Exile in the Water Kingdom (The Elemental Phases Book 3) (9 page)

Ty
didn’t seem to notice his helpless desire for her.  “So then, Nia said that
maybe there
isn’t
a price on your head.  Maybe you and Parald are just
pretending to have a falling out in order to get close to me.”

Gion
probably should have been insulted by that, but he was just pleased that
someone else put some thought into Ty’s safety.  “Another intelligent observation.”

“But,
logically, what would be the point of all that?  I was already
in
the
Air Kingdom and Parald already had me.  I was chained to a wall,” her eyes slid
over to his, again, “and you let me go.”

“Yes.” 
Gion still felt a surge of fear when he thought about how close it had been,
though.  Parald came within minutes of having Ty.

“You
saved me.”  She continued.  “I was so relieved to see you when you come into
the dungeon and found me.  I knew you’d help me, even though you didn’t have
to.”

“I
did
have to.”  That was as essential to Gion as Air itself.  “You don’t
want Parald, so he will
not
put his hands on you.  Not for even a
second.  I give you my word.”

Gion
would never forget the day Ty that had been scheduled to stand before the
Council and accept Parald as her Match.  It had been an incredible mix of
emotions for him.  Despair and fury…

And
finally hope.

Gion
had thought that he was about to lose Ty forever.  He’d been so angry and
anguished.  So crazily, out of his mind, enraged and desolate.  He’d hated
Parald more than he’d ever hated anyone.  Gion never thought that he’d ever be
able to feel anything else, ever again.  He’d wanted to die and he probably
would have.

Then,
Ty renounced Parald.

And,
Gion’s felt nothing but staggering relief.

She’d
refused the Phase-Match right there in front of the Council.  Gion knew, at
that moment, that he still had a chance with her.

Gion
could never be Ty’s Match, but he could Bind with her.  A Binding was basically
a marriage by the Council.  Without being a Match, they couldn’t Phaze or share
memories or have children, but a Binding was the next best thing.  It would
allow Gion to have a real claim on Ty.  For the past two and a half years, it
had been the overriding, albeit desperate, dream of his life.

Ty
met his eyes.  “The others don’t understand why I feel… safe with you, now. 
They think you pressured me into this.”  She actually held his gaze for three
full heartbeats, which might have been a record.

Gion
still scared Ty.  He knew that.  Hell, he’d encouraged it for years; trying to
hide his feelings for her and protect her.  But, he still wished she’d maintain
eye contact for more than a second at a time.  He wished that she’d just
see
him.

No
one ever saw Gion.  They looked at him, but they never saw him.

Gion
always had the horrible feeling that Ty would be able to read every thought in
his head if she looked into his eyes and really saw him.  As much as he dreaded
that, a bigger part of him wanted it to happen.  Even if Ty only saw darkness
inside of him, at least she’d know that he really existed.

“I
did pressure you.  I forced you to let me into your kingdom, if you recall.”

“That’s
not true.”

Gion
snorted.

“You
were
invited
here, Gion.”  Ty insisted.  “My family will accept that. 
They just need more time.  They don’t feel this energy between us like I do.” 
She bit her bottom lip, which pretty much killed him.  “Like we do.”

Gion
heard the question in the slight hitch of her voice.  “We both feel the energy,
Tritone.”  His gaze dropped to the buttons of her sweater.  “I’ve felt it for a
long time.”

“Right.” 
She nervously exhaled.  “Anyway, you wouldn’t have helped me if you weren’t a
better man than people believe.”

Gion
should let her think that.  It worked to his advantage.  “I’m not a good man.” 
He heard himself say, anyway.

Ty
shook her head.  “Last night, you could have killed me at the meeting or taken
me back to him.  Heck, you could kidnap me, right now, if you want to.”

“Probably.”

“But,
you aren’t.  In fact, I can’t think of a single rational explanation for all
that, except that you’re genuine about wanting amnesty.”  She shrugged. 
“Neither could Nia and Thar, but they still aren’t happy.”  Irate cousins
obviously didn’t worry Ty overly much.  She was utterly secure in their love
and support.

“I
do want amnesty.”  Gion said truthfully.  “I want to be in the Water Kingdom.” 
Being here in the Water House with Ty meant everything to him.  “That’s not why
I won’t betray you, though.”  His hand eased closer to Ty’s and his fingers
brushed over hers.  “And that’s not why I protected you from Parald.”

Gion
expected her to draw back, but she didn’t.  Instead, Ty shifted slightly, so his
thumb slid under her palm.

And,
just like that, Gion was holding her hand.  It was so much different than when
he’d gripped her palm as she lay dying in the courtyard during the Fall.  This
time she was… aware.  His heart stopped.  It felt better than Phazing with any
other woman possibly could have.  Happiness filled Gion.  It was the first time
that Ty didn’t recoil or stiffen when he touched her.

Fascinated,
he measured the difference in their fingers.  Her skin was softer than his, her
bones much more fragile.  Gion’s hand was twice her size.  Ty’s thumb was
smaller than his pinky.  Pink polish decorated her nails.

Gion
found all of it mesmerizing.

Ty
allowed his thumb to caress the inside of her wrist for a long moment.  Gion
felt her pulse hammering, but Ty still didn’t pull away.  The Water energy hit
against him.  Ty was too young to have his control or maybe just too
inexperienced to understand what she was doing.

Gion
tried to hold his powers back from her most of the time.  The two of them
touching powers was odd enough and he didn’t want to frighten her with the full
weight of the Air energy.  It got progressively harder to keep control,
though.  The Air powers fought to get to her.  Ty didn’t seem to realize what
the Water energy did to him.  Did she think he couldn’t feel it or that it was
too slight to matter?

Well,
he
could
feel it and it
definitely
mattered.

Her
powers weren’t strong, but they flowed over him, soft and warm and perfect. 
They touched everything.  Ty just let the energy go wherever it wanted, so Gion
stayed in a constant state of arousal.

His
grip tightened on her hand as the Air energy tugged at the end of its leash. 
He’d always had too much power.  If Ty felt exactly how much, she’d panic. 
Gion released as much as he dared, more than he’d ever let touch her before.

Ty’s
eyes widened in pleasure and surprise.  “Wow.”  Her hand squeezed his.  Hard. 
“Gion, how are you…?”  She trailed off with a whimper.  The Water powers
swirled to meet his Air energy.  “Oh.  Yes.”  Her eyes drifted shut.

Gion’s
jaw dropped, his own desire spiking to new heights.

She’d
consented.

Maybe
he scared her and maybe Ty would never feel comfortable around him, but Gion could
truly make her want him.

That
was a fucking
triumph
.

Emboldened,
Gion’s other hand moved to touch Ty’s hair, flicking the barrette free.  Silky
curls slid through his fingers and Gion actually groaned.  He could have come just
from the feel of her hair.

He’d
waited so long.

He
wanted her so badly.

Brilliant
red tresses overflowed his palm, tangling around his hand.  More Air energy
slipped, wrenching free of Gion’s restraints and finding Ty.  It was too much. 
He knew that immediately.  Too much power.  It scared her.

Ty
gave a gasp and pulled back.  Turquoise eyes flashed up to his in shock.

Gion
released his hold on her hand.  “I’m sorry.”  His fingers reluctantly fell from
her hair.  “It just got away from me for a second.  I wouldn’t have hurt you,
though.”  He watched her intently.  “My energy would
never
hurt you.” 
Even if he lost complete control, the Air powers wouldn’t harm Ty.  He was sure
of that.  The energy wanted to get closer to her, not to do any damage.

“But,
how much power do you have?”  She asked.  “More than even that?”

He
should have lied, except being near Ty gave him a conscious.  “Yes.”  Telling the
truth was damn inconvenient, but Gion didn’t have a choice with her.

Ty
studied him.  “I knew you were powerful, but… Gion, you’re
very
powerful.”

He
was going to lose what little ground he’d gained with her.  Ty wouldn’t want
him touching her, now.  Frustration ate at him.

“You
think I don’t know that?  I’ve been different from everyone else from the day I
was born.”  Gion got to his feet.  “I
know
it’s abnormal.”

Only
Job’s incredible powers exceed Gion’s.  The two of them had been the undisputed
heavyweights of the Elemental World for centuries.  But, Job was Job and Gion
was Gion.  Job was loved and respected.  Looked to for advice and protection.

Gion
was dangerous.

Gion’s
powers made him a commodity.  A useful and deadly tool.  People always treated
him with fear and suspicion.  And with good reason.  How could you trust
someone who could blow you into pieces with an arch of his eyebrow?  What if he
lost control?  Again.

Murderer.

The
taunt from his boyhood popped into his head and he had the horrible sensation
that Ty heard it, too.  Feelings of shame and self-disgust filled him.  Gion flinched,
backing away from her.

Ty’s
head tilted, her hair still mussed from his fingers.  “Where are you going?”

“Somewhere
else.”  He started for the door, pocketing the daisy barrette; stealing it from
her, because he was selfish and wanted something of Ty’s.

“Gion.”

As
always, the word stopped him cold.  Gion loved hearing his name on her lips. 
He’d waited years for Ty to speak to him directly and the very first word she’d
ever said to him was “Gion.”

He’d
never forget that.

It
pulled him back to her like a fish on a line.  “Yes?”

“Next
time, don’t keep your energy away from mine.”  She shook her head.  “I don’t
understand what’s happening between us, but it feels wrong for one of us to
only participate halfway.”

Next
time
.

Gion
felt dizzy with gratitude.

Unfortunately,
Ty kept talking and ruined his relief.

“Also,
I think I should do some research and find out why we feel this way, don’t
you?  The energy isn’t normal.  There must be an explanation.”

Gion’s
eyes narrowed.  “You going to --What?-- try and
cure
us?”  That was the
last thing he wanted.  In fact, his temper ignited at the very idea.

“No,
but…”

“Do
not
fuck with our energy.”  Gion interrupted harshly.  “Don’t do
anything
to sever this connection we have.”

If
Ty “fixed” whatever this aberration was between them, Gion would be lost.  It
was all that he
had
.  Unless he could coax her in with his powers, Ty
would leave him forever.

“I
just want to do some research.”  Ty insisted.  Apparently she startled that he
wasn’t jumping on board with plan “Destroy Gion’s World.”

If
she set her mind to it, Ty could stop her energy from touching his.  She was a
genius.  A scientist.  Ordinarily, Gion loved her complicated, brilliant mind. 
Now, fear took hold in him.  Ty might be able to cut her energy off from his. 
Gion would
never
tolerate that.  He’d die first.

He
had to stop her.

Gion
stalked back over to the table, automatically falling back on five hundred
years of success through intimidation.  People rarely crossed you when they
thought you might explode their lungs.

Gion
didn’t
want
to frighten Ty.  Not at all.  It undermined his entire goal
in life.  He wanted Ty smiling when she saw him.  He wanted her believing that
he was a good man.  But, at that moment, Gion preferred Ty’s fear over the risk
of her going ahead with her research.

“Leave
it alone.”  He ordered.  “I’m satisfied with our energies touching and I don’t
want it changed.”

Ty’s
eyes widened as he loomed over her.  “I just want to know
why
.  I have
to understand the reasons for it.”

“You
need to pay attention and understand
this
.”  Gion braced his hand on the
back of her chair, trapping her with his body.  “I’m more powerful than you
are.  If you try to get rid of me, I will stop you.”

As
he anticipated, Ty shrank back from him.  Gion had a Ph.D. in terrifying people
shitless and Ty never did well with direct confrontation.  She wouldn’t fight
with him.