The Trinity Ring

by C. A. Bleu

  With her guard up and strength restored, she finally replied, “You could have fooled me, you seemed pretty confident.”

  Taking a cautious step away, she continued to take him in. For some reason she felt a strange connection to him and couldn’t deny the attraction to his toned athletic body and his crystal blue eyes. She noticed a tattoo on his inner right forearm that shocked her. It appeared to be intertwining initials in cursive and a date that she couldn’t make out. She wondered what it meant, whose they were.

  Seemingly harmless, he was staring straight ahead, taking in the view when something snapped inside of her. She became suddenly aware that she was alone, isolated, without the Protectors of the Trinity, standing near the edge of a cliff in front of a tall mysterious stranger. Adrenaline spiked as instinct kicked in, her body pulsed in defense, ready for action.

  The wind picked up around her and with narrowed eyes, she asked, “Who are you and what do you want with me?” She was not backing down, she felt it in her gut. He had come for her.

  Hearing the change in her voice, he turned to look at her. He noticed the wind picking up and the leaves that had begun to blow, aware that she was causing it. A vivid flashback of what happened in the woods the last time she used her power flew across his mind. Shaking off the memory, he put his hands out in front of him in a defensive posture, taking a step back.

  “Whoa, take it easy, I didn’t mean to offend you. I was just trying to be friendly, I’m sorry, I obviously keep messing this up.” He paused, looking around again. “Wow, I can’t believe how the wind has picked up, I think we better head back to town. I’m sorry I caught you off guard. I’ll head on back.”

  Dimitri wanted to stay, but he knew he could not push her. To get her to trust him, backing away might be the only way. He turned around and started to walk back toward the trail.

  His words sank in as she watched him walk away. The sudden threat she feared disappeared and she snapped out of her defensive aggression. It scared her to know that she could have easily killed him just then. Although his athletic physique was as intimidating as it was captivating, he did not seem to want to harm her. She watched him walking away and had a brief thought about her future. Was she planning on living the rest of her life without any friends or conversations outside of Aaron or Carson? That would be no life at all. She closed her eyes, hoping she was doing the right thing.

  “Wait,” she called after him. “I’m sorry, come back.”

  Stopping mid-stride, he smiled to himself, composing his face as he slowly turned around and looked at her. “I don’t want you to be afraid. I was just out to get some exercise and when I saw you here… honestly I don’t know why, but I feel drawn to you.”

  He wasn’t lying about the last part, there was a part of him that really did feel drawn to her. Looking around, he continued, “I can’t believe how the wind just died down like that. It seemed like we were about to have a storm.”

  Knowing that Zara was the cause, he knew that in a split-second she could kill him with her powers. He was treading on thin ice with this mission. This was new ground for him, and he did not know the full extent of what her powers were. Part of him was ready to drop this mission and take off, but another part of him reveled in the idea of taking time to get to know more about her.

  Chapter 15

  Letting her guard down, her shoulders relaxed a little as he walked back toward her. They stood side by side in comfortable silence, taking in the scenery of the overlook. From the corner of his eye, he could see loose strands of her striking red hair blowing gently as they had fallen from her ponytail. Dimitri was the first to break the silence.

  “So, do you live here or just visiting?” he asked, his deep strong voice betrayed by his nerves.

  Taking a deep breath, Zara checked in with her power and the surrounding forest. She did not feel any danger at the moment and thought maybe he was just trying to get to know her. Sensing his nerves, she smiled, deciding to open up a little. Maybe unloading some of the weight she was carrying would help her in some way.

  “I, ah, had to get away for a little bit… my grandmother died suddenly, it has been very hard.”

  Quickly, her mind flashed back to the fear in her grandmother’s brown eyes. Regret and anguish gripped her heart with the reminder that she had killed her grandmother. Zara felt a pull within her power and began to see the small ball of light appearing. Not yet ready to face her mother or grandmother, she had learned how to shut this down. Taking a few calming breaths she continued.

  “I’m here with my uncle, but we’ll probably be heading out soon. What about you?”

  Unsure what to make of this news, Dimitri was shocked to hear that the older lady who had been with Zara was her grandmother and that she had died. How did she die? he wondered to himself. Realizing Zara was looking at him, waiting for a response, he answers, “Oh, I’m in town on business for a few days myself. This is the first time I have visited Abingdon. Zara, I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother. I don’t have any family still living.”

  He couldn’t believe he shared that, he never talked about his personal life, ever. Staring for a moment, held captive by the golden sparks flashing in her eyes, he felt like he could tell her anything. As she stared back at him, he felt a warm ache trying to thaw him from the inside. Hers was not a look of pity but of understanding. He realized she likely had no one else left in her family either.

  They talked a while about trivial things before jogging back down the mountain. While running, her mind mulled over what she would say to Aaron sure that he was angry and pacing by this time. When they reached the edge of town, they went their separate ways. Before parting they agreed to meet later for dinner at the café. Zara ran up the steps two at a time to her apartment door. She could hear Aaron yelling on the other side before she entered.

  “What do you mean you let her go out? You didn’t feel the need to go with her? What were you thinking?” he yelled, pacing the floor, his anger fueled by fear.

  Zara burst through the front door before Carson had a chance to respond.

  “Aaron, it’s okay I’m here,” she said, continuing enthusiastically down the hall to shower.

  Aaron stared at her open-mouthed until she disappeared. Turning back to Carson with fury written all over his face. In a hushed, serious voice, Aaron said, “Carson, you are my oldest friend, but to disregard your duty right now is incomprehensible. Do not let it happen again.”

  Nodding silently, with his head hung low, Carson headed out the front door. Aaron felt his shoulders relax a little knowing Zara was okay, but how could Carson have let her go out like that? He would hate to lose Carson, but if anything like this were to happen again, he would have to remove Carson from Zara’s protection detail.

  Other than coming out briefly to make a sandwich for lunch, Zara stayed in her room reading over her family books. There was so much information to learn. She was fascinated with the writings of the original ancestor, Lozen Trinity, her tales of being sent down to earth and forming the Protectors of the Trinity.

  Zara realized deep down that everything her grandmother had told her was true, she really was an angel, but she also still felt very human. The only difference she noticed between her and the other Trinity women was that she had never known about her powers or her family until turning eighteen. It seemed the others were taught from the time they were small about what to expect, about their powers, the Trinity Protectors and their future.

  As much as she searched the books, she found that none of the Trinity women had ever married, nor did it seem that any of them had a partner or any love interest that was talked about. She wondered about how it was possible for them to avoid any personal romantic connections when it was obvious they were all so strong and beautiful.

  The books told about each of them becoming pregnant at the age of twenty-five. She shook her head, still not able to believe this could happen to her. Zara did believe that it was divine intervention that
led to each pregnancy for the past two hundred years, each time a new angel was sent down to become the next Trinity.

  Her mother’s story in the book was short, but there was a picture of her that looked like it was taken on a pier, near an ocean somewhere. She gently caressed her mother’s picture, imagining her smile, hearing her carefree laugh, but she was careful not to call on her. On her mother’s page, below her picture, it talked about her moving east when she turned twenty-five and taking a Protector with her, but then no further information about her or her child had made it to the book. It didn’t say where she was living or why she moved.

  The word ‘angels’ hummed through Zara’s mind as she turned the pages, taking in the faces of the Trinity women page after page. She noticed there was a blank page in the book, would her picture appear there? Throughout the pages she found many references to the prophecy and the red-haired warrior, it still felt surreal to think these comments were talking about her.

  Was she really this strong, brave warrior they all thought she was? She thought back to different times in her life, times when she was faced with difficult situations, challenges, and times when she really should have been afraid. She had always persevered. Somehow, she had always found a way through any adversity and had never let fear stand in her way. This time in her life would be no different, she could not hide behind doubt any longer.

  Closing the book, she ran her fingertips along the golden Triquetra symbol on the cover and began to accept that this was her life now. She felt the urge to see her mother and grandmother to ask more questions, but pushed it away as soon as the golden ball of light began to appear. Earlier in the forest, Zara sensed that maybe one of them was trying to reach her, but she just wasn’t ready to see them. How could she look at her grandmother knowing she was the one who had killed her?

  When Zara headed down to the corner café at six o’clock to meet Dimitri, she was surprised at how easily Aaron had let her go. She had to admit she was expecting an argument after being gone this morning. He worried about her, she knew he meant well, but lately she was beginning to feel trapped. Zara had always longed to travel and wanted to see more of the world. Never really sure what she wanted to do with her life, but felt a purpose, and a longing to explore the world around her. She vowed to find a way to have her own adventure after she took care of Erebus.

  Rounding the corner of the café she caught her reflection in the window. Her fiery red hair held some curls as it bounced on her shoulders with each step. She wore a nicer blue T-shirt, at least it wasn’t faded and wrinkled like most of her others. With her cut-off jean shorts and sandals, she was cute, casual, and hoped she didn’t look like she had tried on most of her clothes before deciding on this outfit. She realized Dimitri had been hidden in the back of her thoughts throughout the day, okay, all day.

  She could not get his chiseled face and crystal ice-blue eyes out of her head and wondered how old he was. It felt strange for these feelings to stir in her now as Zara had never taken any interest in anyone before. Reaching for the handle of the café door, she saw him. His genuine smile as he waved to her from the back corner booth sent an unexpected burst of adrenaline through her. Waving back shyly, the door closed behind her. She was unaware that flowers sprouted up and multiplied in the two plants by the entrance, but Dimitri noticed.

  Joining him in the booth, the waiter brought her usual coffee, giving Zara a secret wink as he looked from her to Dimitri. Zara felt her cheeks redden, suddenly wondering what she was doing there. No, she would not allow herself to run. She had longed for a life of adventure and had landed directly in one, now she needed to start living it.

  The bells chimed, an indication that someone else had entered the café. Glancing toward the door, she saw Aaron taking a seat on the opposite side of the room. He thought he was being discreet, but she noticed him. No wonder he let me leave so easily, she thought with an eye roll and a sigh. She knew he worried, but she felt there was no need for him to worry about Dimitri. Something inside was telling her that he could be trusted.

  They talked as they ate and Zara laughed, actually laughed, which even Aaron could not believe. Teasing one another as they were both so sore from their run that morning. They both had been trying to prove they were faster than the other. Zara had been feeling so down since her grandmother’s death she had forgotten what it felt like to be alive. This was the part of her that felt completely human and wanted to deny the other truth of her existence. At this moment she wanted to be normal and not have the weight of the world on her shoulders and Erebus in the back of her mind.

  Zara learned that Dimitri was trained in martial arts and he also did a lot of traveling. He had spent a lot of time in England which was where he picked up the subtle accent she heard. She learned that he was twenty-two years old and had been an only child. He seemed a bit evasive at times, but Zara thought that was probably normal for two people who just met. Not very forthcoming herself, she shared only information she thought would not freak him out. One question she wondered about kept swirling through her mind.

  “I noticed you have a tattoo on your arm, it looked like it was someone’s initials.” She watched as his carefree expression turned stone cold.

  It took him a moment to gather his thoughts and respond, no one, not one person, had ever asked him about his tattoo.

  “I don’t talk about that.” Was all he could manage to say. A knot formed in his chest as he pushed his memories as far down as he could. Clearing his throat, the moment of awkward silence that passed between them was heavy.

  Zara apologized for her prying question, shocked by his reaction, as the waiter arrived to clear their dishes. When the waiter turned to leave, one of the plates dropped and shattered on the floor around them. Dimitri helped pick up the mess and let out a soft curse when a small sharp edge cut his hand. Sitting back down, he grabbed a napkin to stop the bleeding. The waiter, seeing the deep cut in Dimitri’s hand, said he would be right back.

  Zara reached forward, gently taking his hand to look at the cut. As soon as she made contact Dimitri’s eyes shot up to meet hers. Zara’s breath caught and she felt, for a moment, like she was floating in the blue ocean of his eyes. The electric current was there again, he seemed to feel it too as he took in a sharp breath.

  Dimitri stared in wonder at the contrast of their skin as he felt a warmth come over him. He could not remember the last time he felt a nurturing, gentle touch from another person, someone so beautiful in such a tender and comforting way. Zara dabbed at the cut with her napkin and looked him in the eye taking in a deep determined breath. He didn’t know what she was doing but could feel the hairs on his arms raise like there was some kind of electricity flowing through the room.

  He watched as Zara closed her eyes, holding his hand between both of hers. Dimitri discretely looked around, but no one was looking at them. A tingling warmth spread through his hand, out to his fingertips and up his arm. When she opened her eyes, he saw remnants of glowing golden specks in her amber eyes start to fade. Pulling her hands back, she looked at him, waiting for his reaction. Stunned, he turned his hand over to inspect his cut, but as he wiped away the blood, he found there was no cut. It was gone, healed instantly as if it was never there.

  He stared at her in disbelief, rubbing the spot on his hand where there was a bleeding cut just moments ago. Zara’s brows creased with concern, she could not believe what she had just done. Why did she heal him? How would she ever explain it? She knew that no one was to know of her powers, but she did not want to see him in pain. Had she gone too far? She hadn’t been able to control her urge to heal him.

  Standing to leave, she gave Dimitri an apologetic look. His face was pure shock and adoration, but he couldn’t seem to form any words as he stared at her. She turned and left in a hurry, without a goodbye, leaving him stunned and speechless.

  Dimitri had seen Zara use her powers and knew she could control some of the elements of nature, likely all of them. However, he
had no idea she also had the power to heal someone. He had never felt anything like that. It was a small tingling sensation at first, but quickly changed to a strong electric heat going through his hand and up his arm in a warm rush. It was also soothing as it healed, he noted.

  Examining his hand again and could not believe there was no evidence of even a scrape. The waiter returned with some extra napkins and a first aid kit for the cut. After setting the napkins on the table, the waiter stood, staring in disbelief as Dimitri looked at his hand.

  “Oh sorry, I thought I had a cut, but there was nothing there,” Dimitri said to the confused waiter as he stood, leaving a sizable tip on the table before he hurried from the coffee shop.

  Sitting in a booth on the opposite side of the restaurant, Aaron sat fuming. “What is she thinking?” he said quietly to himself. Using her powers on a human, then just taking off, with no explanation.

  He watched Dimitri leave, wondering if there was more to him than they originally thought. Zara never let anyone in, and he sure seemed to be getting awfully close to her and fast. Aaron realized that it was Carson who did the digging into Dimitri’s background, but after this morning, Aaron thought he better do some digging of his own. He decided to finish his coffee assured with the knowledge that Zara would be safe in her room by now.

  Zara, however, had decided on a whim not to run straight back to their apartment, instead, she stood around the corner of the adjacent building as she watched and waited for Dimitri’s reaction. She saw as Dimitri sat stunned for a moment then seemed to cover for her with the waiter before he threw money on the table and left quickly.

  Hidden, she watched him walk briskly down the sidewalk on the other side of the street and into another building. That must be where he is renting a room, she thought to herself. Against her better judgment, she followed him, feeling the need to apologize and explain herself. She knew she would face the wrath of Aaron at not going directly upstairs, but meeting Dimitri was beginning to feel important on some deep level.