I was eight years old when we met, although he would argue and say it was since birth. He said he lived in the corners of my smile and in the shine of my eyes while trying not to cry. It happened a lot. The tears that never left my eyes clung to hope. Hope that one day would not be filled with loneliness. One day there would be someone like me.
The other kids thought of me as some sort of pariah, playing all alone on the jungle gym during recess, oblivious to the eyes on me. The game was called Elevator Dinosaur. I made it up, of course. In my mind, the world was full of tiny beings. I called them the people of Plym. My little friends needed help getting places. Sometimes they wanted to visit the vast heights of the climbing bars of Londontowne. Only a dinosaur would suffice in such situations.
My mouth opened wide, chin pressed to the cold metal of the lowest rung where my passengers waited. The Plym people trusted I would never eat them. Mouth closed, the trip to the top took a while, having to stop at every level to let some off and let others on. My cheeks were puffed like a chipmunk when I made it to the destination. I could only imagine what the entire game must have looked like to someone watching.
“What exactly are you doing?” He asked me.
With a mouthful of the Plym, I could not respond right away. My tiny friends needed to be let out. Staring at his swinging red Converse, I peered up at him. The grin was the first thing I noticed. With his head blocking the sun it was hard to see little else, save for the silhouette of wild, messy hair. Squinting for a moment, I pressed my chin to the top bar and allowed my passengers to go their merry way. My cheeks burned as I looked around then back up toward that grinning face.
“It’s complicated.” I said as I tried to shield my view to get a better look and could see his green eyes through thick glasses. They caught the sun and I had to look away. “It’s just a game.”
“Oh, I like games. Could I play too? Games are usually more fun when you play them with a friend.”
His words came out in a rapid string and he had lowered his head to stare at me. His face was close and his features reminded me of an imp. Still grinning.
“I guess…I’m a dinosaur, you see. I am helping the Plym people get to the top of the bars.”
Looking down at the ground, I heard him make a nasally squeal drawing my gaze back up to him as I continued.
“They ride in my mouth. I suppose you could be a dinosaur too.”
Before long the two of us were transporting the Plym people from one level to the next, giggling and having the best time.
That was my first memory of Luathas; or Lu, as he liked to be called. He has never left me since that day; A loyal faerie guardian.
~*~
(16 Years Later)
Lu sat across from me at the table with his arms folded across his chest, leaning back in the booth. His Fedora was resting so low I could not tell if his eyes were open or closed. Faeries never slept, although Lu was brilliant at faking it. A long breath escaped my lungs as the silence between us gave me time to notice the gurgling in my stomach.
“Lu, are you going to have something this time, or are you going to sit there like a lump?” I narrowed my eyes and ducked my head to try and see under the shadows of his hat. “Luathas!”
“What?” He responded so quietly, I almost didn’t hear him.
He had been sulking ever since I stopped channeling. I don’t know why it bothered him so much. Time was all I needed. Only a few fragile weeks had passed since leaving Blake.
“Are you going to enjoy a snack?”
He stared at me as I asked the question in such a manner I felt as though his gaze would burn holes into my soul.
“Okay. I suppose that would be a ‘no’.”
My eyes rolled as I looked away and down then I lifted the menu and studied it carefully. It made a nice barrier between us, even though I knew he would be annoyed, because I exerted the effort to get his attention in the first place.
“I am going to wither away to dust and you just sit there…deciding on what toppings you would like on your next flayed piece of cow flesh.”
His eyes remained focused on the very center of my forehead. The area felt hot under his gaze.
“I offered you something. I don’t really know what you mean though. I thought you didn’t need to eat…or you just eat for the fun of it or something.”
I knew he wasn’t talking about food. Risking a peek over the edge of the menu, I locked eyes with him for a moment. He huffed and retreated beneath the brim of his hat. Tossing the menu in the middle of the table I glanced around the diner to note there were only a handful of people there; none of which were paying us any mind.
“Fine.” The word came out sharper than I intended.
I pointed at the fork sitting in front of him and took a deep breath. The energy began in my feet, like a warm carbonated beverage it filled in the air around my skin and rose up my legs, abdomen, and chest. I slowly released the breath, and held the energy there for a moment. Another breath and the fizzy sensation made its way around my shoulders and along my pointing arm; all the way to my fingertip. This time, when I released the breath, I moved the energy from my finger to the fork. I could feel every molecule moving like a heartbeat, surrounding the fork, which shook for a moment and stood unnaturally on its end.
“Happy now?” The fork clattered to the table.
“Tease.” His eyes danced from the fork to my face and I could see a hint of a grin.
“Oh, come on, Lu. It’s been really hard for me.” Channeling that tiny bit of energy actually felt really good.
“You did what you had to do, Hes. He could have killed you.” His hand folded over mine as he reached across the table.
An ache settled inside my solar plexus. Escaping the relationship with Blake had left me with many scars. Not all physical. Magic had left scars on Blake. I hurt him. Dropping my eyes to the table I let out a long breath.
“I just can’t shake the image. No one deserves to be permanently disfigured. I just wanted to get away. That’s all.”
My eyes closed and I could see Blake seething; his hands around my throat. In response, a hand went to my neck and I shuddered.
“I think he might be following me. I think I keep seeing him."
Lu withdrew his hand and folded his together as he leaned over the table. His green eyes bore into me from beneath his Fedora.
“Are you sure you aren’t imagining it? I mean I’ve heard about these things. You suffered quite a trauma.”
“No. I’m not sure about anything really.” I choked down a lump.
“Have you decided on your order?”
I didn’t even see the waiter slide up to the table, but there he was, waiting with pen and pad in hand. The uniform was clean and still had fold creases from being freshly pulled from the package. He must have been new. Cute. A clean shaven, babyish face. Not really my type. Maybe it should be. Pinned to his shirt was a shiny new name tag that read, “Hello, My name is Justin!”
“Oh!” I glanced at Lu, to which he shook his head and with a soft sigh I looked back at Justin, “Just some chili cheese fries, please. No sour cream.”
My sidelong look at Luathas was an attempt to let him know I was expecting help.
“A cup of honey mustard! It doesn’t have to be a large cup…any small cup will do!”
Lu spoke with such a sudden burst, I nearly left my seat. Honey mustard? My eyebrow twitched slightly as I stared at him.
“For the fries?”
I guess it wasn’t the strangest thing I have heard some people do. I had a boyfriend who used to dip his fries in his chocolate shake. Lu just looked blankly at me with no answer and I waved a dismissive hand at him and offered Justin a smile that I hoped was a pleasant one.
“I think that will do.”
“Alrighty. Chili cheese fries, no sour cream and a cup of honey mustard. I’ll put your order in right away.”
Justin had about four dimples when he smiled. Really cute.
“Too cute,” I whispered as Justin walked off.
“No ass, though. Nothing to swat at.” Lu sighed. “Or pinch.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. It was amazing how little energy from my channeling seemed to invigorate him. Lu said he could feed off magic anywhere; even magical residue left over from a spell. What I do is far more satisfying apparently, because of our bond.
(Almost the entire first chapter)
