Free Guardian of the Earth House by Cassandra Gannon Page B

tornado that had swept into his life.
    He hadn’t daydreamed about anything since he was a boy.
    When Tessie first arrived, he’d been furious.  The rush of want, and need, and caring blindsided him when his energy touched hers.  He’d been agitated most of the night, caught between anger and amusement and concern and desire.
    But, this morning, when he woke-up, Tessie was the first thought that went through Job’s head.  In the two seconds it took him to open his eyes, he’d experienced more emotions than he’d felt in his previous thousand years of life.
    Excitement that he could see Tessie again and irritation that the feelings hadn’t faded.  Worry that she’d left during the night and confusion about why the feelings hadn’t faded.  Determination to keep her safe and relief that the feelings hadn’t faded.
    A surprising amount of relief.
    It concerned him how quickly he was becoming attached to the woman.
    Job was getting used to the connected feeling, now.  And he… liked it.  He wanted Tessie to like it, too.  Or, at least, to feel it, so maybe she’d do something to sustain it longer.
    Watching soap operas with her had been the best night of his life.  Without exaggeration.  The two of them sat on his sofa and he’d felt like he was part of something special and real.  For once, Job wasn’t watching people laugh from the other side of the room.  He belonged.  Right there, next to Tessie, he’d belonged.
    Job would never have a Match.  He knew that.
    If he actually had an authentic connection with any woman, then Tessie’s false Phazing would have been a violation.  But, Job was destined to be alone, so what did it really hurt to have this?  The feelings were artificial, but they felt so right that Job didn’t really care.  This was as close as he could get to finding his Match and having a connection with someone.
    And Tessie was so damn appealing and warm.
    He wanted her so badly.
    How could he get her to stay?
    “Job?”  The knock on his door and the sound of his name jolted him out of his thoughts.
    Job blinked and he stared down at the forest of red-inked trees he’d drawn all over his meeting notes.  The agenda was completely obscured by a sketch of a small house, surrounded by tall palms and flowers.
    He’d been doodling.
    It was so out of character that Job felt a rush of confused embarrassment.  “Yes?”  He called, automatically.
    What was wrong with him?
    His office was in the Council Hall, which was the oldest building in the Agora.  As far back as Job could remember it had been decorated in a neutral, Classical style.  The office had been his grandfather’s, before Job took over as High Seat.  The severe, frowning face of Wiset scowled at him from the opposite wall.
    Job never liked that painting.
    It judged him.
    Job actually preferred working out of his home, because none of the art there watched him.  Plus, there were fewer interruptions.  The Agora was always crowded and people constantly stopped by his office while he was there.
    The Elemental realm’s open space, the Agora was a place where Phases could come and go without any barriers preventing their travel.  It was a marketplace, a meeting center, and a capital all rolled into one.  The Elementals’ largest store was there, as was their university and movie theater.  Job dreaded the day when someone petitioned to build a Starbucks out in the public square.
    Teja came wandering in.  “Okay, there’s some weirdness, going on.”
    Job flipped the page over so she wouldn’t see his drawing.  “How so?”
    “Fisher died last night.  Computer fell in his bathtub, if you can believe that.  Doesn’t seem like that would kill us, does it?”
    “Oh, God.”  Fisher had been one of the last two Crystal Phases alive.  The Crystal House had always been small.  Losing it probably wouldn’t end the world.  The Stone House could pick up the vital processes.  But, it would mean an end to all