by C. A. Bleu
As Zara dressed, she looked at the ring on her finger. It really was beautiful and at over two hundred years old it looked shiny and new. She couldn’t believe how much better she felt this morning. Hope sprang wide in her chest, dancing through her veins along with the adrenaline of anticipation as she bounded down the stairs and out the door.
She found her grandmother outside with a backpack on, heading through the trees where Zara’s favorite field lay. Jogging to catch up to her, they walked side by side in comfortable silence. Crossing over the area of the bonfire Zara stopped, looking at the spot where her best friend died, because of her. A tear fell as fond memories of Lilith broke through.
“It wasn’t your fault, Zara,” Marie said, placing a comforting hand on Zara’s shoulder.
“It was my fault, Marie. I killed my best friend.” Anger and regret began to well within her.
Squaring her shoulders to look Zara in the eye, Marie replied, “Zara, she was about to kill you. She had a knife coming to your throat. Your power saved you, I saw you move to block the knife and your power took over. It was what needed to happen. I’m sorry for your pain, but I hope you will not be too hard on yourself. Lilith was not your friend, Zara.”
The words began to sink in and Zara began to see that, at least for Lilith, it had all been fake. An attempt to get close to her and try to steal the Ring. They had been great friends because Lilith liked all the same things as Zara, but Lilith probably knew what Zara liked ahead of time. Zara had to let it go and move on. She would always remember Lilith, but with the information she now had, she could not trust others so easily.
Looking around the clearing in the woods Zara breathed in the fresh air and noticed her senses seemed heightened, picking up stronger touches of the lavender, cedar, and sandalwood she so loved. Inhaling the scents deep into her lungs, peace enveloped her like a warm blanket. She felt strong, and a soft humming vibration of power began surging in her veins.
Sensing the power growing beside her, Marie stopped and looked at Zara with one curious eyebrow raised. “This is good, we should get started.” Marie set her backpack down next to a nearby tree and reached in, pulling out a cup, a small steel coffee cup speckled with red and white. “Fill this with water for me, please.”
Zara looked confused but took the cup and turned to head back inside.
“No, not from there. From over there,” Marie said as she pointed to the small lake just beyond the other side of the field.
Zara turned and began to head in that direction until Marie caught her by the sleeve. “No Zara, you stay here and fill the cup with water from the lake.”
“That’s impossible, it’s got to be over half a mile away,” Zara said, feeling frustrated as she looked at the small hidden lake in the distance then glanced back down at the cup in her hand.
“You can do it, Zara, the power is in you, you just have to believe you can do it. If you can find the control in your power to fill the cup, only the cup, we will move on to something else.” Marie sat down, resigned to wait as long as it would take.
Zara had no idea what to do. How did she even begin to try to use her power? She thought about what had happened so far. It seemed when she wasn’t trying to do anything, she could make things happen, but she had never actually tried to use her power on purpose. Zara stared at the lake in the distance and could just make out the shimmer of the crystal blue water reflecting the mountains in the background.
Surrounded by the forest she so loved she began to feel the hum of energy spreading through her body and the ring warming on her finger. It was as if the surrounding nature was encouraging her to use her power. The top of the water began to ripple and move as if the wind had picked up a current, though Zara didn’t feel any wind on her.
Looking back and forth from the lake to the cup Zara gave a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders and said aloud, “Fill this cup.”
Power shot through her body causing her to stagger backward just before she saw the surge of a huge wave leap up into the air and begin to head straight for her. It rushed at her before she had a chance to move and the huge wave soaked her, nearly knocking her off her feet. Looking down she confirmed the cup was full but so was everything around her as the wave slowly receded. A giggle of laughter erupted behind her. Zara looked at her grandmother, there she stood with a large raincoat on that must have been in her backpack, with her arms firmly around a nearby tree for stability.
“I had a feeling that might happen.” Her grandmother continued to laugh.
“Well, you could have warned me,” Zara said, wringing the water out of her hair.
“You need to figure this out for yourself. Feel what is going through your body and learn how to control it. Try it again,” her grandmother said as she leaned back against the tree to watch.
After a couple hours and minimal improvement Zara was exhausted, starving, and soaking wet. They decided to head back to the cabin to take a break. The one thing they were sure of was that Zara had an immense amount of power and no clue how to use it. Marie was going to do the best she could but no one in the generations of Trinity women ever held this much power.
Zara was determined to be able to master this as she had with everything else in her life. As they walked, she thought back to her childhood, imagining when she began tae kwon do. Feeling intimidated, learning her patterns and one steps, but she always knew she would master them with time and practice, which she had. This was no different; she would find a way to control her powers.
Zara kicked her wet shoes off on the back porch then ran upstairs to change into dry clothes. Hunger gnawed at her stomach when she smelled the food Aaron had prepared for them, aware they both had run out without any breakfast. When Zara sat down at the kitchen table Aaron was struck by the noticeable changes in her. Her hair seemed longer, fuller, the color deeper and her hazel eyes sparkled with lots of bright amber and gold specs. She seemed to have a soft golden glow around her as well that she did not seem to be aware of.
As Zara reached over to get another spoonful of scrambled eggs Aaron saw something dark at the top of her right arm when her sleeve pulled up. “What’s on your arm?” he said, concerned.
“What do you mean?” Zara asked, unfazed with a mouthful of food, her body craving the protein.
“Here, just under your sleeve,” Aaron said as he motioned to the spot on his own arm.
Zara put her fork down and pulled up the sleeve on her right arm. She gasped in shock. There on her shoulder was a Trinity symbol tattooed on her arm which had never been there before. It was a dark purple shade outlined with a thin black line and a golden shimmering circle around it. It was beautiful.
Marie’s mouth dropped open in shock. “I have never seen this happen. Not with any of the Trinity women. There are no stories about this either,” she said in awe.
“I can’t believe it, I never felt a thing, it must have just appeared,” Zara said in disbelief. She liked the way it looked, it made her feel like she was a part of something. Her grandmother stared with eyes shining full of reverent love toward her. Zara was beginning to accept who she was and what she needed to do. She had a long way to go, but she was determined to let nothing stand in her way. “Let’s go back outside,” Zara said while sticking her last forkful of eggs in her mouth. Marie smiled and followed along.
“Be careful, ladies,” Aaron called after them. He could not believe what he had seen. He never heard any stories about the Triquetra tattoo appearing on one of the Trinity women, but he had known Zara would be different. Just how different no one really knew.
Chapter 8
Halfway across the country, in one of his secret underground lairs, Erebus focused on the next steps of his plan to kill Zara. He had many properties around the world, but this was his favorite. Located fifty miles beneath the center of the Mohave desert, no one even knew it existed. This was his main training facility where his best assassins spent most of their time. He recruited them from all over the world an
d Erebus liked to oversee them from time to time so it was not unusual for him to be there today, watching.
Standing behind the tinted glass, eyes glued, watching his greatest asset, his most skilled assassin, Dimitri, whom he had actually found and trained himself. Erebus knew it was time to put an end to Zara Trinity since he had been unable to secure the Trinity Ring for himself. His phone chimed with an incoming text, but he could not look away as Dimitri finished off his opponent with a blade across the throat.
Erebus pulled out his phone and smiled as he watched the life bleed out in front of him. Glancing down with a satisfied smirk, he read the text; the location of Zara Trinity. Looking back up at Dimitri, Erebus said quietly to himself, “Your time is up, Zara Trinity.”
Dimitri stood over his kill, barely breathing hard, as he raised his head and looked toward the glass. Erebus knew there was no way he could be seen, but it was as if Dimitri stared right into his eyes. Erebus looked away first with a smirk as he turned to walk out of the room. “This is going to work.”
Dimitri knew he was being watched, again, he didn’t care. He knew how proud Erebus was of his creation, a ruthless killing machine. Standing across from his own reflection he stared, trying to make sense of the person he saw. His crystal blue eyes shined bright against his dark skin. Strong and broad at six feet four, he was a formidable opponent with muscles bulging through the short sleeves of his tight gray T-shirt.
His speed and agility were a match for no one, and his mind was sharp, always one step ahead. He had never failed a mission for Erebus. Dimitri glanced down at the knife in his hand, then back to his own ice-blue glare with a fleeting thought of wondering how he had gotten to this place. He seethed at his reflection in the glass as he threw his blade into it, shattering his face into a thousand different images. Blue eyes repeated hundreds of times, flying through the air, staring back at him, judging him.
Taking in a deep breath, he reminded himself that he didn’t care about anything other than finishing off his target. He was being sent out today to take down Zara Trinity and once his mission was complete Erebus would have absolute power. He knew and he could not wait. Eager to pack his bag and leave he turned and left the room, leaving his kill lying behind him.
After nearly two days driving, Dimitri finally arrived in the small town of Harrogate, Tennessee, Zara Trinity’s hometown. Though he had the general location of Zara Trinity, he made a detour since he was still awaiting the exact address to the cabin where Lilith had gone to meet Zara that night. He had decided to go by Lilith’s apartment first to search for any additional information she may have had on Zara.
Lilith’s apartment held nothing useful, though he was surprised to see how messy it was. Dimitri had memorized Zara’s file and decided to go by her work while awaiting the address to the cabin. No one seemed to doubt his excuse that he was an old friend, surprising her for her birthday. However, this too offered minimal insights into Zara Trinity. Dimitri was heading toward Zara’s house when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket.
Pulling off to the side of the road, he said, “Hello.” In a quiet, yet menacing voice. He didn’t like being bothered while out on a mission.
“It’s me, one of my informants just called with the exact address where you will find her.”
Erebus proceeded to relay the address for the cabin along with the code for the gated entry. Dimitri was shocked to hear directly from Erebus, usually his assistant would call or text with any mission updates. What is so special about this girl? he wondered after hanging up with Erebus. Her file didn’t mention anything remarkable.
Looking at the address he had written down, Dimitri entered it into his GPS. The remote location in the mountains was back the other way. Pulling back out onto the road he made a U-turn and headed out. Two hours later he neared his destination, deciding to park a few miles away and make the rest of the trek on foot through the cover of the forest. The Trinity Protectors would be keeping her under close surveillance, so he had to be careful.
Surprisingly, he did not know what Zara Trinity looked like. There was no picture in her file and nothing in Lilith’s apartment. Erebus had simply said he would know her when he found her. It was likely that Erebus had her picture but kept it from him as an added challenge which he would do from time to time. Today, his goal was to get a look at the location and possibly his target. He would scout what he could today, and he would come back later for the kill.
Leaving his car in a secluded area off the main road, he walked quietly, with the dense foliage around him keeping him hidden. His tall, strong frame was surprisingly quiet and agile as he made his way through the forest. It was not long before he heard faint sounds of laughter and followed in that direction. Dimitri was far enough away not to be detected but could just make out the shapes of two women.
Crouching down, he pulled out his binoculars to settle in and observe. One woman seemed quite a bit younger than the other. She had her back turned to him, but he saw her unmistakable fiery red hair blowing in the wind and she appeared to have a tall strong athletic physique. The other woman was facing his direction, talking and laughing. She too appeared strong and athletic, but was shorter with long wavy gray hair and dark brown eyes.
He sat still watching them, eyebrows raised in surprise when it appeared that the younger redhead was controlling a fire in front of her. Her back was still to him, but she seemed to be watching the fire as she occasionally waved her hand, making the flames contort into different shapes. As he watched, he had to admit he was a bit mesmerized.
Suddenly, with only a wave of her hand, the girl with the fiery red hair also made a tree begin to grow near her. There had been nothing there beside her and now, just a few feet to her right, stood a huge magnolia tree just like the others scattered around her in the forest. The tree got so big the women had to move aside as it grew.
Dimitri had heard stories of the Trinity women; he knew some could use magic, control the elements. However, he had never heard any stories of Trinity women that could manipulate more than one element, nor had he ever witnessed it for himself. Erebus had warned him that she would be powerful, yet he found himself wondering what all she could do. The two women now had their backs to him as he silently observed them.
Glancing around the area he noticed a hidden camera high up in a tree and heard the low hum of electricity, likely marking the beginning of their property line. There was also a six-foot iron fence ahead he suspected went around the entire property. He could just see their cabin peeking through the trees in the distance; it looked larger than he had expected. From what he had heard about the Protectors of the Trinity he felt sure there were likely several cameras around this property, along with several of the Protectors themselves. Satisfied with what he had found, he was ready to head back and begin preparations for tomorrow, he would return at dawn.
As Dimitri stood to leave, he wasn’t sure why, but he had to take one last look through the binoculars to see if the girl was doing anything new. When he placed them against his eyes his focus caught on twin hazel irises with sparkling flecks of gold and amber staring back at him. His heart rate spiked, but he knew there was no way she could see him. He watched and waited perfectly still knowing he was far enough away, yet he still held his breath.
Those eyes, they seemed to stare straight into his soul, uprooting hidden secrets in an instant. After a moment, her eyes moved, glancing to the left and right of him. She can’t see me, but she must sense me, he thought. He watched and waited until she turned around, finally releasing the breath he held.
As he crept slowly out of the forest, he could not get that vision out of his mind. Her long red wavy hair, her fierce hazel eyes that appeared to have a golden sparkle that pierced his soul, and that face, the face of an angel with strong high cheekbones. He closed his eyes briefly, shaking away the stray thoughts from his mind. He had a mission to complete and he was locked on his target. He drove until he found a place to stay nearby for the nigh
t then reported his findings to Erebus.
“What is it, Zara?” Marie asked, looking concerned as Zara had suddenly lost all focus and turned to stare intently at the forest behind them. They were on the east side of the property and Marie knew there was nothing but forest for miles, but Zara must have picked up on something. Marie was cautious, knowing Zara did not have a good hold on her power yet. Even though she had been making great progress over the past few days, it would be easy for Zara to unknowingly react and lash out before she learned how to control her powers better.
“It’s nothing, I guess. I just had this overwhelming sense of being watched. I have felt that before over the past few weeks at times, but this was stronger. Every cell in my body tells me that someone or something was watching us just now,” Zara said as she looked to Marie for guidance.
Noting the spark of fear and uncertainty in Zara’s eyes, Marie decided they should go in for the night. Inside, Zara felt herself relax as she and Marie talked with Aaron while they ate. He was certainly keeping them well fed, she never realized what a good cook he was. After swallowing the last bite of her steak, Zara told him about the feeling she had outside of being watched and the other feelings over the past few weeks. Aaron immediately jumped up.
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” he yelled, pulling out his phone. He gave instructions for a team to check the perimeter of the property. “You have to tell me right away if you ever feel anything like that again. I’m going to check the camera footage.”
Zara watched, her mouth open in shock, as he stormed out of the kitchen. Zara stood and followed behind him.
“What is this room?” she asked in awe as she caught the door before it closed behind him. Taking in the wall of TV monitors and the faces of two men who looked up in shock at her standing in the doorway.