Free Exile in the Water Kingdom (The Elemental Phases Book 3) by Cassandra Gannon Page A

in the Elemental realm.  Books lined shelves two stories
high.
    The
mild comment had Ty smiling, again.  “I like libraries, too.  The first book I
ever read was right over there.”  She gestured towards a pillow laden sofa.  “ Ismena . 
The fairytale.  I was about four.  Everyone said I was very advanced for my
age, but I think that I’d just memorized the book and recited it back to
myself.  I’d made everyone read it to me so many times, you see.”
    Gion
had never read a fairytale in his life, but he’d suffer on the rack before he
admitted that to Ty.  “The first book I ever read was called Be the Perfect
Air Phase.  A boy named Disappointment wasn’t the perfect Air Phase
and suffered for a dozen or so illustrated pages.  Very graphic, yet subtle in
its metaphors.  Conformity sounds so much better when ‘laziness’ is poorly
rhymed with ‘his parents’ sadness.’”
    “Why
would you read something so dreadful?”
    “All
Air House children read it.  Then, they’re tested on it.  I got an ‘A.’”
    “It’s
a wonder you wanted read anything, ever again.”  Ty adjusted her glasses. 
“But, if you like books, I’m pleased about that.  It’s good that you enjoy
something.  Finally.  Spend as much time as you want here in the library.”
    Gion
didn’t understand her sometimes.  Most of the time.  Why did she care
what he liked?
    Ty
patted the seat beside her.  “Show me the report.”
    Gion
carefully took the seat next to her at the table.  He never sat beside Ty
before.  It was… nice.  “I made you a copy.”  He slid it over to her.  “It’s
still preliminary.”  He added, again, in case she found something that wasn’t
thorough enough.  “I just think we should have a starting point.  I’ll be checking
the rooms, next.  One by one.”
    Ty
picked up the thick stack of papers, weighing them with her hand.  “Wow.”  She repeated. 
She flipped through the report, looking at the maps, graphs, suggestions, and
categorized chapters of information.  “You did all this morning?”
    Gion
couldn’t read her expression.  In the Air Kingdom, when he’d prepared reports
for Seneca or Parald, it was always a bad sign when they didn’t just accept
them and dismiss him.  Asking questions or looking at the report in front of
him usually meant they were dissatisfied.
    “It’s
preliminary.”  He should have made sure it was perfect before he gave it to
her.  He thought that he had , but, if Ty was disappointed, then Gion
would do better.  “If you give me until this evening, I can do a more complete
job.”
    “I
don’t see how.”  Ty glanced at him over the top of her glasses.  “I am really…
impressed.”  She gave a breathy sort of laugh.  “You did all this this
morning ?”
    Gion
blinked.  “Of course.”  Impressed?  Why would she be impressed with a security
report?  He’d been doing them every day for four hundred years.  Well, not
counting the week of the Fall.  That had been his one and only “vacation.”
    “I
wish I could get this much work done in --like-- two hours.”  Ty murmured. 
“Okay, I’m going to level with you.  I don’t know anything about security. 
Could you just,” she held up the folder, “walk me through this?”
    It
disturbed Gion that Ty was putting so much in his hands.  It wasn’t safe. 
“Well, I could , but don’t you think that would remove an extra layer of
review?”
    “Review?”
    “Yes. 
I prepared that report.  What if I’m plotting against you?”  Gion couldn’t
believe that a brilliant woman would miss the obvious.  “If I’m the one who’s
going over the report with you, then who will spot any inaccuracies?  There
should be someone else reviewing it.  They can look for mistakes, whether intentional
or merely careless.”
    “I
don’t think you’re ever careless, Gion.  So, all of that isn’t really
necessary.”
    “Yes,
it is.”
    “Well,
I’m the queen and