Page 22 of A Touch of Iron
She chuckled. “Yes, yes, I’ll continue to help you hunt. Otherwise you’d starve to death.” She paused for a moment, her serene face eclipsed by a somber look. “Aurora … I didn’t want to mention it earlier, but now I feel as if I must.”
“Mention what?”
“I’ve noticed you’ve been spending a lot of time with Creed,” she said softly as she eyed me.
I wasn’t surprised by her mention of Creed. Truthfully, I was surprised she’d waited this long to bring it up. It was no secret that Creed had been bringing me to the village lately. With his protection, I had zero problems with Madam Qing or her goons. We used our visits to search for the necklace in secret, but no one knew that part.
“Yes, he’s become a good friend,” I answered carefully. “I know you warned me about him, but I don’t think he’s as bad as you make him out to be.”
She sighed. “He’s not necessarily bad, Aurora, but he’s not good, either. There is such a thing as a gray area. One you shouldn’t be swimming in.” She fixed me with a stern look. “Trust me, I’m doing this for your own good.”
I bit my lip as she spoke and contemplated her words. The wordsgray areatickled something in my memory that I couldn’t quite pin down. None of my memories had resurfaced, but every now and then I would get a glimpse of something. Just as fast as it arrived, it was gone in a blink and I could never fully form the memory. If it even was a memory.
“I see someone is talking ill of others.”
We whirled around to face Creed as he walked across my front yard.
Calypso narrowed her gaze on him. “It’s not talking ill if it’s true.”
Creed laughed. “Of course. I dare not argue with the leader of Air Village.” He gave her a condescending bow.
She scoffed and rolled her eyes before returning her attention to me. Her smile was forced, her face pinched. “I guess we’re done for the day, Aurora.”
I cleared my throat. “Thanks for everything, Calypso. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Tight-lipped, she nodded and stiffly walked across my front yard, making a right on the trail that led to the village.
Creed exhaled loudly and chuckled. “Well, it looks like I just met the president of my fan club.”
I waved him off. “She’s just looking out for me, that’s all. Don’t listen to what she said.”
His face hardened before he nodded. “Anyway, I think I’ve found the necklace.”
“Really?” My eyes widened in surprise. We’d searched for weeks without a whisper of where it could be.
“Yes. It’s hidden up on the mountain peak of Air Village at a monastery,” he replied nonchalantly, as if it was no big deal.
I tilted my head. “Why do you believe it’s located in Air Village? We’ve searched practically every square inch without finding it.”
“I have my sources,” he added with a sly smile. “Come on; it’s a long hike up the mountain.”
I scoffed. “I’m not hiking.”
Creed twisted his mouth to the side. “How else do you plan to get there?”
I grinned. “With air, of course.”
* * *
Flyingup the mountain was a breeze, and something I couldn’t do just two months earlier. But now, my air elemental powers came like second nature. It was exhilarating. I wanted to laugh and cry as the frigid mountain air buffeted me along my journey, enveloping me in its glacial arms. I was joyful and felt freer than I had since waking up in a strange house that used to be my own.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t strong enough to carry Creed, so I had to leave him behind as he climbed the mountain on foot. It left me several hours to stroll through the monastery on my own.
A huge stone archway heralded the entrance to the monastery. Beyond, there was a tiny gravel path that wound up the mountain to the peak where the temple was located. The moment my feet touched the path beside the archway, I was met by an air elemental.
“Hello, how may I help you?” The monk wore a gray woolen robe and carried a bead necklace that wrapped around his hands and dangled around his neck.
He exuded peacefulness and calm, but I was very aware I didn’t belong there. I had to think fast. “Hi … I, um, live in the woods down below and just wanted to take a look around. Is that okay?”
