Riju’s fuzzy head tilted. “I’m not sure.”
Kit looked around the room. The colored phalluses in their glass case were blurs and he couldn’t tell much about their shapes. He knew where everything was for the most part, and for a person who didn't, he imagined it would be quite difficult to tell certain objects apart.
“You didn’t have spectacles before Trig? Ever?” Kit figured he shouldn’t delve into that part of Riju’s life. That was likely a safe enough question.
“No.”
“How did you do anything? If everything looked like this all of the time…”
Riju shrugged. “You learn to make do. Besides, what you're seeing now might not be quite the same as what I see without them.”
Kit tipped his head down so he could peer over the red rims. “You look different now. I think you look better with them on.”
Riju squinted. “You’re not used to seeing me without them.”
Kit handed the spectacles back, and Riju put them on just as the bell tinkled over the door. A fairy with spectacles and tiny horns walked in. Kit didn’t recognize him, but he must have known Riju since his face lit up.
“Riju? It is you!” He approached the counter as Riju gave him a blank look.
“I don't know you.”
“Yes, you do, although not well. Someone said a fairy with long red hair worked here, and I wondered if it was you. I always wondered what happened to you. I was afraid when you escaped from my office. We spent ages looking for you-”
Riju’s expression dropped so fast, Kit’s stomach clenched. Without another word, Riju bolted for the back with his doll.
“What? I just-”
“Get out of here!” Kit stood.
“Excuse me?” snapped the man.
“If he’s scared of you, he has a reason!” Kit backed away as he wondered if he needed to grab something to use as a weapon even though the man didn’t appear particularly threatening. Why did he mean escaped? Was he a crazy man who kidnapped people?
The man removed his spectacles. “I haven’t done anything to him.”
“You said heescaped!”Why did Trig have to pick this afternoon to go out?
“I treated him once,” said the man. “I’m a physician, and he got out of my office. That’s it. For Elira’s sake, I didn’t do anything wrong to him.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was badly injured, and someone brought him to my office to be healed. He ran off when we had him in one of the rooms to sleep afterward. It was quite a while back.”
“Oh, Elira.” Kit hurried to the back and checked the sitting room.
Riju wasn’t downstairs either, and Kit decided to look in Trig’s bedroom. Riju was huddled in the corner with his knees drawn up as he sobbed.
“I-I’m not going back out th-ere. I don’t want to see him. I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“You don’t have to. What’s wrong?” Kit crouched by him. Most of Riju’s face was hidden by his hair since he’d ducked his head, and Kit hated to see him so terrified and upset.
“He hurt me.”
“He said he treated you.”
“I don't want to talk about it. I’m sorry. I-”
“Okay, okay. He’s not coming back here. Do you want me to make him go away?”
