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

by Cassandra Gannon

“I’ve always been yours, Ty.” Gion said seriously. “Since the day I first saw you, there’s never been a doubt in my mind.”

  Ty squeezed her eyes shut as tears rolled down her cheeks. “If we could just be like the humans, and pick our own partners, it would be so much better.” She slammed her palms against the railing. “Matches take everything from me. My freedom and my self-respect and my future and now you. I hate fucking Matches! I don’t even think there is a Gaia anymore. Why would She do this?”

  “There’s a Gaia or I never would have found you, at all.” Gion leaned closer to her and kissed her temple. “And I find it adorable that you actually said the word ‘fuck.’”

  He was obviously trying to distract her. It worked. Just for a second, Ty’s world went back to normal. “That’s the worst compliment you’ve given me.” She gave a watery laugh. “Say something nice about my hair, instead.”

  “I love your hair, angel. It makes me feel alive just to see it. Some nights, alone in the dark, remembering the color was all that got me through.”

  “Thank you.” There was no one else like Gion. He gave her music and poetry. That skanky Stone Phase would never love him, enough. This was the worst day of Ty’s life. Even worse than her ninety-third birthday.

  “It’s probably pointless to mention this, but I was going to ask you…” Gion stopped and shrugged. “Nothing. Never mind.”

  “No.” Ty sniffed back more tears. “Go ahead. What do you want to ask?” Anything Gion wanted, he could have. Ty would gladly give him the world, so she couldn’t imagine why he looked nervous.

  “Well, before that woman arrived,” he looked away, again, “I was thinking of ways to ask you if you’d Bind with me.” Gion glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

  Ty sucked in a quick breath. “Really?”

  Gion nodded.

  That was wonderful… and horrible. Ty felt the shattered remnants of her heart break some more. But, at the same time, a feeling of bittersweet happiness filled her. “If you could have, you would’ve chosen me?”

  That was more important to Ty than a Match. Gion wanted her, just for herself. If he could follow his heart, it would have led to her.

  That meant everything.

  “There is no choice for me. No matter what. There never has been.” He met her gaze, again. “Would you have said yes?”

  Ty didn’t trust her voice to answer that. She just bobbed her head.

  Something moved behind Gion’s eyes. Something like triumph. “So, without the woman downstairs, you’d Bind with me?” He clarified. “If I asked, you’d say yes. I have your word on that?”

  Why was he doing this? “Yes.”

  Gion reached over to grab the front of her blouse, dragging her closer to him. Ty should’ve stopped it, but she didn’t. She leaned up to meet his mouth as lowered his head towards her. She didn’t care that Gion had a Match. For this one last instant, he was still hers.

  Ty poured everything she had into the kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gave every drop of love she possessed to Gion. He wasn’t her Match, but no one would ever love him like Ty did and she wanted him to know that. Her mouth opened beneath his, demanding everything that he had.

  Gion bent her backwards so her hair dangled over the edge of the balcony. He pulled her even closer to him as if he’d never get enough of her. Ty lost herself in the warmth and taste of him. This reluctantly good man was the only one she’d ever love or want.

  Gion pulled back suddenly, leaving Ty bereft.

  She almost apologized for allowing the kiss to happen. But, Ty wasn’t sorry, so why bother pretending? Her real regret was that they’d never gone further. Once Gion left, all the heat and boldness and desire inside of her would vanish. He had Randa, now, but Ty would die a virgin. She’d never be able to give herself to anyone else.

  Shit.

  Ty dropped her head onto his shirtfront and saw she was getting it wet with tears. “You should go.” Before she completely broke down.

  “Come with me downstairs.” Gion latched on to her arm, tugging her towards the door.

  “No.” Ty shook her head vehemently. “I don’t want to see that woman, again. I don’t want to see you leave with her and…”

  Gion jumped them.

  For one split second, Ty realized they were in Mayport Beach and then Gion was jumping them back to the Water Kingdom… Right into the center of the living room.

  Ty swore and batted Gion with her free hand. “Jackass.”

  Everyone else just gaped at them.

  Gion smiled. “Manda.” He took a step towards the woman, not letting go of Ty. “It’s been…”

  “It’s Randa, you clod.” Ty interrupted, furious that he was going to make her see this.

  Gion obligingly started again. “Randa, it’s been very nice meeting you.” He said calmly. “But, you’re renounced.”

  Dead silence filled the room.

  Randa’s lovely brown eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

  Ty’s mouth dropped open. “Are you crazy?! Gion,” she tugged him around to face her, “what are you doing?!”

  “I’m renouncing her. We have three Council members right here,” he nodded towards Job, Cross and Nia who all looked shocked, “that’s a quorum. So, it’s nice and official.”

  “But,” Ty shook her head, “you can’t just renounce your Match like this!”

  “Now, let’s not be a hypocrite, Tritone. You did the same thing, as I recall.”

  “That was for a reason, you blockhead!”

  “I have a reason, too.” Gion retorted. “I. Don’t. Want. Her.” He carefully spaced each word. “I don’t care if she’s my Match, or Thar’s Match, or the lost princess Anastasia. I don’t want her. I won’t have her. Ever. She’s renounced.” He glanced over at Randa. “No offence.”

  Randa mutely shook her head.

  Cross looked up at the ceiling. “Shit. I shoulda seen this coming.”

  “Uh… Gion?” Job cleared his throat. “Now, I’m not trying to influence you, but I’m going to give you the same advice that I’d give anyone in this position. Renouncing your Match is a huge step and I really think you should consider…”

  Gion cut him off. “There’s nothing to consider. I told Ty and I’ll tell you, there is no other option for me. I will never Phaze with that woman or with anyone else.”

  “Is he a monk, now?” Tharsis guessed. “Is that it?”

  “It’s Ty.” Nia whispered.

  “It’s always been Ty.” Gion kept his attention on Ty’s pale face. “Always.”

  “No.” Ty’s heart pounded in her chest. Gion was about to ruin his life. Throw away all his chances at happiness. “Gion, you’re being impulsive. I know that you feel a connection to me. I feel it, too, but…”

  “I love you.” Gion interrupted. “I’ve loved you since you were eighty-four years old and nothing will ever change that.” He met her gaze steadily. “I won’t accept any other woman.”

  Ty’s lips parted.

  Icy blue eyes burned into hers. “I don’t care what destiny says about Matches. You’re the only woman I want.” Gion’s words hypnotized her and still he kept going. “For me, there’s only you, Ty. Only you.”

  Ty started shaking her head. “I can’t give you what you really deserve, though.” She whispered. “I can’t give you children or Phaze with you. Not because I don’t want to, because I can’t.” Tears started falling, again. “I’d be your Match, if I could. I swear it. But I’m not.”

  “Stop.” He leaned forward to touch the side of her face. “I don’t care about having a Match. I care about having you.”

  Ty bit down on her lower lip. “You don’t mean that.”

  “I’m a liar, but not about this.” Gion rubbed his thumb over her cheek, brushing away tears. “We have a deal. If I didn’t have a Match, you said that you’d Bind with me. If I asked, you promised to say yes. Well, I’ve gotten rid of the Match and now I want you to keep your word.�
�

  “You have to take Randa back, though. That’s the whole point!”

  “I won’t.” There was absolute finality in his tone. “Not even if you ask me to. That’s the one thing I can’t do, Ty. Not even for you.”

  “She’s your Match!” Ty pointed at Randa. “Phases wait forever to find that.”

  “I’ve waited for you. I don’t see why this comes as such a surprise. I have it on good authority that they write books about Phases giving up their Matches for true love.”

  “You’ve never even read Ismena. Don’t try that.” Ty looked over at her cousin. “Nia, tell him this is nuts!”

  Nia shrugged helplessly. “Loving you isn’t nuts.”

  “Nia!”

  “Alright!” Nia held up her palms in surrender. “Fine. Gion, maybe you should listen to Ty. Having a Match can be a wonderful thing.”

  “I am listening to her. No one’s listening to me.” Gion pointed at his chest. “All my life I’ve endured. I’ve survived. I’ve waited. And I didn’t do all that so I could be stuck with some woman who I don’t love. I endure and survived and waited for Ty. I love Ty. Manda is nothing to me.” He glanced at Randa, again. “No offence.”

  “Many Matches have to learn to care for each other.” Randa put in, looking surprisingly unoffended.

  “Yes, you could learn to love her.” Ty grabbed hold of Gion’s wrist and gave him a shake. “And her name is Randa.”

  “Who cares what her name is? I don’t love her. I won’t love her. And fucking destiny isn’t going to force her on me.”

  Cross glanced down at Nia. “I wouldn’t trade you for another woman, either, baby.” He reluctantly volunteered. “If a different Match showed up for me, I’d renounce her. I’ve told you that before. I want you, not just someone to Phaze with. Gion’s actually right for once.”

  “But, Nia is your Match, Cross.” Ty shot back.

  “It wouldn’t matter if she wasn’t. That’s what I’m saying.” Cross looked over at Job. “Would it matter to you if Tessie wasn’t your Match?”

  “No. I love Tess.” Job turned to Gion. “Do you love Ty enough to be certain of this?”

  “Ty’s the only thing in this universe that I am certain of.”

  “That’s impossible!” Ty insisted desperately. “Why would you want me over Randa? She’s perfect for you!”

  “She’s not.”

  “How would you know? You haven’t said anything to the poor woman except, ‘you’re renounced.’”

  “What else should I say?”

  “That’ll you’ll accept the Match, of course!”

  “Which would be a lie. I won’t have her. I think I’ve been very clear on the subject.”

  Ty tried a new tactic. “Alright, well what about the rest of the world, then? With Elementals on the edge of extinction, don’t you think it’s irresponsible to give up a chance to have more children?”

  Gion seemed amused by that. “What are you expecting here, angel? Me to give some Humphrey Bogart, ‘our problems don’t amount to a hill of beans’ speech?” He snorted. “Bad news. I’m a selfish bastard and I thought Casablanca was overrated.”

  “But, you could help sustain the universe by Phazing with Randa.” Even if the image of it made Ty sick. “You could help ensure another generation of Stone Phases.”

  “I don’t care. I don’t even like the Stone Phases.” Gion waved a dismissive hand. “Without you, the whole world can burn to ashes and I wouldn’t miss it.”

  Tharsis chuckled. “He seems pretty certain of this, Ty. I think you’re stuck with the guy. No pun intended.” Thar leaned a shoulder against the wall. “Honestly, you could do worse than Guy. Hell, you have.”

  “Gion is better than Parald.” Nia admitted.

  Gion inclined his head in their direction. “So nice to have supportive in-laws.”

  “Job.” Ty switched strategies, again. “You’re the High Seat. You can stop him from doing this.”

  “No, he can’t.” Gion corrected confidently.

  “Gion has a right to renounce his Match, Ty. You, of all people, know that. It’s the law.” To Job, that said it all. The law was always paramount.

  Gion honest-to-God smirked at having Job side with him. He arched his brows at Ty with a “now what?” sort of smugness.

  Ty made a frustrated sound. “But, Job, he’s overwrought and not thinking straight! He’ll regret doing this.”

  “I’m utterly lucid and capable of making up my own mind.” Gion regarded Ty with inflexible arrogance. “I won’t give you up. That’s my decision.”

  “Alright, how about this?” Ty pulled out the big guns. “I could kick you out of this kingdom and refuse to see you, ever again.” Even as she said that, Ty knew it would never happen. “Then, would you accept her, Gion?”

  “No.”

  It was bizarre that a man calmly saying “no” like that would make Ty love him more than ever.

  But it did.

  And, because she loved him, Ty felt like she had to make last effort to change his mind. “You believe in Gaia. I know that you do. This woman was chosen for you by God. Are you sure…”

  “I believe in you.” Gion interrupted. “You’re the only vision I’ve ever had. If I leave you, I won’t just regret it, it will kill me. Literally. I’d rather die than exist without you. Now, we can go on like this --back and forth-- forever, but the woman will still be renounced. It’s done.”

  “But, if you just gave it a day or so…”

  “No.”

  Ty yielded beneath the word. He just wasn’t going to budge. Once Gion made up his mind, he was like a brick wall.

  And, honestly, Ty saw no reason to continue arguing against what they both wanted. In fact, why the hell was she trying to talk him out of this? A smile curved her lips. Gion said that he loved her. He said that he didn’t care that they weren’t a Match. He said that he just wanted her. For Ty, that was all that really mattered. Freewill always trumped fate.

  “Maybe you should actually ask me to Bind with you, then.” She challenged.

  Gion sensed a trap. He studied her warily. “You already promised me, remember? You promised that you’d say yes.”

  “I said if you asked, though, didn’t I?”

  “Gion, wait.” Randa chimed in, again, as if she realized that Ty was done making all her arguments for her. If Ty had been in her position she would have been throwing a fit. Randa just looked suddenly scared. “You’re not really going to do this, are you?”

  Gion spared her a quick look. “What you want, I can’t give you. Find someone else.” He looked back at Ty and his jaw tightened. “Will you accept the Binding, Ty?”

  “Yes.”

  “You can’t just…” Gion was apparently expecting a refusal, because he stopped his next argument short. The instant agreement knocked him off balance. “Yes?” He echoed.

  Ty nodded.

  “You’ll Bind with me?” Gion still didn’t look convinced.

  “Yes.”

  “Oh.” Gion seemed dazed. “Well… good.” He hesitated, again. “Why?”

  Ty grinned at his suspicious tone. “It could be because I love you, too, I guess.”

  Gion blinked rapidly. “You do?”

  “Yes.”

  “That doesn’t seem possible after everything I’ve done.”

  Ty shifted closer to him. “Well, I guess you should try to be less lovable.”

  Cross snorted. “I don’t see how he could manage that.”

  Nia made a “shhh!” sound.

  Gion ignored them. “Ty, I didn’t think that… uh…” He trailed off as she stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips against his.

  “I love you.” Ty said very distinctly. “Don’t ruin the moment.”

  Blue eyes met hers, so filled with hope and wonder that Ty could’ve cried. “You’re really going to Bind with me? Just like that?”

  “Yes, I really am.”

  “Oh thank Gaia.” Gion smiled the most beauti
ful smile Ty had ever seen. He caught her up in his arms, lifting Ty right off the ground and holding her close. “Right now. We have to do this right now, before you change your mind.”

  “You’re such an idiot.” Ty buried her face in the curve of his neck. “You’re the one who should be backing out. Please don’t, though.”

  He started laughing. “Are you insane? Do you have any what I’d risk for just a chance at this? I’m not going anywhere.”

  “But,” Randa shook her head, “this isn’t how it’s supposed to be!”

  Ty’s happiness dimmed, guilt taking its place. The poor woman. Gion couldn’t be with someone that he didn’t love. It would be wrong for everyone. But, still, this had to be so hard on Randa.

  “I’m sorry.” Ty tried to let go of Gion, but he wasn’t cooperating. “Randa, I…”

  “Randa?” Isaacs’ voice came from the doorway. “What the hell is she doing here?”

  Job squinted. “Isaacs is visiting? Why?”

  Randa’s beautiful face went slack with shock. “Isaacs!” Her eyes widened in something like horror. “No.” She backed up away from the doorway. “What are you doing here?”

  “I live here.”

  “No, he doesn’t.” Cross and Gion chorused.

  “You can’t be here!” Randa started crying. “Why is this happening to me? Why does everything always go wrong for me? Why is my life such a disaster? Job,” she sank to the ground, “please help me. Don’t make go back. I can’t.”

  Job’s eyebrows climbed. “I see.” He said, even though he clearly didn’t have a clue what was going on.

  “Isaacs, do you know her?” Nia gestured to Randa.

  Randa started sobbing. Her hands covered her face as she rocked.

  “I know her.” Isaacs smirked. “You people ready to talk amnesty, yet?”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Happiness cannot be passed around like cake, for in

  almost every case it is the product of two elements

  Frank Chapman Sharp- ‘The Aesthetic Element in Morality and Its Place in a Utilitarian Theory of Morals’

  “I’ll give you amnesty, Isaacs.” Ty said. “Of course, I will.”

  “Oh, come on.” Cross looked over at his uncle. “Job, would you talk to her, please? Binding with Gion is crazy enough, but now she’s starting a halfway house for the whole friggin’ Air Phase army.”