I took a step back, scared out of my wits.
"How did you do that?" Zuko yelled, completely baffled.
Iroh, still staring at me with wonder in his eyes, pulled Zuko by his shoulders.
"Let's talk inside," he said.
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"Are you the Avatar? are you related to him? Who are you? How could you not tell me this?" Zuko yelled. Iroh closed the door so no one could hear us.
"I'm sorry for not telling you, but I just couldn't trust you yet!" I yelled back.
"How could you not trust me after everything?" Zuko turned on me.
"Something happened between you two?" Iroh asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Uncle!"
"Iroh!"
Zuko turned back to me. "How could you not trust me?"
"I didn't know. You were hunting the Avatar—"
"Didn't I prove myself to you?" Zuko exploded. "I didn't throw you into the dungeon and force answers out of you." Ah, so that's what this was about.
I could feel my face heat up in anger. "Just because you didn't throw me in the dungeon," I steamed, my voice rising higher, "Doesn't mean I can trust you, Zuko."
"I don't understand you," Zuko said, running a hand through his thick hair in frustration.
"Neither do I," I said abruptly, and suddenly, Zuko turned on me. I flinched, thinking he was going to firebend at me but I stood my ground. Luckily he didn't but he strode up really close and looked at me right in the eyes.
"Who. Are. You?"
"I told you," I said, lowering my voice, "My father was Fire Nation and my mother—"
"But how can you bend two elements if you're not the Avatar? It's impossible."
"Can I tell you one more thing?" I asked, lowering my gaze in shame.
"What?" He stepped back.
"I never really went to capture the Avatar for the price on his head. I went looking for him to see if he might know why."
"I can't believe this . . ." Zuko mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. He turned to Iroh, "Can you believe it?"
"She's being one hundred percent truthful," Iroh shrugged.
"So are you going to take me to the Fire Nation and hand me over in place of the Avatar?" I muttered in a small voice, playing with my fingers sheepishly. I batted my eyelashes for good measure.
"What?" He spun around, his eyes falling on me. His gaze softened a little. "Of course not. Where'd you get that idea from?"
Uncle Iroh started laughing. "I love your imagination. Even if Zuko wanted to, everyone knows what the Avatar looks like."
"Then I'm good." I sighed in relief.
"It's still so . . ." Zuko messed his hair up with his hands, trying to express what he was feeling. "How can you bend two elements and have so much power, yet not be the Avatar?"
"If you help me find the Avatar, we both'll figure out what's up with me." I suggested.
"But I have no reason in finding out what happened to you. My main goal is to find the Avatar—" he began, but I cut him off.
"So finding the Avatar is more important than helping out your friend?" I asked. "Fine. Have it your way," I said, standing up and striding towards Iroh who was watching intently.
"Mei, I have to say you are one smart girl," he whispered in my ear.
"Thank you," I jutted out my chin in triumph.
"Hold on," Zuko called out. "Fine. I'll help you find the Avatar, but then I do what I want. You can travel with him, but from then on, for all I know we could be against each other. Understand?"
"Great. It's a deal."
I stretched out my hand and he shook it. Then I turned on my heel and walked out the room. Iroh followed me.
"You are the only one who has ever changed Zuko's mind about anything before." Iroh chuckled, shaking his head.
"I'm just amazing like that," I grinned.
"And I hope you stay that way. Zuko is changing a lot, and I hope he softens up. He needs to rid himself of all the anger inside him."
"And I'm planning on doing just that."
