Potions, Power and Pain

Chapter 18

There were many reasons why Reena enjoyed reading. But the primary one was that while she was reading, her life ceased to matter, her worries and troubles ceased to exist and she became fully immersed in another world.

So it was only natural that after days of trying to ignore the mint condition first edition books that Rowan had gifted her, Reena could no longer resist them and had begun reading one of them.

Her favourite reading spot, other than her bed, was only a few minutes away from her house and thanks to the nice weather, Reena was currently headed there.

It was at a park, however the park was always extremely busy, full of young faeries running around laughing, screaming and refusing to return home. However what most people were not aware of, was that there was a small hidden path through the forest that surrounded the park, which led to a little clearing overlooking a beautiful waterfall. It was the most fabulous place to read thanks to the roaring of the waterfall, which drowned out all other noises, allowing Reena to fully concentrate on her book.

However once she got to her spot, she noticed someone sitting there, in the middle of the clearing gazing at the waterfall with his back turned to her.

She had never been faced with this kind of situation before. She had assumed that she was the only one who knew about the hidden spot. Unsure what to do, she cleared she throat hoping that this would inform the other faery, whoever he was of her presence. However due to the roaring of the waterfall, he hadn't heard her. She cleared the throat again. This time he suddenly turned around, startled. Their eyes met. Reena would have recognised them anywhere, they were the very eyes she hadn't been able to stop thinking about.

As recognition dawned on him, his mouth broke out into a wide, attractive grin. "Are you stalking me Reena Tansy?"

"Of course not," she scoffed. "You just happen to have found my spot, I have been coming here to read for years, if anything you are the one who is stalking me."

"In fact I consider this my spot, I have also been coming here for years. I found this place after my brother accidentally threw one of my balls here because he did not want to play with me when we were younger."

Ignoring him, Reena took out her picnic blanket and began to try to place it on the ground. But the second she tried to do so, a slight wind picked up and every time she would place a corner down and flatten it out, another corner would blow over due to the wind.

"Need any help there?" Rowan asked, not even trying to conceal his amused smile.

"Not at all." Reena answered with a tight smile of her own. Rowan continued to watch her try, but miserably fail to place and flatten out her picnic blanket, before he got up and despite her protests, help her.

Before she could even utter a word of thanks, he plopped himself down on one side of the blanket.

"What are you doing?" Reena demanded.

"I helped you set up the blanket so the least you can do is let me lie on it." Rowan replied.

"Listen, all I came here to do is read my book in peace. Why can't you just let me do that?"

"You are stubborn," he said matter-of-factly. "Stubborn enough to refuse my help with the picnic blanket. But guess what I am also stubborn and I don't want to move. And you kind of owe me for my help with the picnic blanket."

"But I did not even ask for your help, in fact I asked you not to help me, but you did it anyways."

"I did it because I am just too kind." Rowan commented with another one of his attractive grins.

"Oh yeah totally, that must be it." Reena answered sarcastically. "Fine you can stay, as long as you also stay silent. Like I said I want to read." She pulled out her book, only to realise her mistake.

"I thought you said you did not want the books I gave you," Rowan joked. "But I am glad to see you reading one."

"I am only reading them to be polite, like you said it is rude to refuse a gift." Reena clarified.

"Mhm, sure. Even though that is not what you said a few days ago."

All Reena could do was stare at her book. She was looking at the words, yet she was not actually reading them. No matter how hard she tried, she was just too distracted by the faery lying a few feet away from her. He encompassed her thoughts.

The wind was blowing his cologne straight to her nose and she could not deny how good he smelt. Clean and fresh would be the only way to describe it. Additionally the heat radiating off his body was becoming unbearable and Reena had to force herself not to reach out and comb her fingers through his dark silky hair. She had never been so distracted by anyone before. It was slightly scary, yet exhilarating.

*

Rowan could not help but smile at the sight of Reena enjoying something he had given her.

He had been worried that she might be mad that he had just sat down on her blanket and refused to move. But he could not stay away from her.

While she lay there reading, Rowan lay there stealing glances at her.

She was so beautiful. He admired the gentle slope of her nose, her long black eyelashes, her full lips, the way her hair looked so gold in the sun.

"What?" Reena suddenly asked, putting her book down.

Rowan swiftly looked away. "Nothing." He replied much too quickly.

"Please stop staring at me. It is awfully distracting."

"Who said I was staring at you?"

"I literally just caught you staring at me."

"You sure? Because I don't think I was." Rowan answered playfully. Reena simply rolled her eyes and began reading her book again.

Normally Rowan would have been bored to death just lying there not actually do anything. But with Reena there, he was the farthest thing from bored, he was almost enjoying himself.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew Reena's hair out of her face, revealing a round, not pointy ear.

He wasn't sure why, but he had the urge to sweep his fingers across it, and for once he let his intrusive thoughts win.

He lifted up his arm and gently brushed two fingers over her delicate rounded ear. She shuddered under his touch and quickly shifted away.

"I should go," Reena muttered, her cheeks brightening and scrambling to pack up her things.

"I am sorry." Rowan blurted. He had the sinking feeling that he had messed up again. He really needed to stay away from her, every time they talked it ended with him apologising for something else he had done. He honestly loved the fact that Reena's ears weren't pointy, it was what made her special. However he did understand how she could have taken badly. "I will walk you home," he offered.

"No it's all right, it is not far," Reena countered, still not looking at him.

"I insist." To his surprise she did not argue, they walked all the way to her house in silence, with Rowan always a few steps behind her. Reena did not look back once, not even when they arrived and he said goodbye to her.