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

by Cassandra Gannon

  In an effort to reduce Parald’s number and throw a life preserver to the Air Phases trapped behind enemy lines, the Council of All Houses had offered them amnesty. Any Air Phase who promised to denounce Parald was eligible, so long as they could find a new House that would take them in.

  That was harder than it sounded, since most Phases hated the Air House, blaming all the Air Phases for the Fall. The plague had killed so many people that the Elementals teetered on extinction. No one came through it without scars and no one wanted to let the Air Phases into their kingdoms.

  The Water House had been one of the only kingdoms that agreed to take in Air House refugees, even though none had actually moved in yet. Still, Ty had certainly never expected Gion to want to jump ship. That didn’t make any sense.

  Ty blinked down at the email. “I don’t understand.” Her gaze cut back up to Gion. “You seriously want to switch Houses?”

  Gion couldn’t possibly want to leave the Air Kingdom. He was the most powerful Air Phase alive. Within the Air Kingdom, he was feared and respected. If Gion walked away from his House, he’d be vulnerable to everyone in the vast universe who already wanted him dead, plus he’d have to face Parald’s fury. He’d still have all his powers, but without the protection of the House, he’d be on his own. “Why would you…”?

  Gion cut her off. “It doesn’t matter why.” He’d clearly regained his verbal aptitude, because his expression became more arrogant than ever. “I have to get out of the Air Kingdom and you owe me that promise. The Water House needs to give me amnesty. Starting now.”

  “Me?!” Ty squeaked. Why wouldn’t he go to the Earth House? Job would let him in. Tessie would make him. Job’s Match and the elusive keeper of the Quintessence, Tessie had her own weird friendship with Gion. He’d spent a few decades reluctantly protecting her. “You want to come to my kingdom?”

  “No, I’m going to come to your kingdom.” Gion corrected mercilessly. “I’ve considered my options, because, obviously, I’m a citizen that so many Houses would love to welcome with open arms. But, I find that I’ve developed a real desire to immigrate to some sweet, little Munchkin Land of pastel castles and rainbow waterfalls. Also with very few people to get in my way.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “That means that the Water Kingdom is the lucky destination spot for me to fulfill my manifest destiny.”

  Ty had no idea how to respond to that. She just gaped at him.

  Gion arched his brows. “Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to help me move. I’ve already packed.”

  “You really want to live in the Water Kingdom?” Ty translated, too amazement to know what to feel. Her homeland was a peaceful, gentle place filled with magical pools and seaside beauty. She just couldn’t imagine the Darth Vader of the Elemental realm tolerating the pastel serenity of the Water Kingdom for more than half-an-hour with cracking. “Gion, have you thought about this? I don’t think you’ll like it there, at all.”

  He laughed and it wasn’t a pleasant sound. In fact, it sounded utterly devoid of humor. “‘Have I thought about it?’ It’s all I ever think about. Escape. Freedom. I have to have amnesty now or it’ll be too late. I’m slipping.”

  Ty wasn’t sure what that meant, but she believed him. Had something gone wrong for Gion in the Air House? Did Parald know that he’d saved her from the dungeon? Whatever it was, Gion was apparently desperate.

  Ty’s mind finally started catching up with the conversation. “I…” She shook her head, trying to organize her thoughts. “My cousins live in the Water Kingdom. I mean, Nia’s the Shadow Queen now, but she and Cross spend a lot of time back home with Tharsis and me.” Ty was babbling, but she didn’t care. “I can’t endanger my cousins. I own you the favor, but…”

  “I’m not a danger to Tharsis and Nia.” Gion interrupted. “If I was going to hurt them, I would have done it long ago. But, what would be the point? I have no interest in them, at all.”

  Ty frowned at his dismissive tone. “My cousins…”

  “Are your life.” He finished for her. “I know that. Everyone knows it. That’s why, if I ever had any intention of taking you to Parald, I would have targeted your cousins and used them to draw you out. You should be more careful about revealing weaknesses.”

  Ty’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “I’ll bear that in mind.”

  Gion kept talking. “I never went near Nia and Tharsis. Not even when they made it incredibly easy. In fact, I saved Nia for you, when you asked me to, didn’t I?”

  “Yes.” Ty admitted. “For a price.”

  Gion leaned closer to her, pressing his sale. “I can be of use to you, Tritone. Because, I can make sure that no one else targets your family, either. If you give me sanctuary, I’ll guard what’s yours. I swear it.”

  Ty’s brows drew together, considering that. Everyone knew that another Elemental war brewed on the horizon. Sooner or later, Chason and Parald would take their conflict to another level. Since both men hated Ty and her family, Gion would be a nice addition to the Water House’s side.

  In theory.

  Gion kept his attention on her face. “I’m not a threat to you. You have to sense that somewhere inside.”

  Ty thought about the feeling of his energy touching hers. The strange rightness of it.

  Instinct.

  There were fifty thousand reasons why this was a bad idea and Ty wasn’t sure what she would have said next, if she hadn’t looked up at Gion at that moment.

  For the first time since she’d known him, Ty saw Gion. Really saw him as more than an invincible robot out to upset her life. Gion looked tired. Somehow tense and resigned, at the same time. Like someone who knew they were about die and just wanted to go out fighting. His face might have been an implacable mask of superior indifference, but Gion thought that Ty would turn him down and that he’d be on his own.

  She could see it in his eyes.

  Gion might have had a spot with Tessie in the Earth Kingdom, but he’d never take it. He needed to come to the Water Kingdom because of the promise. It gave him some control. It wasn’t charity. It was a trade. Gion, arrogant bastard that he was, needed that. He seemed positive that Ty would back out of the deal and leave him stranded, but he was desperate enough to try, anyway.

  Ty knew what it felt like to be trapped by Parald. She knew what that kind of desperation felt like and how far someone would go to escape. How helpless it could make you feel.

  And, for some reason, Ty couldn’t stand to think of Gion, the man who terrified her and everyone else in the world, suffering alone.

  “Alright.” She heard herself say and immediately winced. Lord, how was she going to explain this to her cousins? Cross would flip out for sure. Ty sighed and frowned at Gion in annoyance. “You’ll have to sleep in the palace, though. None of the other houses in the kingdom are habitable right, now.” All their owners had been dead since the Fall. She wasn’t about to build Gion a new seaside cottage on top of everything else.

  Gion froze. “You’re agreeing to this?” He demanded angrily and actually started to try and talk her out of it. “Are you nuts? I’m a dangerous person, you know.”

  “Yes, I know.” Ty agreed quietly. Gion was the most dangerous person she’d ever met. If this was some kind of trick, he could wipe her out like chalk on a board. Of course, if that was really Gion’s scheme, he could’ve attacked her right there. Ty was basically alone and far too weak to stop him from doing anything he wanted. As counterintuitive as it seemed, Gion didn’t want to hurt her.

  Still…

  “Just don’t harm my family.” She reiterated. “I’m trusting you on that.” Why she was trusting him remained a mystery.

  Damn instincts.

  Gion blinked. “I’ll protect your family.” He seemed dazed. “I give you my word.”

  Ty remembered her feelings after she’d renounced Parald. Relief mixed with, “Oh shit, now what am I going to do?” Gion looked the same way.

  “I have to…” He trailed off as if he
had no idea what to say next.

  Ty had the strange sensation that he was going to pull out of the deal. Gion might panic and call the whole thing off, since this hadn’t gone according to the pessimistic script he’d written in his head.

  Suddenly, Ty didn’t want that to happen. Gion was in trouble or he wouldn’t be asking her for amnesty. Ty wouldn’t let him down. She couldn’t.

  “Gion, you saved my cousin. You saved me. You’re welcome in the Water Kingdom for as long as you want to stay.” Ty garnered enough courage to very carefully reach over and touch his hand. “Don’t go back out there alone. You need help. Come with me.”

  It was just the brush of her fingers against his wrist, but Gion jerked like he’s been stabbed. Ty felt the pulse of power go through Gion’s body and travel back into hers. Energy arched between them and Ty quickly pulled her hand back. Gion wasn’t manipulating the powers. He hadn’t done anything to instigate that pulse. Whatever the energy was, it had come from her that time.

  What was going on?

  Gion let out a long breath. “I need you.” He must’ve gotten back on board with his own plan, because he nodded wearily. “I can’t deny that, anymore. I’m tired and I need you so much.”

  “Alright.” Ty nodded in relief. “Let me finish my meeting and we’ll go home, then.”

  The word “home” got her a strange look, like Gion wasn’t sure what language she was speaking. “To the Water Kingdom?” He verified as if searching for a trap.

  “Yes, to the Water Kingdom.” Ty rolled her eyes. “Where else would home be?”

  “I don’t know.” Gion said softly. “I don’t think I’ve ever had one.”

  Chapter Two

  And by the voice of all its elements

  To preach the general doom. When were the winds

  Let slip with such a warrant to destroy?

  William Cowper- ‘The Task’

  Morale wise, the news that Gion defected to the Water House created feelings similar to what the Confederacy might’ve experienced if Robert E. Lee moved up North.

  Isaacs, of the Air House felt a pall over the entire kingdom as he stalked through the palace. People spoke in frightened whispers and cast him concerned looks. Without Gion to hold the center, most Phases thought that the Air House would collapse under Parald’s growing instability. Hell, even Isaacs suspected as much. Something had to be done.

  And it looked like he’d have to be the one to do it.

  With Gion gone, Isaacs stood as the top general in Parald’s army. For centuries, Isaacs dreamed of that. He’d worked tirelessly and without conscience. He’d done things that he hoped never saw the light of day. Every second of his life, Isaacs drove himself to be the best. He did everything to succeed in the Air House ranks.

  But, Gion always surpassed him.

  Gion.

  Perfect fucking Gion.

  In his youth, Isaacs hero-worshipped Gion. He was a hundred and fifty years older than Isaacs and his powers were close to invincible. To a young solider, Gion represented the ideal. Always the strongest. Always so calm. Always in control. No one could live up to Gion. No one could compete with him. No one could touch him. He didn’t have any weaknesses.

  Except one.

  As the years went on, Gion’s superiority began to grate on Isaacs. Gion’s cold indifference and cutting sarcasm fed into Isaacs own feelings of self-doubt. He’d never be able to live up to Gion and everyone knew it. That arrogant prick had always stood in Isaacs’ way.

  And now Gion was gone.

  It was just what Isaacs wanted.

  Only Isaacs didn’t feel triumph. He felt fear.

  Gion could turn the Air Kingdom into dust if he got mad enough. Isaacs believed that. God only knew what would happen if Gion discovered the truth. In a fight between Gion and Parald, Isaacs already knew that he was trapped on the losing side. He had no faith in Parald. None. If Isaacs didn’t find a way out of this, he’d be dead within a week.

  Goddamn it, why hadn’t Gion just killed Parald before he left?

  Isaacs slammed into the throne room without knocking. “Sire, I can confirm it, now. Gion’s definitely with Ty.”

  Parald gave a scream of pure fury.

  The King of the Air House looked like one of the Beach Boys. His wholesomeness fooled most people when they first met him. If Hollywood ever saw him, Parald would’ve been cast as the hero in any summer blockbuster. With sunshine hair and guileless grey eyes, Parald could’ve played a noble lawyer fighting for justice or the single father trying to save his kidnapped children.

  He should’ve been the good guy.

  But, under Parald’s movie star exterior there lurked a vicious, amoral mind and an empty soul.

  Isaac knew himself. He accepted the fact that he was evil bastard. Nature and nurture worked together and ensured that he’d always be a villain. Honestly, none of the Air Phases who’d survived the Fall and then the dog-eat-dog life in the Air House would win any popularity contests, at this point.

  Compared to Parald, though, even Gion was a friggin’ Mouseketeer.

  “That fucking bastard!” Parald picked up an inlaid table and flung it against the wall.

  Isaacs didn’t even flinch at the explosion of mahogany. “Sire…”

  “Saxon was supposed to find Gion and kill him!”

  “Well, he’s failed, sire.” Isaacs never missed an opportunity to tear Saxon down. The guy wanted Isaacs and Gion dead. Probably Parald, too. The megalomaniacal piece of shit plotted constantly. Since Gion was gone, now Isaacs was Saxon’s main target… unless, Isaacs of rid of him first.

  Goddamn it, why hadn’t Gion killed Parald and Saxon before he left?

  It really would have simplified Isaacs’ life.

  “I want Ty back!” Parald roared. “Gion isn’t going to steal my Match. Ty’s mine! The Water House is mine!” He jabbed a finger at Isaacs. “I’d have Ty right now, if you hadn’t put her in the dungeon. If you’d brought her right to me, Gion never would have gotten the chance to set her free.”

  Isaacs really didn’t want the conversation to head in that direction. The last time Parald “discussed” Ty’s escape, Isaacs had been beaten to within an inch of his life. With Ty safe behind the Water House’s barriers and Gion vanishing into the vast universe, Parald had taken all his frustration out on Isaacs. Elementals healed fast and still Isaacs carried livid bruises and horrible lacerations from the whip. “How could any of us have known Gion would turn against you, sire?”

  “Fucking bastard.” Parald repeated furiously. “There’s a special ring of Hell for traitors.”

  And for mass murdering kidnappers. But, Isaacs didn’t see the advantage in pointing that out to his beloved king. “The price on his head seems to have driven Gion right into Ty’s orbit. The enemy of your enemy, and all that.”

  Parald scraped a hand through his hair. “Gion needs to be stopped. Now.”

  Isaacs nearly rolled his eyes at that brilliant strategy. If Gion died easy, someone would’ve picked him off long ago. The guy collected enemies like a dog gathered fleas. “Gion can be formidable, sire. I don’t think any of our men will be able to kill him outright. Especially, if he stays securely barricaded the Water Kingdom.”

  “Well, you’d better figure something out!” Parald spat. “I want Gion dead and I want Ty brought to me. I want her on her fucking knees in front of me, Isaacs!”

  Isaacs glanced away. He didn’t give a shit what happened to Gion, but Ty was an innocent victim of this mess. When she’d been Parald’s Match, Isaacs spent a lot of time babysitting the girl. Ty was always nice to him. Most people ignored guards, expecting them to just open doors and jump in front of any assassination plots. But, Ty always said “thank you” and smiled sweetly, even if Isaacs just got her a glass of water.

  He didn’t relish the idea of hurting her. Bringing Ty to Parald would definitely end up with the girl suffering and that sucked. The last time he’d captured her, Isaacs had known that Gion w
ould set her free again within ten minutes. Tops. This time, abducting her would be a hell of a lot more serious.

  Isaacs would do it, though, because he always did what he had to in order to survive. If it meant saving his own life, Isaacs would fasten a bow around the girl and dump her onto Parald’s bed himself.

  Probably.

  And no matter what he did, it would be all Gion’s fault.

  Who was supposed to stop him from doing terrible shit, now? Had Gion even considered that? Selfish asshole.

  “If we kidnap Ty, Gion will come after us.” Isaacs said. “Obviously, he’s become attached to the girl.”

  Gion would walk straight into Hell to get to Ty.

  In all the centuries that Isaacs had known him, Gion had only ever revealed one weakness and that was the pretty, little Water Queen. Gion’s armor slipped when it came to her. As far as Isaacs could tell, that was their only advantage.

  Parald stared off at nothing for a beat. “Do you think he’ll touch Ty?”

  Shit.

  Isaacs really didn’t want to answer that. “I don’t know, sire.” He hedged.

  Parald flashed him a dangerous look. “Answer me. Do you think he’ll touch my Match? Do you think Gion will fuck her? The truth.”

  “Yes.” Isaacs said simply. There really wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Gion planned to have Ty naked and under him as soon as possible. Why wouldn’t he? The guy wasn’t an idiot. Gion had wanted Ty for years and now she was right there in front of him.

  It was simple logic.

  Most male Phases prized the Water House women’s unique beauty. Ty’s red hair was the exact color of an expensive sports car and her soft, curvy body was a rare treasure in the Elemental world. Honestly, Parald must’ve been in deep denial to even question Gion’s intentions. Of course, Gion would sleep with Ty. Hell, other different circumstances, Isaacs would’ve jumped at the chance to take her himself.

  Parald’s jaw tightened. “Gion’s obsessed with her. He risked his life for Ty. He betrayed me and stole her away from my palace. And now he’s in the Water Kingdom. He won’t stop until he’s bent her over and taken what’s mine.”