The Trust

Chapter Four

Why I had helped her out, I would never know. I could still hear her following me, talking like there was no tomorrow.

“So, where are we anyway?” Trina asked.

“The Darkue Lynds. Shouldn’t you be in some happy-go-lucky place, such as… not here?” I wailed. Normally I was alone, but today was going on forever.

“Are we really?” She gasped.

“How could you not know that?”

For a minute, Trina was silent. Finally, she answered very somberly. “Someone was after me… so I escaped. After I passed out, you were there, and I was lost.”

Not knowing what to say, I kept walking. The world seemed peaceful, and then I heard the footsteps of something rushing through the forest.

Turning around, I extended a hand to the fairy. She stepped back, confusion on her face.

“Don’t say anything; just trust me,” I nodded, panic filling me.

Trina looked terrified, but she placed her tiny hand in my comparably humongous one. Using my other hand I scooped her up, then put my hands in my coat pockets. Not a second later, the source of the footsteps burst through the foliage.

It was Tar, my black-haired, gray-eyed vampire friend.

He was out of breath, and he put his hands on his knees.

“Spit it out, Tar,” I nervously chuckled.

“T-Teron,” he coughed. “He demands your immediate presence…”

I could feel my face turn grim. “Teron?”

Tar shrugged. “The whole camp is curious about it. Especially since you guys…”

“I guess I’ll go. It’s not like I can’t take him down if it comes to that,” Even if I said it so lightly, my heart was rushing.

~ ~ ~

It’s extraordinarily difficult to stay calm after someone tells you to trust them, immediately after which the stuff you into their coat pocket.

The only upside I could find to it was that it was a lot warmer than the frigid winter air. I was about to ask Seth what was going on, when another voice spoke. As soon as Seth started speaking, he curled his fist. Pressing myself as far back into the soft fabric of the pocket as I could, I felt an odd thumping. Before long, I realized that it was his rapid heartbeat. And if he was nervous, shouldn’t I be as well? Now that I’d gotten myself scared, there was nothing I could do but wait. Now, the pocket’s warmth was uncomfortable.

The second voice finally went away, and I could feel Seth take a step forward. He unfurled his fist, beckoning me, so I took his hand again. This time he more politely helped me out. To my surprise, he set me on his shoulder.

“Just so you know,” Seth started. “You might want to stop hanging around me. Teron is pretty villainous.”

“Teron?” The name seemed familiar, yet I couldn’t place it.

Scoffing, he replied. “Stereotypical bad guy. We fought once. That sort of thing.”

“You don’t strike me as a fighter – no pun intended,” I smiled for the first time all day.

“It’s getting late. I’d better go,” Seth raised his hand to help me to the ground, but I ignored it.

“I’m coming with you,” I spoke with pride.

Seth frowned. “I can’t hide you forever!”

“Your pocket was fine for me,” My wings perked up a little, despite the soreness.