Page 15 of A Touch of Iron
I tilted my head. “Why?”
“Why not?” she countered with a grin. “Instead of askingwhy, you should be askinghow. Be a bit more ambitious.”
I shook my head and leaned back. “I’m not really an ambitious person.”
“Learn to be. The world outside of Air Village can be cruel. You must learn to be the best so you can fight against that cruelty.”
I laughed. “Why would I ever want to leave Air Village?”
She shrugged and smirked. “You never know.”
“Because that’s not ominous at all,” I mumbled, then decided to change the subject. “Anyway, why hasn’t Creed been around? He showed up that day out of the blue and then disappeared.”
Calypso nodded. “He’s a bit of a recluse. You won’t see much of him.”
“Well that’s no fun. Where does he live?”
She tilted her head and scrutinized me for a moment before answering my question. “If you take the left fork and go past the lake, you’ll find another cottage in the woods. He lives there with his mother.”
“With his mother?” I repeated with wide eyes. “I didn’t expect that.”
“She’s an air elemental. It’s why he’s allowed to live here,” she explained.
“Ohh,” I mused. “That makes more sense.”
Calypso got to her feet and dusted off her pants. “But I wouldn’t go making friends if I were you. He’s not a good friend to have. Try to stay away. Okay?”
“Okay,” I whispered, confused. I slowly stood and dusted myself off as well, sensing our lesson was drawing to a close. “Are you leaving?”
Calypso nodded. “I think we’re done training for the day. The sun is about to set and I need to walk home before it gets dark. Same time tomorrow?”
“Same time tomorrow.” I watched Calypso walk across my front yard and turn right on the trail that veered toward the village, quickly disappearing within the dense foliage. The sinking sun painted the sky in alternating swaths of burnt orange and fuchsia.
The smart thing to do would be to head inside and make dinner using the leftover boar meat, but I was too wired. I couldn’t even think about sleep, which was strange because one would think all the meditation I’d just done would have set me up nicely for a nap. But it was quite the opposite.
I peered down the other trail, the one Calypso said led to Creed’s cottage, and contemplated whether to make the trip out there.
Calypso’s warning was fresh, but it only made me more curious about the elusive fire elemental. There had to be a reason why he and his mother were secluded outside the village in the woods—just like me. Anytime I asked Calypso why I lived so far away from everyone else, she changed the subject. Maybe Creed could give me a clue.
With renewed resolve, I took the left fork and started the trek toward the lake. I recognized the stupidity of my jaunt the instant I stepped underneath the forest canopy and the light from the setting sun bled away, leaving me ensconced in murky shadows that would only lengthen as night descended in earnest. I had no clue how I would find my way back, but my mind was made up. Besides, if I didn’t do it now, I wouldn’t have any free time during the day with Calypso training me and watching me like a hawk.
A chilly breeze whistled through the trees, stinging my face and making me shiver. I wrapped my arms around my middle, thankful I was wearing long sleeves but wishing I’d grabbed a coat before leaving on my foolhardy trip.
Shrill animal calls clamored all around, mostly unfamiliar and foreign. After walking for a time that seemed far longer than it was, jumping at every sound, I finally reached the lake. I strained my eyes in the darkness and tried to see the lights of a cottage, finding nothing to break the stillness and gloom. I continued down the trail, rubbing my arms up and down for warmth. I was about to turn around and give up when–
“What are you doing here?”
My heart leapt into my throat and I screamed, whirling to face the owner of the voice.
Creed emerged from the dense brush carrying a lantern and looking grim. “You shouldn’t be out here.”
“Calypso said you lived around here … I just wanted to talk,” I said hurriedly, trying to calm my racing heart.
He grimaced like I was the grossest thing on the planet. “I’m not interested.”
I frowned, offended. “Excuse me?”
“I’m not interested in you,” he repeated plainly as if I was stupid.
