Parald’s frustration at both of his top men had him looking forward to crushing Saxon’s pride. Before they could see if Saxon really had the balls to try and take his spot as king, a new force entered the palace, though.
The walls of the throne room came alive with light. Words, spelled out in glowing cursive letters, just appeared on the gently curved walls. Three sentences, repeated again and again:
Six o’clock.
Be ready to move.
The Revolution is coming.
Saxon seemed to forget about his possible plot to overthrow his king. “Where the hell did that come from?”
“It’s Job.” Parald slowly got to his feet, his panicky gaze sweeping around the room. Not even Gion could have pulled of something on that scale. It had to be Job. “He’s declaring war on me, now!” He spat out the words as if he couldn’t imagine why he wasn’t the most popular kid on the playground. “You see? You see? Job passed that fucking amnesty law to steal my people. He let Ty renounce me. And now he wants war. He won’t be happy until he takes everything that’s mine.”
“But, we’re already at war with the Council.” Saxon reminded him.
Parald ignored that inanity. He took a step closer to the blazing writing. His eyes went to the domed ceiling, looking for the source of the illumination.
Nothing.
His eyes narrowed.
Would Job do such a thing? Someone was projecting the image from a distance, right through the Air House’s dense barriers. That took incredible power. Job was the logical suspect, but it really wasn’t that pantywaist’s style. He was all about hiding in his damn Council Hall, shuffling papers in his heroic quest to save the world.
So what was it? A challenge? A rallying cry? A warning?
Some kind of… help?
Parald’s head tilted, reading the words more closely.
The Revolution?
“You think it’s a Light Phase?” Saxon guessed.
The Light House could certainly manipulate all sorts of illumination, but Parald couldn’t think of any Light Phases advanced enough to pull of something on this scale. Granted the throne room doors were open, which negated his personal security, but how did they get passed the kingdom’s shields? This little trick was on the level of a doctoral thesis, while most of the Light Phases barely passed superpowers 101. They were a bunch of mindless barbarians.
On the other hand, it was definitely Elemental in origin and no other House could control Light to this level. So, now that he really considered it, it almost had to be the work of a Light Phase.
It didn’t make any sense.
A Revolution.
Some make-believe plot of those fictional Air House rebels, perhaps? It had to be something more important than that. But, the only thing that Parald might want to revolt against was… the Council.
He slowly smiled.
“Probably, a Light Phase.” Saxon decided, answering his own question. “But, which one? Rysimer? Kahn? Not exactly their style. And who’s this message aimed at?”
“Me, obviously.” Fucking moron. Did Saxon really think that someone would go through all the trouble of light writing some message on the walls of his throne room if they didn’t mean for the message to reach him.
Jesus.
He actually missed Gion, right now. The guy was a wiseass, but at least he wasn’t an idiot. Of course, this Light Phase wanted Parald on his side for the Revolution. Who wouldn’t want to join forces with a king? The King.
Saxon shook his head in bafflement. “Well, if the next message says, ‘Surrender Dorothy,’ I say we hand the bitch over.”
Parald had no idea what that meant.
It didn’t matter.
The more he considered it, the more he realized that the writing was a good thing. The graffiti came from an ally. Someone who could tell that he was the real King. Someone who wanted the help him recover what had been stolen from him.
It was time.
He slowly reached over to flatten a hand against the wall, feeling the slight heat of the lighted word “revolution.” He looked over at Saxon. “Start gathering the men. We need to be ready by six.”
“For what?”
“For me to reclaim everything that’s mine.”
Chapter Nineteen
And with strong flight did forcibly diuide
The yielding aire, which nigh too feeble found
Her flitting partes, and element vnsound,
To beare so great a weight
Edmund Spenser- ‘The Faerie Queene’
“Then, you add the pasta to the water and –Voila!-- dinner.” Ty turned to smile at Gion. “You see how simple it is?”
He nodded, his intent gaze on the boiling spaghetti. Ty had the feeling he really wanted to take some notes on it, but she’d confiscated his clipboard. That was another thing she and Gion had in common. They were both serious students. Ty found his studious concentration and repressed bookwormyness adorable.
Under the badass black and the male model angles of his face, Gion was sort of a nerd.
Just like her.
Ty leaned up to kiss the side of his jaw.
Gion flashed her a surprised glance, his mouth curving. He always looked so shocked and pleased when Ty initiated even the tiniest thing between them. “You’re distracting me from my cooking.” He said gravely.
“Well, since I’ve done most of ‘your cooking,’ so far, I don’t think dinner will be effected.”
“Well, you had to cook it, angel. Otherwise, Cross would need to hire a food taster before we could eat. He’s already been in here six times looking for any poison I might be slipping into the pasta.”
“Oh, he has not.” Yes, he had. Ty glanced up at Gion through her lashes and bit down on another grin.
Gion gave a skeptical arch of his brow and went over to check on his microwaving sauce. As he passed, his hand came over to caress her hair.
Ty’s gaze fell on his wrist.
He’d changed his watch.
Her lips parted. Gion had gotten rid of the elegant, un-Water House-ish, Cartier timepiece that he’d been so uneasy about at Ty’s narcotics meeting. In its place was a Timex with a blue dial and a rubberized band. For some reason, that small show of insecurity had tears stinging the back of her eyes.
Gion could do anything, but he’d changed his watch in an effort to fit in better with her family. A man who wore a cape every day of his life without an ounce of self-consciousness had switched his watch because he wanted to belong.
She stared at Gion and felt her whole world reorient itself around him.
In that second, Ty, of the Water House fell completely in love with the Darth Vader of the Elemental realm. So totally, madly in love that she knew she’d never recover.
It actually happened so fast that Ty felt dizzy.
This wasn’t just the energy. This was so much more. This connection she felt with Gion went straight through to her heart.
Without warning, terror filled her.
What was she going to do, now? Ty’s fingertips tingled as she realized what she’d done. Gion wouldn’t want her. Not really. He had a Match someplace.
The edges of her vision waivered.
This wouldn’t work. She couldn’t tell him. He wouldn’t want her. He’d leave.
Ty’s throat closed off.
Just when she was trying to get stronger she went and did something so pathetically, hopelessly stupid.
Why was she so weak?
Always too weak. Too weak for Gion. Too weak for everyone.
She couldn’t breathe.
Ty backed up, right into the stove, not even noticing the heat of the burner against her arm.
“Ty!” Gion grabbed her, yanking her away before she scorched more than just her sleeve. “Ty look at me!”
She didn’t hear him.
Panic attack.
Panic attack.
Panic attack.
Fragmented memories filled her head.
/> Screaming. The roar of the fountain. Running. Hands grabbing her. Fire House pyres burning in the distance. Falling. Screaming for help. Swords and pain and screaming for help, help, help. Her energy grabbing for someone and finding him. The mob shouting as they were torn away from her by…
…Air.
Ty’s sightless eyes went wide.
Gion.
“Ty!” He cradled her close. “Focus on me. You’re fine. I’m here. You’re safe, angel. Calm down. Keep breathing. You’re fine.”
Her hands grasped the front of his shirt, giving him most of her weight as she shook.
In Ty’s jumbled memories of the attack, Gion was there with her. Talking to her. Ice blue eyes crying. Begging her to stay. Holding her hand. Her energy trying to reach him. Gion and so much power. More power than anyone should have. Flowing through her. Keeping her alive.
Gion.
Ty’s knees gave out completely.
“Shit!” Gion picked her up. “Ty, angel, try and focus on my voice. You’re safe. You’re safe with me. Nothing in the past can hurt you. I will never let anything hurt you.”
In the midst of Ty’s panic, the Water energy grabbed for his, again. Ty had the impression of Air powers surrounding her. Protecting her.
Connected.
And then she was pulling him down.
…Into darkness.
Chapter Twenty
Dreams are not without meaning wherever they may come from- from fantasy, from the
elements, or from other inspiration…. Dreams must be heeded and accepted. For a great
many of them come true.
Paracelsus- ‘Spagyrical Writings’
What… the… hell…?
Gion was not a man easily shocked, but his mind just went utterly blank as he looked around.
He was looking at a scene from the Fall. It was like time travel, every detail of the scene perfect and complete. A virtual instant replay of that summer night, two years before. The darkened clouds overhead still had their imagined shapes. Gion hadn’t seen pictures in them since the Cloud House fell and he’d forgotten how magical they were. The courtyard of the Water House was illuminated by the twisting of flames. He could smell the smoke in the air.
The semi-insane idea that he’d been swept into some kind of memory sharing with Ty popped into his head. That was impossible, but it was the only thing Gion could think of. What the hell was going on?
First of all, only Matches engaged in a memory sharings. And secondly, memory sharings only had one person reliving the memories of another. Right now, Gion was standing with his feet planted on the cobblestones holding Ty in his arms.
The real Ty.
They were both in this memory. Somehow, during her panic attack, Ty’s energy had dragged him into this with her.
So, what the hell was happening?
Gion was so completely baffled that he didn’t protest when Ty struggled free of his hold. He hadn’t even processing what was happening in the actual memory until he saw the fountain.
They were standing right in the middle of the night that Ty almost died.
Witnessing that mob attack her all over, again.
No.
Gion’s heart started pounding. He didn’t want to see this. He didn’t want Ty to see it.
The mob screamed and coughed. Moving in waves of hate, they charged across the courtyard towards the small figure running from them.
Ty.
No.
This was obviously some kind of memory. Gion couldn’t do anything to change what had already happened. He couldn’t interact with the people here or actually touch anything. But, he still raced for the helpless, past version of Ty as the crowd pulled her down, slamming her into the pavement.
“Shit! Ty!” They had weapons and torches and he couldn’t do a damn thing. Gion’s powers couldn’t help her. He tried to get between Ty and the mob, but it wasn’t doing any good. Gion felt like he was losing his mind. He dropped to his knees next to her, on autopilot, trying to get to her. “Ty!” One of the rioters raised a broadsword, aiming it as Ty’s bleeding face.
“NO!” Gion couldn’t watch. He should’ve been strong enough to stop the attack. Or, at least, strong enough endure this with her. But, he couldn’t. Rage and horror had him turning away. He couldn’t bear to see what he knew would happen.
Arms came around him.
Ty.
The real-Ty held him and Gion turned into her grasp. Oh God. The noises were killing him. The soft, wet sounds of the blade hitting the memory-Ty’s body. Oh God. He gripped real-Ty desperately, breathing in the scent of her hair.
She was okay. She was okay. She was okay.
Ty watched the attack on her past self with unreadable turquoise eyes. He felt the tension in her body and not just from witnessing her own near-death. Ty was waiting for something…
Gion lifted his head from her hair and looked at her.
She knew.
“Ty…” His voice was hoarse. “Please.”
Wham!
The explosion of Air energy shook the ground like a sonic boom.
Against his better judgment, Gion turned to see his own arrival. He hadn’t wanted Ty to remember this. He didn’t remember all of it himself, just his frantic prayers and his determination not to lose the only vision he’d ever had.
Cyclones sent the mob flying. Gion’s eyebrows soared. Even he was startled by the amount of energy that had slammed out. He’d lost control. Gion could read the panic on his own face as he dashed for Ty. Dead Phases fell like stones all around them and he didn’t even notice.
Gion warily glanced at Ty, again.
All her attention was on memory-Gion as he collapsed to knees next to her. His cape floated out, covering memory-Ty’s body as he leaned over her. “Oh Gaia, please.” Gion heard his voice break on the prayer. “Ty! Angel, open your eyes. Ty! Stay with me. Open your eyes and stay with me.”
Turquoise eyes fluttered open and dazedly focused on him.
Memory-Gion was babbling, crying. Real-Gion certainly didn’t blame him. “Ty, stay with me. Don’t you leave me here alone.” He folded one of his palms around hers. “Angel, I’m serious. You’d better hang on or… Hang on or I’m just gonna follow you wherever the hell you go. Think about that. Is that what you want, Ty? Me, stalking you into eternity?”
Real-Ty started sobbing. Her shoulders shook with the force of her quiet weeping.
Tessie once claimed that Gion had been born with a heart two sizes too small. He knew now that that was impossible. Gion felt it rip apart in his chest and it left a huge, gaping hole. “Ty?” He held her closer, rocking her. “Don’t cry, angel.”
Memory-Ty’s hand tightened around memory-Gion’s fingers.
Water energy stirred, reaching for him, and Memory-Gion’s powers seized hers like a falling man who’d been handed a parachute. “You’re strong, Ty. Just hang on and prove it.” He whispered and then surrendered everything he had into his powers.
Real-Ty slowly nodded as she felt the Air energy sustaining her past self, stopping the flow of blood. “I knew this.” She said quietly. “I knew you were here. I remember this, now.” She looked up at him, her eyes moist. “You saved me.”
“You saved me.” Gion whispered back. “Every day for eleven years. Maybe even before that.”
She leaned up to kiss him and he could taste the tears. “I’m sorry.” She whispered.
“You didn’t do anything to be sorry for.”
“I did. I was so scared of you, for so long. And you saved me.”
“I made you scared of me.” Memory-Gion looked pale and strained. Gion could feel the drain of energy as he used microscopic jets of Air to stop the bleeding. He dreaded her seeing even one more second of this. “Ty, your energy somehow triggered a memory-sharing or something. The panic attack and our connection, I don’t know… You just need to get us out of here.”
“I didn’t do this.” Ty let go of him and moved closer to the memory-G
ion. “You’re pushing too hard.” She shook her head and Gion wasn’t sure which “Gion” she was talking to. “Not even your energy can keep this up. Connecting with me like that could kill you. If I died, I’d pull you under, too.”
Gion shrugged. “I know.” He just didn’t care. Without Ty, there was nothing for him in this world, anyway.
The Water Phases were regrouping.
Memory-Gion didn’t notice, but Real-Gion did. “Ty.” He reached for her, pulling her away from her furious subjects. “Angel, come here.” She willingly sat in his lap and Gion brushed his palms over her damp cheeks. “Don’t watch this.”
“What…?” She trailed off with a scream as the Water Phases attacked.
Men and women, sick with the Fall and running on helpless anger, rushed at his former self. Grabbing at him with their fevered hands, they tried to wrench him away from Ty. Memory-Gion fought back, his sword flashing out and cutting them down.
But it wasn’t enough. There were just too many of them and his energy was entirely focused on Ty’s welfare.
His distraction cost him and Memory-Gion fell.
Ty gasped. “Stop!” She tried to stand up, but Gion held her still. It was stupid, since the crowd couldn’t hurt her, anymore. They weren’t real. But, he didn’t want her near the mob. “Gion, fight back!”
“I can’t.” He remembered the sudden realization that had come over him. Knowing that, if he took his attention off of Ty, she could bleed out. Knowing that he had to survive long enough for her to get help. Knowing that he’d die in the process, unable to fight back.
“Gion, stop them!” She shouted. “You could stop them. I know you could. Send them flying up into the air and…”
“I can’t.” He interrupted, keeping her from watching. “I wouldn’t, even if I could.”
“It’s me.” She ran a hand under her nose. “You’re keeping me alive and it’s going to kill you. How can you be such an idiot?!”
“I’m not going to die. You see me sitting right here.”
“That’s not excuse!” She struggled against his hold and tried to wade into the mob. “That one’s Alastair. He ran the bakery. He’s hitting you. Make him stop! Please!”
Exile in the Water Kingdom (The Elemental Phases Book 3) Page 25