Guardian of the Earth House by Cassandra Gannon Page A

passionate conviction as she pointed at him.  “Gaia withdrew her light because of our sins and now we walk in darkness.  This is a time of testing.  Forget your arrogance and bend your thoughts to first and last things, before it’s too late for you.”
    Job sighed as Raisa swept out.  Great.  Now, she was paraphrasing Camus, apparently without the slightest bit of irony.  Only a Radiation Phase could preach for their crazy religion using quotes from existentialist literature, which -by definition- questioned the meaning of everything.
    “What a bitch.”  Story muttered to no one in particular.
    “The Water House will give amnesty.”  Nia put-in, quietly.  “So long as I make real sure the Air Phases petitioning for it aren’t going to hurt Ty.”  Parald was still obsessed with Ty.  No one would put it past him to send spies to infiltrate the Water Kingdom and try to kidnap her.
    “Brokk will watch out for Ty.”  Abram, of the Wood House interjected, firmly.  “He’s very dedicated to his new job.  Do not worry about that.”
    Job resisted the urge to roll his eyes at that understatement.  Since Uriel found his Match, Ty had been given a new bodyguard.  Brokk, of the Wood House took crazy, rule following, protectiveness to new heights of paranoid mania.  There had never been a Wood Phase so determined to live up to every stereotype of fanatical glory and honor, do-or-die Wood Phase-ness.
    “The Shadow House will give amnesty, as well.”  Nia sent her Match a pointed look.  “Right, Cross?”
    “Oh, baby, come on .”  Cross groaned.  “We’re not going to really…”
    Nia cut him off.  “It’s the right thing to do.  It will help Ty stay safe.”
    The arguing continued on all sides.
    Job tuned out all the shouting and checked the time.
    This could take a while.
    The Magnet House, Smoke House, Air House, and Cloud House no longer had representatives on the Council.  Their chairs were tipped forward against the table.  Now it seemed liked the Crystal House’s spokesperson would be gone forever, too.  Plus, several Houses had just stormed out. Even with all the empty seats around the Council table, though, there were still plenty of Houses all with something to say.
    Which was good.  Job didn’t want to stifle people’s opinions.  Usually.  Right now, he really wished they’d all shut up, so he could get back to Tessie.
    Job found himself doodling the same cheerful house and palm trees on his legal pad, surrounding it with the same large heart.  He wondered what Tessie was doing.  If she was still naked… Maybe in the shower, thinking of him, and…
    “Who’s that woman?”  Nia whispered from beside him.  “You got a girlfriend?”
    For a second, Job’s mind went blank.  How had she known…?
    Then, he saw what he’d drawn.  Amidst the flowers and trees on the neatly drawn lawn, there was a girl with dark hair and Tessie’s infectious smile, holding hands with… Job.
    Shit.
    “Ummm.”  He looked at Nia out of the corner of his eyes.  His first instinct was to deny that the woman existed, at all.  Nia was the closest thing that Job had to a friend, though.  She was his niece-in-law, technically, but, before she’d even met Cross, she’d been important to Job.  Nia had grown up in that seat beside him, sitting on her uncle’s knee and pestering Job with questions.  He trusted Nia more than anyone.
    “She’s my houseguest.”  He said, warily.
    “Oh yeah?  Who is she?  An Earth Phase?”
    Job shrugged.  “Not exactly.”
    Nia smiled.  “Alright, be secretive.  This is good, though.  Really.  What’s she like?”
    Divine.  Beautiful.  Alive.
    “She made me watch Days of Our Lives .”
    Nia laughed, then quickly lowered her voice, again.  “Seriously?  That’s fantastic!  You must really like her to go so far in the name of romance.”
    “It wasn’t that bad.”  Job said, truthfully.  Herod, of the Gravity House was