Avatar: The Wheel of Time | Book One: The Earth Kingdom |

Chapter 19: Playing the Game

Easy, Kiyan, I thought, breathing deeply to calm myself. Staying completely still for more than two minutes was really hard, but even worse was keeping quiet. Just wait. You can do it.

Iroh sat at the table, serenely sipping tea while he watched me. I envied his nonchalance. Also his ability to move.

It's really not that hard, I told myself. Unfortunately, my attempt at gaslighting myself didn't work, so instead I pressed my ear to the wall, listening for the sound of footsteps. What is taking him so long?

After what seemed like an eternity, I heard the soft tread of feet on the wooden floorboards outside. Finally! I drew in a breath, preparing myself.

The door to the apartment slid back and Zuko stepped inside. He saw me almost immediately, but I had already leaped into action, slicing my ice dagger towards his chest. His eyes widened in surprise, but he deftly smacked my blade arm away with one hand. The other, which held a bag full of groceries, swung at me with forceful accuracy. I dodged, countering by drawing more water for an ice dagger for my other hand. I grinned. Zuko stared incredulously.

Leaping forward, I brought both blades down, or I would have, had Zuko not stepped to the side and hooked my arms towards him, spinning me around and slamming me against the wall. He grabbed my wrists and pinned them on either side of me.

"Kiyan," he said calmly, "What do you think you're doing?"

I panted, trying not to think about how close he was again. Stupid hormones. I glanced at Iroh. "Okay, but I held him off for a few seconds," I said hopefully.

Iroh smiled. "You're improving."

Zuko frowned. "What, so that was just a training exercise? Trying to stab me?"

"Don't worry, they're blunt," I assured, wiggling my still pinned hands to show the dulled edges of my ice daggers.

Zuko released my wrists, stepping back to grab his discarded grocery bag and thunk it on the table. "Thanks for having her try to murder me," he told his uncle.

"Relax, Sparky," I said, dropping my makeshift weapons into a bowl where they could melt in peace. "We all know there's no way I could even get close to killing you."

"Good thing, otherwise you'd have no one to get this for you," he dug a mango from the bag and tossed it to me.

I caught it delightedly. "Oh my goodness, thank you! I literally love you so much right now."

Zuko flushed.

I realized what I had said, and what had happened the last time he'd gotten me a mango, and soon my face was the equivalent of a sun-baked pomegranate. "I mean—" I started, but Zuko had escaped to his room.

Iroh inspected me interestedly. "Are you and my nephew..."

"No!" I blurted. "No. No, no. No. We, uh—" Zuko's eyes flashed in my memory. Honey and sunsets. My face somehow turned even redder. If we hadn't been interrupted, would he really have... "No," I said firmly. Zuko was the future Fire Lord. I was an Avatar from another time. He belonged here—I didn't.

"Hmm." Iroh sipped his tea, eyes lingering on my scarlet cheeks. I cursed myself and, covering my burning face with my hands, fled to my room.

***

So far, the raccoon crow kits hadn't destroyed the house. I'd made them a little nest in my room and fed them whatever unwanted food I could get my hands on. Already they'd filled out, ribs disappearing beneath a fluffy coat of fur. The one who'd stolen my mango, a male I'd named Chitto, liked to find the highest perch he could climb to and sit there, watching us. Occasionally, he'd leap down onto one of our heads, usually Zuko's, and cling there while we went about our business. Koko had similar habits, though she preferred my shoulder. Fala was the quietest of the bunch, content to settle on various laps while we ate dinner.