Trinity Awakening (9 page)

             
"They must be taking him to the Dark Empress, how can we save the Ora with only two elementals?" 

             
"We have to try." Trinny heard Emma’s voice take on it's 'fighting for a cause' mode, just like the time she had raised $3000 for Green Peace to help save the whales. Trinny turned to Emma with her head down. 

             
"I couldn't do anything Em, I'm meant to be this all powerful being and just couldn't help. Maybe they're wrong about me." Trinny was so discouraged, not only could she not help fight, but the man who could have told her about her father and helped her to understand who she was, was now missing, she couldn't even look anyone in the eye. Emma put her arm through Trinny's and turned to her friend, her voice fortified. 

             
"Ever since I met you Trinny, I knew you were special, and I knew I had to be part of your life. I could never understand why most people kept their distance from you, I always thought it was because the girls were jealous of your looks and the guys were just plain intimidated by you. Now I understand it was because you're not really of this world, you never really fit in because you were never meant to. Now is your chance to find out
who
you really are, to see where you come from, how your life should have been. Your powers will come. If I know anything about you Trinny, it's that you never fail at anything, you may have fallen a few times, but you always get up, and you always succeed." Trinny felt a cool
hand under her chin lifting her head gently, she looked up expecting to see Emma’s face, but found herself looking into a pair of emerald green eyes.

             
"Don't lose heart, the time will come very soon when you'll come face to face with your destiny, and you will know what to do." Aarion's voice was soft but strong all at the same time, she was mesmerized by it, and she felt her heart skip a beat. Emma’s mouth seemed to drop open a little as she watched the connection that was forming right in front of her eyes. Aarion broke his stare and went straight back to leader mode. "We have to leave, they may be reforming themselves and could be back to try and take another elemental. We need to get to the portal and get back to Taeith, my father will know what to do."

CHAPTER SIX

'There are times when I cannot believe I am separate from this earth, when I could swear the wind blows through me as it does the woven needles of the pine tree by the creek, when I feel my feet planted deep in the earth with the roots of trees and wildflowers, drawing essence.' - Cathy Johnson

Trinny couldn't believe her eyes when she came out of the portal to find herself in the middle of a dense forest. It was warm here, there was sunlight streaming through the massive trees that towered above and Trinny could feel a soft breeze against her skin. It felt strange to have come from a dark cold night to a warm summers day.
It must be late afternoon
, she thought to herself. She could hear the twitter of
birds in the branches around them and a distant sound of flowing water, maybe a stream, or waterfall. It was so lush here, the trees were so green they didn't quite seem real, there was just no way to describe the colors, they were so varied and vibrant. The ground even had such richness to the earthy browns, darker soil than Trinny had ever seen. There were beautiful purple and yellow flowers budding on the bushes that grew at the foot of the trees and leafy vines twisted around the trunks. 

             
"It's beautiful." She whispered not knowing that Aarion was right behind her. 

             
"Home." He smiled at her as she turned to see who spoke, it made her miss a breath and she found herself trying to catch it again.

             
"It feels so calm here." Trinny said trying to cover for her breathlessness. 

             
"You'll feel peaceful here, it is Elven Wood, the Bolsua flowers here release a pollen that has a calming effect on all who breathe it in, it's safe, but it just means we need to be more alert as it can make you feel a little too relaxed. We are still two days walk from Taeith, this is the closest portal to the city." Aarion moved ahead towards where Morthos was checking the area, and Emma came up along side Trinny. 

             
"This place is unbelievable, and this is only the forest, I can't wait to see the rest of it, but I'm feeling a little drained, do you think he'll let us take a rest? It's not like we come up against creepy banshees and ugly, hairy werewolves everyday. I bet he'll let us rest if
you
ask." 

             
"Em, I don't know where in your head you come up with the idea that guys like me, the Ben Mathers thing didn't go so well." Trinny didn't notice Nina come up behind them. 

             
"I have to agree with Emma, if
you
ask, he'll do." 

             
"Alright, alright, I'll do the asking." 

Trinny broke away from the girls and joined Aarion and Morthos. "Aarion, do you think we could have a break, as we're feeling a little tired?" 

             
“Break? Coffee? Great idea, I'll pour!" Garus had been leaning against a tree nearby and at the word 'break' could not contain his excitement over the fact he could finally have more of this new drink he had fallen in love with. Before anyone else could speak, he sat himself down on a large tree root and proceeded to pour several cups of coffee from the flask that Lucille had packed in the bag he had been carrying. 

             
"I guess we are having a break. We need to move on soon though, so don't get to comfortable." Aarion directed his reply to everyone. Morthos had come around the back of Garus and gave him a light hit on the back of the head, which caused Garus to spit out his mouthful of coffee. 

             
"Hey, hey, that's good coffee, make me waste anymore Morthos and you will pay in pain." Morthos grunted and positioned himself as a lookout about twenty feet away from everyone. 

             
"So what's his story, he's so serious all the time?" Emma asked Garus as she took a hot cup of coffee from him and sat on the ground. 

             
"He is an elite Guard of the Ora, no one has ever matched his strength, and he’s Aarion’s protector as well. He's alright, but if it's a real man you're looking for, you don't have to look any further." Garus lifted his eyebrows a couple of times at Emma and gave her a wink. 

             
"Does that actually work for you?" Nina said as she sat beside Emma, who was looking at Garus with a
'what the heck'
kind of look.

             
"No." Garus replied in a disappointed tone. Emma suddenly felt sorry for him. 

             
"So is there a girl you like in Taeith, Garus?" 

             
"Parisa, she's perfect." He now had a little glazed over look in his eye; Emma thought this was very cute.

             
"Does she know you exist?" 

             
"Of course, she's Aarion’s sister, and I'm his best friend, of course she knows I exist...but she would prefer if I didn't." He was now sounding very deflated.

Nina smiled at him.

             
"Garus, I bet you are always trying to get her attention aren't you?" He nodded. "Well, that's not how to get her to notice you. You need to ignore her, don't pay her any attention at all, get on with your life and let her think you are not interested, after a while, she'll look your way." 

             
"But she is always given whatever she wants, Fae men fall at her feet, how can I compete if I ignore her?" Garus was looking confused.

             
"She's right Garus, it's the ones who have everything laid at their feet that enjoy a challenge, if you become the challenge, she will be the one coming after you." Emma was in full agreement with Nina. "And one more thing Garus, no more of that terrible flirting, you really are no good at it." Emma was smiling at Garus as she spoke, he laughed back at her.

             
"Sure, I can handle that, but I do have a reputation to uphold, so please play along with the odd wink or nudge." Emma nodded and Nina laughed with Garus.

Trinny had not even noticed the conversation her friend Emma was having with their new acquaintances, she was to busy exploring the beauty of the forest, the moss on the trees, the bright red and blue colors of tiny beetles that were
crawling under and over large leaves on nearby native plants. She was captivated by the smells that surrounded her. She picked up a tiny flower head that had fallen to the ground and took in its fragrance; it smelt like the steam on hot concrete when rain had just fallen, she smiled to herself. 

             
"A Cillith flower, they smell different to everyone, they bring a scent that makes the bearer think of a happy memory." Trinny hadn't noticed Aarion was even near her, she jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. "Sorry if I startled you." 

             
"That's fine, it's just so lovely here, and I got a bit lost in the beauty of everything. This flower is amazing." She looked up at him. "Is it time for us to go?" He looked tired, but there was just such gentleness to his eyes, she always found it so hard to pull herself away from them,
stop staring Trinny,
she told herself firmly. Aarion looked at her for a long moment without saying a word. Trinny felt very awkward, she looked down at the flower, not knowing if she should say something to break the silence, or maybe even walk away, maybe he had finished his conversation. Finally he spoke.

             
"You're not who I was expecting, you're so young." Trinny was taken aback, and felt a little defensive.

             
"Well who were you expecting, some all powerful gorgeous goddess type
warrior
who can take on anything or anyone with her amazing powers? I may not be who you were wanting, but I am here, and I'll do what's asked of me, or at least I'll try." She turned away, she was so mad at herself for reacting like that that she didn't hear Aarion try to speak to her. 

             
"I didn't mean...that."

Trinny moved away quickly, muttering to herself about her conversation with Aarion, frustration and regret were filling
her thoughts. As she stormed back toward Emma she was too preoccupied to notice a large tree root protruding from the ground. She fell hard on her left side hearing the sound of a loud snap with the impact. Feeling a shooting pain in her left arm she bit her bottom lip to suppress her cry. Sitting up slowly, Trinny looked around to see how she fell, she put her hand on her elbow and felt moisture, when she looked at her hand there was blood.
Oh great
, she thought,
now I have another reason to look like a useless idiot.

             
"Are you alright?" Garus held out his hand to Trinny to help her up.

             
"Just a scratch." Although she could feel it was a little more than a normal scratch as her arm was starting to get more painful. Garus pulled Trinny up with her good arm and looked at her bleeding elbow. 

             
"That is not good." He said with a scrunched up look on his face like a kid who just had his dinner plate filled with
brussels
sprouts.

             
"Do you get faint at the sight of blood Garus?" Emma teased as she approached. "Eww...Trin, that is just plain gross. Can't believe I just used the word 'gross', that is so 80's." 

             
"Emma, it's only a bit of blood, it'll be fine". Trinny was feeling her arm get even more painful by the minute, but she thought it must just be a nasty scrape.

             
"What's wrong?" Nina stood up to see what all the fuss was about. "Oh, that is revolting, I'm usually good with blood, but that's extra bad." Trinny had had about enough comments and painfully lifted her arm to see what everyone was going on about. When she saw the broken bone that was now poking out of her arm she felt very faint and started to sway a bit, the pain was growing and her head was now starting to spin. She suddenly felt strong arms around her
back and then under her,
did someone just pick me up
? She thought, but everything was going a little blurry. 

Aarion placed Trinny at the foot of a huge tree in between two large roots so she would feel steady. 
             

             
"You've broken your arm Trinny." Emma started to rummage around in her bag. "I know I have a first aid kit in here, it has a bandage." Trinny was feeling very dazed, she felt her good arm fall to the ground, the earth was cool and moist, it felt so calming in her hand. She could hear the others talking, deciding how they could help her, but the pain was lessening. "What's happening?" Emma said as she came toward Trinny with a bandage. 

             
"Look at her arm." Garus said in amazement.