so funny. Sorry,” he wheezed again and tears trickled out of his eyes. “Maybe you better not wear them, then.” A tilt of his head and then his lips were on my cheek. “I love you.”

Our mood darkened with each hour that passed, reminding us that the time until we’d have to part ways approached.

Bunny held me in his arms.

“Please come to Veitsreuth,” he whispered in my ear. “I won’t be able to visit you again for at least a week. There’s no way I’ll survive this.”

I understood what he meant. Neither would I.

“I’m scared, Bunny,” I confessed. “And what about Barnabas? And the chickens?”

“Damn.” Nikolai folded in on himself. “I totally forgot.”

“I want to make it happen for you, my sweet Bunny. It’s not fair that it’s always you visiting me. I don’t want to be your secret. I want to be your partner.”

Nikolai said nothing but I saw in his eyes how much he appreciated my words.

I fed the chickens and locked them in their coop before we left.

“I will be back tomorrow, my sweets.”

Vines shot from the ground and wrapped around the cage.

That’ll keep them safe.