Trinity Found: The Lost Daughter Of Angor Series - Book 1

by Settle Myer

“Peace shall rule,” Julian says.

  “Why wouldn’t they kill Hyde upon capturing him?”

  “They probably hope to get intel from him on the remaining rebel cells in Angor and on Earth,” Reed grumbles.

  Silence takes over the circle of guards, only the crackling of fire and songs of cicadas fill the air. I drop my shields and let the emotions of my protectors take me over. I want to understand what they’re feeling at this very moment. Rosie’s doubt skims over my skin. She has doubt that rebels will turn themselves in and Hyde will be taken back to Angor. It’s not overwhelming, but it’s enough to worry her to her core.

  Reed’s anger burns my lungs. From him, I get the sentiment that he wanted to be the one to capture Hyde. However, his anger fights with the hope that he will get to take down a few rebels along the way.

  Skyler is too drunk, and all I get from him is horniness. If he doesn’t stop mentally undressing my Julian, I will slug him with my telepathic right hook.

  Chanel radiates confidence and pride. She's sure that all is right now that Hyde has been captured. However, I do get a ping of caution from her. She’s surely one to never let down her guard.

  I scan the fire pit circle for Chad but, at some point during the video, he disappeared. Taking a leak to rid all those beers he inhaled? Going back to the cabin to pass out? Who knows. I could try searching for him, speaking to the trees and ground to follow his path. But being this is the first time I’ve drunk alcohol, the minimal amount of wine I’ve had is making me tipsy.

  Julian kisses my shoulder and rubs my back. “How are you doing?”

  “I’m okay. I can’t believe that was my father. He's so handsome. Is everyone on Angor a model?”

  Julian laughs, “Angor has plenty of models. But that is not what our world should be known for. Like Earth, there are people of all shapes and sizes. People of different ethnicities, religions. Disabilities, mental illness... it all exists on Angor. But we are a land that understands beauty is subjective. Physical appearances are nothing but a guise. Because what matters is who you are on the inside.”

  “Wow! That’s deep! You need your own Ted Talk.”

  Julian’s brows furrow. “Who is Ted, and why would I want to talk to him?”

  I giggle, giving Julian a peck on the cheek before standing. “Never mind. I’m going to go use the restroom. I’ll be right back.”

  I rush around the side of the cabin to the front porch, wishing there was a back door because I’m about to burst. Turns out, drinking causes many bathroom breaks. After doing my business, I walk out onto the porch, ready to head back to the group, when I hear a creak of wood to my left.

  “Ayyy! Your Grace!”

  I jump back, tripping over a chair and falling to the wooden flooring of the porch.

  “Oh, dang. You're drunk,” Chad slurs. He stumbles over to me and reaches out a hand.

  I slap it away, and he holds up his hands in defense, backing away.

  “I'm pretty sure you’re the one who is drunk.” I stand, wiping off any dirt from my clothes. Not that I could see since the porch light is off.

  Chad snickers. “Yeah, you’re right. Don't tell Chanel. She told us not to get wasted.” And in his worst impression of Chanel, Chad says, “Always gotta be alert.”

  Chad clumsily finds a rocking chair behind him and plops down. "Pfft. Whatever. It’s time to celebrate. You are found. Hyde is captured.”

  Chad lifts his beer to take another drink, but I stop him. “I’m just going to take care of this for you.”

  I set the beer bottle on a table far away from the drunken Royal protector.

  “Now what? Now, what am I supposed to do with my life?”

  Chad’s voice cracks. Oh no. We have an emotional drunk on our hands.

  “Let me get you some water.”

  I go back in and find the biggest glass possible. I return to a sulking Chad. He chugs the water, gulping down every last drop.

  “Ugh. This beer is stale.”

  “Probably because that's water.”

  “Oh man, I love water. Can I have some more?”

  I anticipated this would happen. I’d actually filled up about three glasses of water and brought them back outside with me. I hand Chad a second glass and, this time, he only drinks about half of it.

  “Ah!” he says, smacking his lips.

  “Feel better?”

  Chad nods dramatically.

  I sit down in another rocking chair next to Chad. We sit in the dark and silence, listening to crickets. Every once in a while, a wolf would howl, and I'd get giddy thinking that was the first time I'd ever heard a wolf’s howl. Well, not really the first. There was that one time at the Bronx Zoo, but hearing it in nature was a whole other experience.

  I made sure to send Julian a mental text message to let him know I'm okay and tending to a drunken Chad. He argued to come help, but I told him I had it handled. Poor Chad didn’t need an audience.

  After about ten minutes, at least, Chad finally talks.

  “You know, I was bullied in high school after I got my virtues.”

  He rests his head on the back of the rocking chair; his eyes are closed. I turn to face him and fold my legs underneath me.

  “You’re just a copycat. You’re not cool enough to have your own virtue you have to steal all ours.”

  Chad’s pain pierces my heart. I sympathize with him because I, too, was bullied. Turns out, the popular kids aren’t nice when you like studying and reading more than partying and getting into trouble. They’re even crueler when you start showing interest for science fiction worlds to escape the real world.

  “Guess kids on Angor and Earth have a lot more in common than I thought. I was made fun of a lot, too.”

  Chad finally opens his eyes, lifting his head to glance my way. “And look at you now. You’re next in line to rule an entire freaking world. Bet you wish you could brag to all those bullies now, huh?”

  I laugh. “They’d lowkey still hate me.”

  “Screw ‘em!” Chad bellows, holding up his glass of water. I grab the third glass, and we clink them together.

  “That’s right. I’m a freaking princess!”

  Chad runs his hands through his dark-brown locks. “I learned not to care what people thought about me. Especially since I get to experience all these different virtues. Kinda like a Royal, but without all the responsibilities of being a Royal. When the other kids realized how unique that was, they backed off.”

  “It really is a badass virtue to have. And I’m certainly glad you and your badass virtue are on my team of protectors.”

  “No cap?” Chad holds up his hand for a high five.

  I throw back my head in laughter. “Nooo. That sounds so wrong coming out of your mouth.”

  “What? No way. I’m hip.”

  “Stop. It's embarrassing.”

  “Big yikes?”

  Okay, he’s out of control. Did he Google these slang words specifically for talking to me? My guess, Chad doesn’t have much experience around teenagers. Let me just change the subject.

  “So, what happens next? Do we stay here? Are we returning to New York?”

  “We’re waiting on word from the King, but my guess is we return to Angor.”

  My face lights up. “Really? I’m finally going to get to go home?”

  “I am almost certain they will call for your return.”

  I’m the first one awake after our impromptu vigil and celebration last night. Julian snores, sprawled out on his tiny cot with his long legs hanging over the end. We decided it probably wasn’t the best idea to sleep in the same bed. Every day, our connection seems to get stronger. The anima mate is pulling us in, and it’s winning. So, sleeping in a bed together would be our downfall. We should probably even get separate rooms. Yet, the thought of not having Julian near tugs at the anxiety that seems to linger in my core.

  I brush a strand of hair out of his face, and he swats my hand away. Dang, he’s so cute. If I still had
my social media accounts, I'd take a million selfies with him and flaunt him around to all my classmates to make them jealous that this handsome, mysterious man is actually attracted to me. Of course, the devil sitting on my shoulder whispers that it’s the anima mate reeling him in. That our magical attraction to each other is the only reason he likes me. I flick the devil to the ground and stomp him to death.

  I check Julian’s watch. It’s barely nine a.m., and I curse myself for waking up so early. I was never an early bird. In fact, more times than not, I would be late to school or work because I had a hard time laying off the snooze button. But my night was restless, tossing and turning with doom and gloom hanging over my head.

  I shower and dress in the new clothes Chanel picked out for me. Of course, it’s her style. Tight jeans and a crop top shirt, showing off my imperfect stomach. The old Trinity would never wear an outfit that revealed skin. Don't get me wrong, I could pull it off. My stomach, while I feel it is imperfect, is relatively flat. My abs are there but hidden underneath a thin layer of fat from Donnie’s pizza and cheesecake from Junior’s. All the sweets and grease I love have gone to my hips and ass. No, showing off my curves isn’t the problem. I’ve just always tried to live a life of invisibility, never wanting to be noticed. That would require interacting with people, throwing on fake smiles, and holding uninteresting conversations. Perhaps my introverted ways developed because I was living in a world where I never belonged.

  The old Trinity is gone. I'm now surrounded by my people. My aliens? My Angorians. I slip on the skinny jeans and crop top without another thought and seek out coffee and donuts in the kitchen. The magic food fairy has delivered, and sitting on the counter is a box of glazed Krispie Kreme donuts. I start a pot of coffee and down two donuts while waiting.

  Skyler mumbles in his sleep, something about stupid Trinity and her vagina, and I giggle at the poor love lust soldier. He needs to find another man to obsess over. Maybe I could just dip into his mind... no, that would be wrong. But he better not test me.

  I take my coffee outside and curl up in the rocking chair on the porch. The chill from the night before is now gone, replaced with a rather humid and foggy morning. I close my eyes and inhale the pine, letting the fresh air wash over me. This city girl didn’t realize how much she needed nature. Before my newfound life, the closest I'd ever been to roughing it was getting lost in Central Park with Xoe and Chance while trying to find a larping group.

  “Trinity,” a familiar voice calls out, causing me to jump clear out of my seat.

  My former friend, Shiloh, cautiously approaches from around the corner of the cabin holding up his hands. I extend my arm and silently call the shovel I remember seeing on the ground the other day, and it flies into my hand like I'm Thor summoning his hammer. I strike a defensive pose, and Shiloh’s eyes widen like saucers.

  “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  I focus on his forehead and reach into his mind, fishing for the lies. I watch as his betrayal at Donnie’s replays, stinging my wounded heart. Then, I see him getting taken into custody by rebel soldiers and brought back to Hyde. My uncle sits on a knock-off Angorian throne in the foyer of what looks to be a mansion. Black spiral staircases on either side of him, the stark white marble floor shines from the crystal chandelier hanging above. Behind Hyde, a painting of himself wearing my father’s crown. What an absolute douche. This is the first time I've seen what my uncle looks like. He’s a near spit image of my father. Except, he’s slimmer, and his face is longer. No full-on beard, but a permanent five o’clock shadow, and his brown eyes are wider apart. His hair is buzzed off on the sides, and he reminds me of the value-brand version of Brad Pitt.

  “You let her escape!” Hyde roars. Shiloh is thrown to the floor and kicked in the side. “You worked with her for two years and had no idea she was the lost daughter?”

  Shiloh pushes himself off the ground to his knees, his hands cuffed in front of him. “Hyde, I swear, I had no idea. I just thought she was some dumb high school kid with a crush on me.”

  Ouch, that one hurts.

  “I can bring her to you. I have a spy in the Royal Guard tasked to protect her. Chad. He's my recruit. He’s traveling with them, and I will find them and bring Trinity back,” Shiloh pleas.

  Hyde considers Shiloh’s plan, stroking his stubble like the psycho villain he is.

  “Fine,” Hyde finally commands. He waves to the guards to take Shiloh away. “But go alone, you must be stealth. And be quick.”

  The guards throw Shiloh out the towering black wooden double doors, and he lands on the concrete, face first. He stands with a bleeding eyebrow and skidded-up hands. He retrieves his phone out of his back pocket and makes a call.

  “Chad? Where are you?” Shiloh glances around, making sure the coast is clear. “Good. Stay there. I know where Hyde is. I’m calling the King. By this time tomorrow, he’ll be captured.”

  I gasp for breath and fall to my knees. Shiloh rushes over to me and grabs my arm. I tear it away. That mind-melding session went too far, and despite the warning, the feeling of energy draining from my body, I had to watch until the end.

  “Didn’t you see? I’m not a rebel. I'm a spy for your father,” Shiloh urges.

  “But at Donnie’s, you were going to kill me,” I cry, standing only to collapse back into the rocking chair.

  He leans against the railing directly across from me. He folds his arms. “It was all for show. I couldn’t blow my cover. There were other rebels working at Donnie’s with us. We had no idea who you were until the moment you walked in with two Royal Guards.” Shiloh shakes his head. “Ironic, huh? Your father sends me in to infiltrate Hyde’s rebels while searching for you, and you were right underneath my nose.”

  The screen door to the cabin flies off its hinges, and Julian comes barreling out. He lunges at Shiloh, knocking him over the railing into a bed of flowers below. I jump up and rush to the quarreling men, worried that Shiloh, a former UFC champion, will obliterate my anima mate. Not to mention that Shiloh just mentally yelled to me that his virtue is strength and, to quote, ‘save this man before I fight back and kill him.’

  “Julian, stop! He’s not a rebel. He's a spy for my father!” I scream. Julian's arm is cocked, ready to throw the next punch. He's holding onto Shiloh by the collar of his t-shirt. Shiloh held back, refusing to defend himself, and now he’s left with a bloodied and bruised face.

  I pull at Julian’s elbow, and he finally gets off Shiloh, who wipes the blood away using the bottom of his white shirt. Julian huffs, pacing in front of the petunias and daises. I stop him by placing my hands on his shoulders and forcing him to look me in the eyes.

  “I saw into his mind. He’s the one who helped bring Hyde into custody,” I say, quietly. I take Julian’s cheek into my palm, and he leans into it, closing his eyes. His labored breathing starts to dwindle, and my handsome protector pulls me into the strongest hug that should have broken me in two. I sense he’s sending a message to Shiloh.

  The fab five of my Royal protectors rush out onto the porch, each armed with machetes and guns, seconds away from blasting Shiloh away. I hold up my hand and send a burst of energy towards them, forcing them to instantly drop their weapons. I smile inwardly. Impressive little trick I just did there.

  “Shiloh?” Chad says, stepping forward.

  “You know this rebel?” Reed spits.

  “He’s not a rebel,” I say. “He’s a spy for the King, and he’s been embedded with Hyde and his rebels for the past two years.”

  “It’s true. I was his contact, letting him know where we were at all times so he could send the rebels off our track,” Chad adds.

  “And why was I not told of this? I am team leader!” Chanel growls.

  “The King felt it was too risky. The fewer people knew, the less likely our covers would be blown. Besides, you already had a lot on your plate,” Shiloh says.

  Chanel scoffs. “It’s my job to know everything going on with the team, includin
g double agents.”

  Despite Chanel’s disconcert with being left out of the double agent plan, the group of guards begrudgingly accept that Shiloh is not a danger.

  “I’m afraid I’ve come with bad news,” my former crush begins cautiously. “I'm hearing that the remaining rebels, the ones who are refusing to turn themselves in, are planning to help Hyde escape.”

  “How?” Chanel asks with force.

  “They’re going to ambush the transporting team and break him free.” Shiloh takes a step towards me. We lock eyes. “And rebels across the country are going to begin killing humans if you do not surrender to Hyde.”

  I let out a shaky breath. “Well, shit.”

  Chapter 9

  Inside the cabin’s living room, the five Royal Guards, Julian, and Shiloh pile around me. Arms flail, hands are on hips, and anger fills the air as each one competes to see who’s the loudest. Each protector offers their plan to stop the rebels and make sure Hyde is delivered to Angor. Yet, every plan fails to stop the slaughtering of humans.

  Their voices begin to blur, and I close my eyes, implementing my virtue training to silence the noise. Mentally stepping away from the chaotic group clears my mind and eases the foreboding environment created by the constant arguing.

  There’s only one solution to this problem. To ensure I am heard, I release a wave of calm and wrap it around the necks of every last guard, so they have no more energy to speak.

  “I will surrender,” I say, soft and low.

  “Absolutely not,” Julian bellows. He’s the only one to speak. I’m shocked that my serenity grip didn’t work on him. Is that because of the anima mate? Because every day we grow closer and our connection gets stronger? I don't have time to explore the why.

  Still, I hold up my hand, and Julian snaps his mouth shut. “We can defeat Hyde together. With everyone’s help, I’m sure of it. Plus, I am getting stronger every day. I have been working on my virtues during downtime, and Reed says I'm learning to control them faster than normal. I can do this. We can do this.”

  The faces of the fab five contort with an array of emotions, from fear to doubt, but mostly fury that I'm preventing them from chiming in.