Exile in the Water Kingdom (The Elemental Phases Book 3) (12 page)

Phases
didn’t have the humans’ tolerance for casual touching.  It annoyed the hell out
of Gion to see Brokk’s absent affection for Ty.  It wasn’t sexual, it was just…
friendly.  Ordinary bodyguards didn’t ruffle the hair of the protectees, like
Brokk regularly did with Ty.  Gion had certainly never ruffled anyone’s hair
back at the Air House.

Ty’s
mouth parted in astonishment.  “Did you just call me an idiot?”

“No,
of course not.”

“Yes,
he did.”  Cross volunteered.

They
ignored him.

“I
don’t think anyone’s ever called me an idiot before.”  Ty mused.  She didn’t
look insulted, just bemused.

“I
didn’t call you an idiot.”

Jesus,
Ty was the smartest Phase alive.  Gion knew that empirically because he’d
stolen all of her school records.  He’d read every word ever written by or
about the girl, including a complicated thesis she’d published on some DNA
thing that Gion didn’t completely understand.  Every one of her teachers agreed
that Ty, of the Water House was a genius.  One of the Elementals’ greatest
treasures.

It
amazed Gion that a woman with a stratospherically high IQ could make such poor
choices, though.  Ty stubbornly ignored the fact that she was young, and small,
and gentle… and the target of many determined killers.

“You
can’t just go into the human realm and…”

For
the first time ever, Ty interrupted him.  “At the very least, you
implied
that I was an idiot.  You must admit that.”

Gion
was absolutely shocked by her apparent willingness to argue with him about
this.  Ty
never
argued with him.  She never cared enough about anything
that he said.  He’d been thrilled just to have her talking to him.  Gion never
thought she’d stand up to him.

It
was an incredible turn-on to hear her mounting indignation.

He
cleared his throat.  “I didn’t call you an idiot, but, if it sounded that way,
I apologize.”

She
didn’t seem appeased.  “Would you have called Parald an idiot when you were an
Air Phase?”

Gion
snorted.  “To his face?  No.  Behind his back, I called him quite a bit worse,
though, so I think it all evens out.”  He held up the clipboard.  “Also, I
didn’t put so much paperwork into keeping him alive.”  He tapped the master
list with the pen.  “Mostly because, I never gave a shit if he lived or not.  You,
on the other hand, are someone who I’d rather
not
see decapitated.”

“Really?” 
Ty’s voice lost some of its annoyance.

“If
you never believe another word I say, believe that I want you around and
breathing for a very long time, Tritone.”

“That’s
because he knows the rest of us would kick him out of here in a second without
your bleeding heart.”  Cross muttered.  “You’re his meal ticket, Ty.”

They
ignored that.

“Will
you
not
go into the human realm by yourself?”  Gion prompted.  “Or are
you going to make my job harder?  Because, I won’t let you commit suicide by
Air House.  I can’t.”

Silence.

“Alright.” 
She finally allowed.

“What?” 
Cross scowled.  “Brokk and the rest of us you brush off, but
him
you
listen to?”

They
ignored that, too.

Gion
hadn’t expected Ty to agree with him.  At least, not so quickly.  “You’ll let
Brokk into the meetings with you?”  He stipulated, looking for a trap.

“You
heard me sharing at the meeting,” Ty murmured, “even though it was private.”

It
wasn’t a question, but Gion could tell that she wanted a reply.  “I did.”

“You
know what it’s like to have Parald try and steal your freedom.  And to feel
like he’s made you less than you are.”

Gion
regarded her steadily.  “I do.”

Ty
glanced up at Gion through her lashes and then quickly away, again.  “Maybe
you
can come with me to the next meeting, then?”  This time it
was
a
question.  “Because, you would understand.”

Gion
felt something twist in his chest.  Something soft and warm.  Ty had just
invited him to go somewhere with her.  He’d willingly spend the evening in
Chernobyl’s reactor core, if she asked.  “I’d like that.”

“Really? 
You don’t have to, if you’re busy.”

“I’m
fairly sure that I’ll be free.  Besides, I enjoy human coffee in Styrofoam
cups.  So few Elementals serve it at the proper lukewarm temperature.”

Ty’s
eyes flashed up to his, again, and Gion swore that she was amused by that.

Gion’s
mouth curved.

“Okay. 
Good.”  Ty fiddled with the pin on her sweater.  Aquamarine stones formed a
circle of small flowers.  Dressed in sunny yellow dots, she looked… clean.  Her
shoes had bows on them.  For some reason, Gion found that fascinating.  “Um,
so, I came in here to tell you that I’m going to be working in my office for
the rest of the afternoon.  If you need me.”  Cross got another pointed frown.

He
didn’t seem intimidated.  “Nia and Tharsis said they wanted to talk to you
about Mr. Personality here.”  He jerked a thumb in Gion’s direction.

“We
did talk.  Several times.”

“And?”

“I’m
the Queen of the Water House.  Gion can stay as long as he wants.  Anyone who
wants to escape Parald can come here.  Especially, after they saved my cousin
from the Reprisal and cut me free from manacles in the Air House dungeon.”

“Oh
Jesus.”  Cross threw his hands up.  “We’re back to that, again?  He was
probably in on kidnapping you in the first place, Ty!”

Gion
slanted him an icy glare.

“Gion
saved me.  When no one else came…
he
did.”  Ty’s voice got firmer, even
as it started shaking slightly.  “You have your own kingdom, Cross.  But the
Water House is mine and I want Gion here.  That’s the end of it.”  She turned
on her bowed heel and headed out of the room.

Gion
took an unconscious step after her.

Cross
grabbed his arm.

Living
in the Air Kingdom had given Gion good reflexes and a willingness to cheat. 
Instincts took over when Cross touched him and Gion slammed him backwards with
a blast of Air.  It sent Cross crashing through the French door in a shower of
glass.

Cross
hit the pavement outside, swearing a blue-streak.

Gion
felt his stomach drop as he realized that he’d just attacked Ty’s
cousin-in-law.

After
he promised her that he wouldn’t harm her family.

Oh…
shit
.

Cross
looked up at Gion and gave his head a clearing shake.  “Fucking hell!”

“Oh
my God!”  Ty came dashing back over.  “Cross, are you okay?”  Her gaze flew
from Cross to Gion and back again.  “What happened?”

Gion
slowly shook his head.

He
always prided himself on doing everything well; carefully planning and then
following through.  He’d survived in the Air House, where any misstep meant
certain death.  But, this time, he’d blown it completely.  When it most
mattered to him, Gion always ruined things.

He’d
lost control.

Ty
would send him away.

He
knew it.

Murderer
.

“Whatever
broke, it wasn’t me who…”  Tharsis came jogging in from the side door.  Tall
and muscular, Thar favored Converse sneakers and Armani suits.  His turquoise
eyes widened when he saw his brother-in-law lying on his back.  “Cross!  Oh
man, if you’re hurt, Nia’s gonna have an embolism.”

“Gion
pushed me with his powers!”  Cross reported righteously, sounding only slightly
like a third-grader.  He hopped to his feet, brushing off the glass.  “The
guy’s a menace.”

Ty
looked up at Gion.  “You pushed Cross?  Why?”

“You
attacked Cross!”  Tharsis shouted at the same time.

“It
was an accident.”  Gion heard his voice from a long way off.  “I…”  He kept
staring at Ty’s perfect face.  “It just happened.”  He waited for her
expression to fill with betrayal.  Now she would never, ever want him.

Cross
snorted.  “Bastard.  If we’re gonna play that way, I can do this really kickass
vaporizing thing with the Shadows that I would just love to show ya…”  He
stopped short, apparently noticing that Gion wasn’t defending himself.

Gion
didn’t even glance his way.  There was nothing he could tell Ty that wouldn’t
sound like a pathetic excuse, but he still said, “I’m sorry.  I’ll go.”

She
blinked.  “Go?”

Cross’
eyes cut back over to Ty.  “Wait, you’re going to kick him out over
this
?”

“If
Gion attacked you, he should run.”  Tharsis advised.  “Do you know what Nia
will do to him?”  He arched a brow at Gion.  “Seriously, dude.  Hide.”

“Stop.” 
Ty cried.  “I’m not…”

“Shit.” 
Cross cut her off, looking aggravated at the world in general.  “Listen, I
grabbed him first.  He didn’t start it, except by being here.”  He jabbed a
finger at Gion.  “And I can’t
believe
that you’re making me stick up for
you.”  He muttered out a few more oaths and ducked his way back into the room.

“Oh
great.”  Tharsis muttered.  “Nice, Cross.  Thanks a bunch.”

“Blame
Job.  I swear, can hear his damn good influence in my head, telling me not to
throw Gion to the wolves.”

“Gion
isn’t going anywhere.”  Ty insisted, holding up her hands for quiet.  “All I
want to know is what happened.”  She turned back to Gion.  “Are you alright?”

He
started down at her uncomprehendingly.  “What?”  Why wasn’t she screaming at
him?  Why wasn’t she evicting him?

“Did
Cross hurt you?  You look very pale.”  Ty’s hand came over to carefully touch
his arm and Gion felt the punch of it like a sledgehammer.  The Air energy went
wild.

Ty
yanked her hand back.  Her eyes jumped up to his for two heartbeats this time.

Cross
shot Gion a frown, feeling the charge in the air.  Cross held a lot of power. 
“What was that?”

Tharsis
felt it, too, but he was a bit more astute.  Sudden comprehension lit his face
as he realized the energy came from Gion and Ty.  “Holy crap.”  He blurted out
in astonishment.

Gion
couldn’t blame him.  He’d been feeling the energy between Ty and himself for
years now and he still didn’t understand it.

Ty,
meanwhile, quickly rallied herself and added another talent to her resume:
Lecturing.  “I asked you not to bother Gion while he adjusts, Cross.  He’s
endured so much under Parald and you’ve gone and traumatized him even more.”

“No.” 
Gion shook his head, dazed by the fact that Ty wasn’t expelling him from her
kingdom.  That she was standing up for him.  “No.  Cross… uh… It was my fault. 
When he grabbed me, it was an automatic reflex to push him back.  The other Air
Phases sometimes…. Well, I’m just used to being prepared for attacks.”

Tharsis
flopped down on the umbrella striped sofa, watching Gion closely.  “Like a
deranged boy scout.”

Ty
sighed and adjusted her glasses.  “I understand what it’s like to not feel
safe.”

“I
know.  I’m sorry.”  Gion said, again, this time for not being able to provide
her with a better fate.  It gutted him that Ty didn’t feel secure.  Gion would
have gladly given his life to change things for her.  In fact, there was
nothing he wouldn’t trade, say, or do for this woman’s happiness.

Ty
was his Match.

Not
according to destiny, maybe.  But, for Gion there was only Ty.  In his heart,
he’d known that from the first second he saw her.

“Gion.” 
She leaned closer to him.  “You’re a Water Phase, now.  It’ll take time, but
you’ll be okay.  We’re protecting you.  Alright?”

No
one had ever wanted to protect Gion before.  He didn’t say anything, because
everything that came to mind sounded like the pitiful dialogue from a one of
Tessie’s maudlin soap operas.  What Gion felt for Ty was more than just an
obsession.

This
woman owned whatever remained of his soul.

Tharsis
tilted his head to one side, taking in Gion’s expression.

Ty
apparently took Gion’s silence for agreement, because she gave an encouraging
nod.  “Okay then, I’m going to go back to work.”  She glanced over at Cross. 
“Play nice.”  She warned and went gliding out of the room, again.

Gion
briefly closed his eyes.

“She’s
already had a Match, you know.”  Tharsis said.

Gion’s
jaw tightened.  “She doesn’t anymore.”  And that was all that mattered.

“Yeah,
well, she was right to renounce Parald’s ass.  The guy’s a psychotic murderer. 
Girl certainly has a type, it seems.”  Tharsis shrugged.  “But if you think
you’re gonna strike back at
Parald
by trying to get Ty into bed...”

This
time, Gion didn’t bother to use his powers.  He just reached over and seized Tharsis
by the lapel of his sports coat.  “You say another fucking word about Ty and, I
swear to Gaia, I will…”