Read Online Exile in the Water Kingdom (The Elemental Phases Book 3) by Cassandra Gannon - Free Book Online Page B

It’s a fact that Gion’s betrayed every ruler he’s
ever followed.”  Brokk began counting them off on his fingers.  “First, he and
Parald overthrew King Seneca.  They seized control of the Air House and that’s really what set the Fall into motion.  Then, Gion left Parald, betraying him . 
The damn Air House has a bounty on his head and half the universe hunting for
him.  Now , he’s come here to you.  So, how long do you think before…?”
    “What?” 
Ty interrupted.
    “How
long do you think it will be before Gion turns on you, too?”
    “No,
not that.  What do you mean Parald has a bounty on Gion’s head.  Since, when?”
    “What
do you live in a box?”
    Actually,
Ty did live in a box called the Water Kingdom most of the time.  Besides
her drug counseling in the human realm, she spent almost all of her time safe
in her homeland, hiding from her countless enemies.  “Why does Parald want Gion
dead?”  She hadn’t expected that.  At least, not yet.  How could Parald even
know Gion was gone, so soon?
    “Because,
Gion helped you escape, of course.  Everyone’s been talking about it.  The
crazy bastard walked into the Air House dungeon and set you free.”  Brokk made
a considering face.  “They say that Parald went supernova when he found out. 
Which must have been a nice show, but still…”
    Brokk
kept talking, but Ty stopped listening.
    Gion
had rescued Ty from the Air House.  Letting prisoners go wouldn’t exactly help
Gion with his long term job prospects, but he’d done it anyway and he must’ve
been caught.
    Which
meant that Gion had been forced to leave the Air House because of Ty.
    Because
he’d been doing her a favor.
    Only
he hadn’t mentioned that.  Even when Gion thought that she’d refuse him, he’d
never mentioned how saving Ty could cost him his life.  All Gion wanted was the
promise Ty had made him and the only thing that he seemed concerned about now was
how he’d fit into the Water House.
    Ty
considered that for a long moment, reconciling the absolute arrogance of the
man, with his unexpected consideration.  The cold sarcasm, contrasted with the
warmth of the Air energy.  Gion’s terrible reputation, mixed with the fact that
he’d almost died to help her.
    Then,
Ty looked over at the wall separating her room from Gion’s…
    …
And realized, that under the façade of black clothes and pessimistic sneering,
the Water Kingdom’s newest citizen was a good man.

Chapter Four
    Nature that
framed us of four elements, warring within our breasts for regiment, doth teach
us all to have aspiring minds
    Christopher
Marlowe- ‘
Tamburlaine’
    Gion
found Ty in the library.
    She
sat at a long table, frowning intently at her computer screen.  Stacks of books
were piled around her and there was a pencil caught behind her ear.  Chewing on
her thumbnail, she scrolled down the page on her laptop in deep concentration.
    He
hesitated in the doorway, watching her.
    The
morning light came through the windows of the vast room, brilliant and clean.  Back
in the Air Kingdom everything was always dim.  The other Elementals couldn’t
sever their link to it entirely, just as Parald couldn’t escape giving them
Air.  The Elements were all interconnected.  Still, the Electricity House
didn’t work real hard to make sure that the Air Phases got their share of the
power.
    It
was so much brighter here in the Water Palace.  So much easier to breathe.
    The
sun highlighted Ty’s hair, washing her in a golden glow.  She looked like a
human college recruitment poster for dedicated, conscientious co-eds.  She
looked young and pure and full of life.  She looked like every dream he’d ever
had.
    Gion
wanted to shove everything off the table and take her right there.  If she let
him, he would have had them both naked in fifteen seconds flat.  His eyes
automatically went to the buttons of her yellow sweater, gauging how best to
get her out of it.  Not that he planned to