Chapter Nineteen

Aimi

~~~~~~~

"You saved us," Raiden congratulated me as we waited outside the room.  Mako, Korra, Bolin,  and Adam were inside trying to persuade Lin to let her help hunt Aiwei down.

"Stop treating me like a child!" Korra's strong voice came through the doors.

"It wasn't me.  It was instinct," I shrugged. "It just happened."

"Whatever.  If you weren't there, we would've died."

I stared at him. "Stop praising me.  What's gotten into you?"

"I'm trying to be nice. . .  Aims," he snorted.

"Are you jealous?" I smirked. "That I've got a nickname and you don't?"

"No way," he rolled his eyes. "You've got so much attention now that you were falsely accused. Su gave you a formal apology. Opal gave you gifts. Mako is practically dying for your attention."

I felt my face heat up. "Mako is what?"

"See? Now I've got your attention."

"Mako is not dying for my attention!" I fumed, red in the face. "You see? This is what you do.  You start off sweet and then bam! you say something stupid that makes me hate you more.  Ugh." I crossed my arms and turned away from him.  Raided had his jaw set in a hard line. He ran a hand through his dark hair.  I set my hand on the doorknob, my fingers practically shaking. Suddenly, the door swung open.

"Korra has to go back to Air Temple Island," Lin said. "And that's final."

Korra sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

I looked at Raiden who refused to make eyes contact with me. "See you around."

"Bye."

§§§

I stared down at my fingers. I could feel rivulets of energy passing up and down them.

My fingers were shaking. Trembling.

I tried to take a deep breath and calm myself.  Adrenaline pulsed through my veins.  Frustrated, I slammed my fist on the marble sink. What was happening to me?

A knock came on the door.  I swallowed. "Come in!" I said cheerfully, surprised that my voice had come out strong.

The door creaked open.  Opal walked in, twisting a lock of dark hair around her finger.  "So. You've been through a lot, huh?"

"I guess you could say that," I shrugged, hiding my hands behind my back. My fingers clenched and unclenched.

"I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault."

Opal sighed. "do you need anything?"

"Just a little silence, actually."

"Oh." Opal nodded. "Of course."

She exited. I started after her, and then back down at my hands.

What was happening to me?

§§§

"Come on." Mako told me to follow him.  "Hurry."

"Wh. . . Where are we going?" I asked, hurrying to fall in step beside him.

"Did you really think hotheaded Korra was going to stay in one place?" Mako raised an eyebrow, slowing down just a little. "We're going after Zaheer."

"We-" I stopped in my tracks.  Mako stopped up ahead too.  "We?"

"We," he nodded. "You saved our lives. We'll need you to save us if anything happens again."

His voice was gentle and teasing. I held in a long sigh.

"Yeah. Of course you will."

Naga led us to Misty Palms Oasis, where we stayed at a hotel for the night. Korra sat on the bed the whole time, meditating. I lay on the other one, waiting. The entire room was silent and I was bored. Bolin stood near the window, his eyes focused on whatever what going on outside.

I turned on my side and Mako hushed me. "Can't interrupt her," he gestured to Korra's focused form.

I scowled. Maybe he should just fall at her feet and worship her as well. I turned to see Raiden standing beside Bolin, his back against the wall. His eyes were closed, a lock of dark hair falling in them. Suddenly, as if he could feel me watching him, he looked up and his eyes met mine.

I looked down at my hands quickly. I stole a glance after a moment, curiosity getting the best of me. He was still watching.

I remembered his comments this morning and felt anger bubbling up inside me. I slid off the bed, hearing a creak. Mako's eyes shot to mine and I had to keep myself from flipping him off. I walked to the door and swung it open, standing outside and taking a breath of fresh air. Raiden appeared beside me.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Even though it wasn't my fault."

"I'm was beginning to think you were smart--until you finished that sentence."

He smirked. "If I were Mako would you accept the apology?"

My face heated up again. "I'm not feeling well, Rai. Don't push me."

"I can tell. You were being meaner than usual inside."

"I don't understand what we're doing here. It's not getting us any closer to Zaheer--" Suddenly, I heard a crash from inside the room. Raiden's eyes met mine and my lips formed an 'O' shape.

"Spoke too soon," he said almost breathlessly as he kicked the door open. I took in the surroundings as I stumbled inside. Shards of glass patterned the ground and Korra was missing. The windows were smashed in. None of the team members were anywhere to be seen.

I peered out the window, realizing my mistake too late. A whip of water slashed through, tearing the remaining bits out glass free from their hiding spots. I raised my arm to shield my face, when suddenly he was blocking the full blow. Raiden had his back to the window, his arms out protectively.

"I didn't do this for you," he clarified. "It's so I don't owe you for, uh . . . saving my life before."

I stood flabbergasted as he tugged at my arm. "We have to go." He jumped through the window almost effortlessly, punching fire at the nearest target. Regaining my wits I followed him out to see the rest of the team fighting against Zaheer's henchman and women. I dodged another water wipe headed straight for my head, ducking and spinning, delivering blasts of air in her direction. Raiden kicked fire, whipping out technique after technique as I watched him move flawlessly. Mako did the same, and Bolin had the entire earth under his control. Asami and Korra were gone.

I focused on Whip Girl in front of me, trying to ignore when Mako was blasted off his feet and slammed into the ground. I didn't hesitate when Raiden was slammed in the jaw. All I could think, was, I'm too angry. Why am I so . . . angry?

"Aimi, watch out!" Raiden yelled. I ducked as a chunk of earth sailed towards my head. I scowled in frustration as I looked over my shoulder to find Bolin. He pointed at Combustion Woman apologetically.

"She's ripping through all my attacks!"

Trying to help him, I pointed at the center of my forehead; the spot between my eyebrows. Realization hit him. Bolin bended a small stone in front of him, waiting for his opportunity to shut down the three eyed woman.

"Aimi!" Mako shouted. "Look out--"

Something slammed into the back of my head a d I was falling, falling, and I don't remember hitting the floor.

¥¥¥

"Aimi," someone pinched my cheeks. I swatted away the hands with a groan.

"Three Eyes almost imploded. The explosion made you hit your head," Raiden said as he lifted me to my feet. "Can you walk?"

"I'm fine," I pushed away his hands. "Did we win?"

"Zaheer killed Aiwei in the spirit world," Raiden filled me in. "Kora saw him." I tried to steady myself, pain ripping through my skull.

"Is everyone okay?"

"For now," Mako said from behind. "Raiden, come with me." Raiden nodded, following him out, giving me one last glance and a comforting smile which I didn't bother to return.

"Here," Asami handed me a bowl of ice. "It's from the Misty Palms ice spring."

I took it, unaware of what to do with it. I thanked her. "Did we lose Zaheer?"

Asami nodded, a weak smile on her face.

"Why do you look so afraid?" I asked her. "What happened?"

"I'm not afraid!" Asami protested. And then Korra spoke the truth.

"It's Bolin. They have him," she concluded as if she was simply stating a fact. But I could see the tremendous amount of worry in her eyes. "They have him and they killed Aiewei."

I stared right at the door. They would kill Bolin, too. Nothing could stop Zaheer. He was ruthless.

He was too damn powerful.

~~~~~

sorry for not updating for ages, sorry for the short chapter, sorry sorry sorry! I've been so busy with school and blah blah and I'm publishing a book called Assassin! The yucky draft version is on my Wattpad but once it's out I'll give out the link. Just go ahead and click that follow button so you get updates.

Also, Aimi and Mako or Aimi and Raiden?

Raimi

or

Aiko?

Comment your fav ship down below and let's see if you can guess what happens in the next chapter!