~ Chapter Five ~ #2
“We’ve been waiting forever for you to play with us,” the one with the blue eyes said.
“What if I can’t do it?”
“Come. It’s easy,” they both said together.
“I’ll try.” Regan sat with them as the two kids started their clapping game again.
The two played and laughed as Regan joined them, finding himself laughing as well.
The movements as they clapped came faster and Regan found the shifts harder to keep up.
When the clapping grew too quick for him to keep up with, his frustrations grew from the pit of his stomach.
His lips pinched together as his guts twisted. “You’re going too fast.”
The children continued to laugh and clap even faster. “Don’t stop,” they called out. “Keep going. Don’t stop. You can keep up.”
“I can’t… it’s too… you’re going…” The exasperation replaced all the joy that filled him and with a pop, he dropped to the floor, hitting his head on the edge of the chair he had been sitting in. The image of the children vanished as Lutin sat next to him.
“Are you okay?”
“I couldn’t keep up, they were going too fast,” Regan mumbled, the light around him growing darker. “They were having so much fun. I ruined it.” He shut his eyes. “Like everything, I ruined their fun.”
Regan tossed and turned, engulfed in so much warmth and comfort, he didn’t want to move. He didn’t want to open his eyes. He didn’t want to wake up.
“Come play with us again,” he heard in his mind, before pushing the voices away. He couldn’t risk playing anymore—these games might be too dangerous. His eyes fluttered open as the room around him came into focus. “Where?”
The door opened and Lutin walked in with a tray. The scents of hot tea and something sweet and spicy filled Regan’s nose.
“What happened?” He tried to sit up as his head wobbled and the room spun.
“You tell me.” Lutin placed the tray down on the bed and pulled over a chair. “Drink the tea and have some of the broth. It’ll help.”
Regan reached out for the tea and took several sips of the warm spiced drink. He tasted notes of lemongrass, spearmint, and what he thought might be chamomile. He finished off the tea and sat the mug back on the tray. “I… I think I saw them.”
“The Elementals?” Lutin asked.
“They were playing some kind of clapping game together.” For a brief moment, he thought he heard the clapping again. “They wanted me to join them, and I tried, but it went too fast. The game was too much and I… I… I ended up here.”
“What were you doing before you saw them?” Lutin asked.
“I did as you suggested. I thought about my work and then I thought about wiring your cottage and how I could use hydropower from your creek to power the cottage.”
“There’s no creek.” Lutin’s gaze narrowed.
“Sure there is. I heard one outside behind your home.”
“Interesting.” Lutin sat back on his chair. “And you said the children, the Elementals, were playing together.”
Regan nodded, then rubbed his head. “Yes. And they wanted me to play with them. They said they had been waiting for me for a long time to come and play… but…”
“I wasn’t sure what happened to you. One moment you were breathing with your eyes closed and the next you had… what I can only describe as a seizure and you dropped from the chair.”
“I’ve never had a seizure before.”
“Well, that’s the only thing I know to call what happened to you.”
“Maybe I should go to the hospital.” Regan massaged his scalp.
“I don’t think your insurance will cover a magic-induced seizure. The tea you drank should help—the drink has medicinal attributes.” Lutin rubbed Regan’s lower leg. “And I don’t charge a co-payment for my magical elixirs.”
Regan’s lips pulled tight together. “You’re awful flippant about something happening to me and not you.” The words were harsh even to his ears. “Sorry.”
“You’re fine.” Lutin stood. “Have some of the broth, get dressed, and join me out in the living room when you’re ready.”
Regan lifted up the covers to look down at his naked form. Not even his underwear remained. “What the hell?”
“I wasn’t sure the extent of your injuries.
I needed to make sure you were alright and there were no other wounds that needed to be addressed.
” Lutin bit back his smirk. “And I’m happy to say, everything is where it should be and everything appears to be in working order, as far as I could tell with you unconscious. ”
“That… I can’t…”
“Relax, I was a perfect gentleman.” Lutin turned and walked out of the room, leaving Regan to the broth.
Gobsmacked, Regan finished off the broth and quickly put on his clothes left for him neatly folded at the foot of the bed.
Part of him was furious with Lutin, but when he had to have surgery, when he was younger, he went into the operating room with his socks and underwear on.
When he woke up in recovery, he was naked except for the papery hospital gown.
He found himself asking what the difference was at this moment.
He doubted Lutin would have taken advantage of the situation…
Would that be so bad? It’s been a while. And he certainly is my type.
He shook the thought from his mind. He was approaching fifty and he doubted anyone was interested in him like that anymore.
Regan moved back into the cottage’s sitting room, where Lutin waited patiently sipping his own tea.
“Would you like more tea?” Lutin asked, putting his drink down. He took the tray from Regan, and placed the serving set on the coffee table.
“No, thank you.” Regan sat on the sofa. “What’s the plan now?”
Lutin beamed, holding back what Regan was sure had to be more laughter. “Well, I think you’re blocked. Or holding back. Every time you reach out to the Elementals, you’re holding yourself back… for what reason I don’t know.”
“What? No.” Regan shifted away from Lutin and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
“Sure.” Lutin stood up and reached out his hand. “Come on.”
Regan stayed seated. “What? No. Where are we going?”
“To have fun.” Lutin pulled Regan from his spot in the chair. “Now move.”
Regan relented, allowing Lutin to direct him.