The Trust

Chapter Three

Had I been anyone else, I would have stepped on the tiny creature and ended it there. Her blonde hair covered her face for the most part, and by her outfit and clamped up wings, I could tell that she would freeze to death if no one helped her.

It just so happened that I had been this one, walking through the forest in the late winter setting.

The fog was beginning to clear, thus bringing the forest back to life. It had to be around 11:00 A.M., for the sun was close to the middle of the sky. Sunlight would never warm the Darkue Lynds, however. Sighing, I pulled my coat tighter, my breath like smoke in the air.

Now, I knelt beside the fairy. The poor creature was out like a light bulb, and in the spur of the moment, I decided to help her. After all, had she not cried for help?

Carefully, I lifted her from the frosty ground, using both of my hands for support. Sure enough, she was ice cold. Uncertain of what to do, I stood and began walking to my cabin.

I arrived shortly, not surprised that the door had been flung open and the few things I owned had been strewn about the room.

Usually if I was gone for a morning or longer, people ransacked my home, yet never found anything valuable.

I laid my coat across the floor where I usually slept, then set down the fairy. She was a bit warmer, but only because I had carried her.

Using a few pieces of firewood I stocked the fireplace, and then aimed my palm at the hearth. A steady wave of blue light shot out, immediately catching the logs on fire.

Perhaps the fairy was hungry. Surely I had something somewhere, even if I never ate actual food? Searching for something inside my house was pointless, as I found nothing but dust and splinters.

I was fixing to go outside and look around when a high-pitched scream rang through my ears. Quickly I spun around, realizing that the fairy was awake.

~ ~ ~

I couldn’t help it. My eyes had fluttered open and I had sat up, confused and dazed about why everything was so… huge. I was sitting on a heavy material with larger stiches and weaving than anything I had ever seen, and nearby, a fire roared in an enormous furnace.

That’s when I saw him.

He wore steel denim jeans and a teal, long-sleeved sweater. His earth-brown hair was messy, a few strands in the front covering his bright green eyes. Worst of all, the eyes were staring straight back at me.

Everything would have been fine, had he not been a thousand times my size. Despite my frenetic urge to run away, I glued myself to the floor, waiting.

He seemed to be waiting for something as well. Suddenly his eyes drifted toward the outdoors, and in a swift motion he left, returning seconds later with his fist clenched tightly.

Now he was approaching me, and my mouth went dry as my heart leapt into my throat. Instead of backing away, my legs seemed paralyzed.

Then, he knelt down, extending his arm toward me. He uncurled his fingers, and a partially crushed pecan rolled off and onto the floor at my feet.

“I thought you might be hungry,” his voice made me jump since everything had been so quiet.

Remembering myself, I decided to say something back. It came out like a squeak, but I was proud of myself for saying it. “Yes, thank you.”

“Well, see you around,” the stranger stood and walked out of the giant room, confusing me.

I packed what I could of the pecan into my satchel then hurried outside, glad that the person was nowhere in sight.

The fog had cleared, leaving behind a forest landscape. Oaks, evergreens, pine trees, and more covered the ground, their leafless branches creaking in the wind. With nothing but the occasional breeze roaring through the foliage, this place seemed clam. I wondered if I was in The Elerian Vast.

Now, snow was beginning to fall. Once more, my wings grew too damp to use, and I found myself walking, my feet numb with cold.

“What now?” I wondered. Should I try to find something, like a town? There was no way that I could go back to The Fair Wood. Even if I wanted to, I had no idea where I was now. All the geography classes in the world wouldn’t have told me where I was.

Thinking about what I was supposed to do distracted me from my surroundings. Lost in thought, I hardly noticed the figure standing in my path.

Only when a low growl interrupted my thoughts did I look up. Before me stood a creature of nightmares – a beast with the body of a wolf and the head of a boar. Its gums were lined with flesh-piercing teeth, and its hideous red eyes stared at me from behind a layer of shaggy brown fur.

Gasping, I staggered backwards, knowing that if I didn’t run and hide, it would be the end for me.

Not caring that my wings could be injured, I forced them upright, taking to the air. I could fly forward, but not up. The creature snapped at me as it trailed behind, causing my heart to race.

As I dodged my way through the woods, I began to fall, wings aching.

Then, I saw the stranger. He was walking away from us, so I called out. No words came; just a long cry of terror.

Fortunately, it got his attention and he whirled around, his eyes widening.

At that moment, my wings clamped up, and I dropped, hitting the snow-covered earth. Everything hurt.

Rolling over, horror filled me as the beast careened toward me, growling wildly. A sudden flash of blue light snapped through the area, and the monster was thrown backwards, its neck twisting unnaturally as it crashed up against the base of an oak tree.

Tremors running through me, I lay absolutely still, and then a shadow fell over me.

Lifting my eyes skyward, I could see the stranger.

He raised an eyebrow, as if waiting for me to do something.

Ignoring how every muscle in my body did its best to keep me down, I sat up.

“What just happened?” Puzzlement filled my mind.

“This is the second time I’ve saved you today. I might have to start charging,” was the only response I got.

“I don’t pay strangers,” smoothing my dress. I stared up at him.

He stood, his height making me feel small. Just like when I looked at the stars…

Adjusting his gray coat, he returned my gaze, saying, “Seth.”

“Trina,” I responded, trotting after him. It took a couple of minutes, but he finally stopped walking. “Why are you following me?”

“Would you believe that I was hopelessly, miserably lost?” I spoke between breaths.

“You? There’s no way!” Seth rolled his eyes.

Timidly, I looked at my feet. “And… maybe someone – not just anyone – someone who knew his way around might help me out,”

It wasn’t what I expected to hear, but Seth laughed. “Yeah, and you think a vampire would do that?”

I froze. “V – vampire?”

“You’re not everyone’s favorite creature either,” he smirked.

“I thought that you were just a human,” the atmosphere felt hollow.

Seth shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “Once.”

“Does this make us friends?”

“What?”

“You going all sensitive on me,” I lowered my voice.

“Sure. You’re the annoying one, and I’m the intelligent, good-looking one,” Seth began walking again.

“Hey!” I shouted. He didn’t stop. “So, we are friends?”

He groaned.