"I am not your keeper, Avatar." The edge does not shift away from her voice; if anything, it sharpens. "You are beholden to the duty you chose; I merely remind you of it. Apologize to the spirits and the humans held here while they wait for your answers."

She is silent a moment after that as her mind trails another thought, hard and overpowering. Her lips press together briefly. "I do not know if my own duties will be met while I am away. Do you see what imbalance this creates?"