Only at his maximum does an individual surpass all his derivative

elements, and become purely himself.

 

D.H. Lawrence- “Fantasia of the Unconscious”

 

Nia had been the heir apparent to the Water House for the first one hundred and fifty-eight years of her life.  The oldest child of the king’s brother, she’d been raised to one day wear the crown.  After Ty had been born, late in her uncle’s life, Nia had stepped into the role of advisor and protector for her little cousin.  But, she continued to be a leader; self-confident and sure that she was loved by her entire family.  Nia never doubted her own worth.

And why would she?  Everyone adored Nia.  Her uncle and aunt had doted on her, taking her along to Council meetings from the time she could walk.  Her parents cherished her.  There wasn’t a moment of her childhood that Nia hadn’t felt safe and respected.  All her life, she’d had Tharsis for companionship and support, and Ty had idolized her since the moment she came into the world.  Her first word had been “Nia.”

Nia had endured a lot, but she’d never been alone.  Never felt hopeless.  Never doubted for a second that she was special and important, in some indefinable way, just because she was Nia.  Secure in the Water Palace, Nia had grown up with every material thing she’d ever wanted, a flawless education, and so much love that she never even questioned it.

In other words, Nia’s life had been the exact opposite of Cross’.

His existence was the dark mirror image to her own bright, happy memories.

Nia looked around at Cross’ memories and wanted to go back in time to personally wipe out every Shadow Phase herself, before the Fall had the privilege.  She wasn’t a violent person.  The Water House had always been the most peaceful of all the Elementals.  But, Nia could have killed every damn Phase in the Shadowland and still slept like a baby at night.

Cross belonged to her.  Gaia had given him to her and nobody hurt someone who belonged to Nia, of the Water House.

“Cross?”  He couldn’t hear her, but Nia crouched down next the boy her Match had been and tried to touch his dark hair.  “Oh God, sweetie, don’t watch.”  She tried to move to block his view, but it didn’t do any good.  This was Cross’ memory and she wouldn’t be seeing it if he’d looked away from the spectacle playing out in the town square.

Nia pressed her lips together and sat down next to him in the dirt.  Cross was hiding under a wagon, peeking through the spokes of a wheel.  He was so young.  Just a baby.  His clothes weren’t warm enough for the cold weather and he was so thin she could count every one of his fragile ribs.  She could see the bruises, too.

How could anyone put bruises on her Match?  Didn’t they know how wonderful he was?  How gentle and selfless?  If this was the way they’d treated their children, then the Shadow House had deserved to be wiped out in the Fall.

Nia swallowed hard and focused on the woman who had actually managed to supplant Parald as number one on Nia’s, “If you could kill one person in the world…” list.  Cross’ mother, at least temporarily, had rocketed up the charts and was now Nia’s new face of evil.  “You bitch!”  She shouted as Senti, Queen of the Shadow House stared stone-faced at the guillotine.  “You’re not going to stop them?!”

Nia had seen nothing but misery in Cross’ head so far, but this was the worst thing yet.  It hadn’t taken more than a few flashes of memory for Nia to know that her dead mother-in-law was the stupidest, vainest, social climbing-est Phase ever born.  Oh, Senti had been beautiful.  Anyone who’d contributed half of Cross’ DNA would’ve had to stunning.  But, the woman had made the dumbest decision in the universe and traded her Match for an empty crown.

Vice, the King of the Shadow House lost his Match, in some accident Nia wasn’t real clear on.  Nia had heard stories of widowed Phases finding another Match, but -truthfully-  she’d never seen it happen.  She’d never known of a single, real example of anyone getting a second chance.  You were gifted with one Match and if you lost them, your life imploded.  Most Phases didn’t even survive the loss.  Without Cross, Nia wouldn’t want to go on and she hadn’t even known him a full day, yet.  She couldn’t imagine the pain of losing your Match after so many centuries together.

Apparently, Vice skipped a few steps in grieving process and landed right at “acceptance,” though.  His Match was barely in the ground before he set his sights on marrying the Elementals’ reigning Scarlett O’Hara, Senti.  She was an Earth Phase, but Houses intermarried all the time, so that wasn’t the problem.  The real trouble was Senti hadn’t found her Match and Vice sure wasn’t him.  But, she sure seemed to love the “Your Majesty-ing” part of being Mrs. Queen of the Shadowland.

She’d agreed to a Binding, which basically meant they were married by the Council.  Without being an actual Phase-Match, they couldn’t Phaze, couldn’t share memories, and couldn’t have children.  But, Vice already had two or three sons to carry on the kingdom.  Mean bastards, who Nia also despised.  In theory, Nia had nothing against Bindings.  Phases got lonely and gave up hope of finding a Match.  Or maybe they fell in love with someone who wasn’t their Match.  It happened and why shouldn’t they be allowed to find happiness?  Ty’s situation with Parald made Nia a big believer in free choice, Phase-Match or not.

But, a Binding was still a commitment.  A pledge.  There was always a chance that you might find your Match when you were stuck in a Binding with a different Phase.

Which is exactly what happened to Senti.

Cross’ mother had found her Match, a sword maker in the village.  Instead, of going to the Council and petitioning to break the Binding with Vice, though, Senti had pulled a modified Marie Antoinette.  She’d tried to have her cake and eat it, too.  She’d Phazed with the sword maker and stayed in her Binding with Vice.

Somehow she’d managed to pull it off for a while, mostly because Vice was an oblivious idiot.  Senti must have been pretty damn smug with herself, until Cross came along.  Vice knew the kid wasn’t his and nobody did pissed-off like the cuckolded king of darkness.  He’d ordered Cross’ father, Ross, executed.

Senti insisted that Ross had forced her to Phaze, which just flat out wasn’t possible.  But, she was hot, so Vice passed on his own Henry the VIII impression and let her keep her head attached.  Ross had obviously known that his Match was going to toss him under the bus to save her own tiara and he ran for it.  Cross had been born and, as far as Nia could tell, everyone hated the poor thing for not dying in infancy.

Usually, children followed their mother’s House, so Cross was all the more special for being a Shadow Phase.  He should have been treasured by his House.  Instead, they tortured him.  Vice and his sons knocked him into walls, his mother pretended he wasn’t alive unless she was smacking him around and everyone else in the Shadowland took turns harassing and bad mouthing the little boy.  And, so far, Nia was only up to his fourth year of life.  Cross’ memories were so vivid, even at this early age, that it was ripping her heart out.

Ross had eventually been caught and put on trial.  That was where most of Nia’s background information was coming from.  At four years old, Cross knew what was happening and he watched all of it.  He stayed silent, hidden in the endless shadows, and took in the cruel world around him.  Nia would have traded anything to be able to take his miniature hand and lead him away from the town square, so he wouldn’t witness this.

She could see the tragedy looming and not one Shadow Phase was going to stop it.

“Oh God.”  She whispered as Ross was led to the guillotine set up for the Shadowland’s viewing pleasure.  “Please.”

The executioner read a list of crimes that Ross had been convicted of.  He was a gorgeous man, like a slightly shorter version of Cross with angry, brown eyes.  The recitation of his offences didn’t seem to register with him.  Instead, he kept his eyes on Senti.

When they asked if he had any last words, Ross spoke right to her.  “I’ve done nothing wrong, Senti, and you know it.  You’re wrong.  Everything you are and everything about you is wrong.  I wish I’d never met you and I wish the boy had never been born.  With you for a mother, he’ll grow up just as wrong as you are, you traitorous whore.”

Beside her, Cross flinched and Nia saw red.  “Execute the bastard!”  She roared.  Up until that point, she’d been feeling bad for Ross, but he was almost as bad as Senti.  Granted, he didn’t know Cross was listening, still that wasn’t going to buy him any forgiveness.  He’d just wished his own son dead!  Ross jumped to number three of Nia’s “If you could kill anyone…” list, right after Senti and Vice.

For all her anger at the man, though, Nia still couldn’t watch as the guillotine blade slowly rose over his head.  “Cross.”  She implored, when he just kept staring at his father with damp, mercury eyes.  “Sweetie, please, don’t…”

There was a sudden “crack,” the “swishing” sound of the blade cutting through air and then the omissions “thawump” as it hit its target.

Nia and Cross cringed in perfect unison.

As the crowd cheered, Nia wondered queasily if Ross had been the sword maker who’d created the blade that just killed him.  It didn’t seem right.  None of this was right.

Still expressionless, Senti, climbed down from her seat as the executioner held up Ross’ severed head.  She walked back towards the castle.

Cross put his head down in his skinny arms and wept.

Nia’s soul shattered.

The scene changed and Nia was so grateful she nearly cried herself.  She tried to focus on anything, other than what she’d just seen and her surroundings were as good a choice as any.  They were in the Shadow Castle now.  Crap.  That wasn’t much better, at all, actually.

Cross’ homeland was so magical, with twisting darkness and grey moors.  Nia couldn’t understand why Vice insisted on keeping his castle in such a dreadful state.  The whole place was a dark and gloomy.  And not in an atmospheric “medieval Scotland chic” kinda way, which would have actually suited the Castle perfectly.  And which, now that Nia was Queen of Shadow House, was exactly how it would be decorated from now on.  Instead, it was just cold and dirty, with a hint of menace lurking in the corners.  She was actually thankful that they’d banished Cross to that shack at the edge of town two memories ago, rather than have him grow up someplace so threatening.

“You psychotic bitch.”

Nia’s head whipped around.  She recognized that perfect voice, even if she’d never heard it so full of anger before.  “Job?”  She moved so she was looking into a sitting area.  A gigantic fire blazed in the hearth, sending shadows creeping around the darkened interior of the room.

Senti, dressed in a red velvet gown, glowered up at Job in disgust.  “There’s nothing you can do about it now, so save me your insults, brother.  I no longer answer to the Earth House.”

Brother?

Nia’s eye brows shot up.  She hadn’t known Job had a sister.  Her gaze went to the grass green streaks at both of their temples.  That was pretty much the only resemblance between them.  Senti had a dark, lush beauty about her and the exotic mercury eyes that her son had inherited.  If she set her sights on another crown, she was a prime contender for Miss Elemental any year she wanted to enter the contest.

Job, on the other hand, wasn’t exactly beautiful.  In a species as universally lovely as the Elementals, he always looked a little bit… different.  Not ugly or unattractive, just not as refined.  More planes and angles to his face, a squarer set to his jaw.  His rough appearance was completely at odds with the conservative clothes he favored.

Dressed in a human suit, covered with the flowing black robe of the Council, Job could have presided over any court in the universe.  He wore his pure white hair pulled back into a ponytail and tied with a leather cord.  A thousand years had passed since Job was a child, but, in human terms, he still looked like he was in his thirties.  It was his eyes that gave away his real age.  A vivid shade of green that matched the highlight in his hair, they stayed permanently shadowed with all the burdens he carried.

Aside from her father and uncle, Nia had always though Job was the wisest man in the world.  He’d let her sit in his Council chair when she was younger, while he patiently explained the ins and outs of Elemental law to her.  Job was a god to Nia, even if she occasionally called him a blind idiot and disobeyed his orders to forget about the Quintessence.  She loved him for his meticulous, patient, by-the-book-ness.  Nia had certainly never heard Job shout obscenities at anyone before.  It was amazingly out of character.  Why was he even in the Shadowland?  Where was Cross in this memory?

She looked around and spotted him peeking in one of the open doors on the other side of the room.  He was a bit older, now.  Old enough to find food for himself she supposed, because he looked a little less skeletal.  Ignoring Job and Senti, since they couldn’t see her anyway, Nia made her way over to him.  “Did you sneak in here to spy?”  She crouched down next to him.  “How come you didn’t tell me Job was your uncle, huh?”  She tried to touch him, again, to erase the wary silence that seemed to be a permanent part of him.

“You may not answer to the Earth House.”  Job was snarling to Senti.  “But, you do answer to the Council and no one executes another Phase without my approval.”

“Vice did that.  Not me.  You can argue it out with him if you feel that way.”  Senti settled down on a really hideous chair.  “I don’t see what you hope to gain, though.  It’s not like Ross can come back.  Not even you can reattach heads, Job.”

“He was your Match.”  Job shook his head as if he just couldn’t process what she’d done.  As if he expected her to suddenly realize the depth of her sin.  “There are Phases who would give their lives for what you had, and you just threw him away.  How could you betray him like that?  Are you so much happier here with Vice?”

Senti’s mouth tightened, showing some emotion for the first time.  “Here, I’m a queen.”

“You’re a fool.”  Job pronounced.  His anger seemed to drain away and his tone went back to vintage Job, all the passion of an IRS agent beginning an audit.  He turned like he couldn’t bear the sight of his sister.  “I want to see the boy.”  He said, staring into the fire.  “Cross.  I want to see him and ensure that he’s safe.”

Nia perked up.  Finally, someone who could help Cross.

Beside her, Cross watched Job suspiciously.  Job had that effect on a lot of people when they first saw him.  He was too big and too formal.  The energy came off of him in waves.  He overwhelmed most Phases.  Even as they admired him for his strength, they didn’t exactly trust him.  He was the authority figure that might just zap you in oblivion if you stepped out of line once too often.

Nia had never been afraid of Job.  Even when the law said she was risking banishment with her rebellion, she knew that he wouldn’t hurt her.  Like Cross, Job was constantly aware of his power and how it could harm the people around him.  It was hard to imagine him actually hurting anyone.  Job walked the temperate, middle road of life.  Nia didn’t always understand him --possibly because she never stayed on any path for long and certainly not one stuck in the middle-- but, she admired him more than basically anyone else alive.

“Cross is a Shadow Phase.”  Senti eyed Job with the same guarded expression her son wore.  She was probably thinking that it wasn’t such a great idea to display her mothering talents in front of her brother.  Job really did banished child abusers, casting them out all Elemental affairs and leaving them completely on their own.  “You have no rights over him.”

“He’s half Earth Phase and that’s my House.”  Job pressed.  “It’s my duty to check on him.”

“That’s not how it works and you know it, Councilor.”  Senti taunted.  “Cross is a Shadow Phase and only answers to this House.  You have no authority here, Job.  Vice has claimed the child as his own.”

“Liar!”  Nia shouted, even as little Cross looked suddenly hopeful.  “Honey, don’t believe her.”  Nia told him, urgently.  “Go to Job.  He’ll get you out of here.”

But, Cross stayed where he was.

Job’s jaw clenched.  Under the law, there wasn’t a lot he could do to force Senti to produce the boy if Cross was accepted as part of the Shadow House.  He went over to brace one of his hands on the mantle and stared into the flames, broodingly.

“Job.”  Nia hurried forward, unable to stop herself.  “Don’t leave until you see Cross.  Please, bend the rules for once and find him.”

Job’s eyebrows came together in a frown, his head tilting a few millimeters to the left.

Nia mouth parted.  Had he heard her somehow?  “JOB!”  She screamed his name. “Find Cross!  He needs you.”  She was inside Cross’s memory, so she didn’t think anyone could hear her.  Not even a Phase as powerful as Job.  She wasn’t really there, after all.  But, Nia figured it was worth a shot.  Her eyebrows rose as Job suddenly used his palm to push himself away from the mantel.

He turned to look at his sister.  “I’m going to see the boy.”  He decided, flatly.  “It’s not a request.  It’s a statement of fact.  I don’t care if I have the authority or not.  Produce him now or I’ll drag the entire Shadow House in front of the Council for an inquiry.”

That was Job’s, ‘don’t fuck with me, peasant’ tone.  Flat, cold, and filled with a thousand years of being the biggest badass in the universe, it sent lesser beings crawling for mercy.  The power crackled off of him and his not quite handsome face grew arctic with the force of his resolve.

Nia grinned with pride as Senti shrank back in her seat.  “You are sooo my hero, right now.”  Nia told Job, relishing Senti’s escalating panic.

Then, Cross went and ruined it.  “I’m Cross.”  He said, quietly from the doorway.

Senti and Job both turned to stare at him hovering in the shadows.

Something unreadable passed over Job’s expression.  He took a step closer to Cross.

Cross stepped back.

Job stopped and cleared his throat.  His hands went behind his back, military “at rest” style and Nia knew he was about to get all official.

“Oh, no.”  Nia groaned.  Cross wouldn’t respond to that.  He wouldn’t trust it.  “Job, don’t be a Councilor.  Be his uncle!”

“I am Job, of the Earth House.”  Job didn’t make any more moves towards Cross.  “I’ve come to see that you’re well.”

Cross nodded, silently.

“Tell them how important you are to all of us, Cross.”  Senti urged, passionately.  If she ever took to the stage, her heartbroken mommy routine was all set.  “He wants to try and steal you away from your home.”

“I will kill you!”  Nia shrieked.

Job flashed his sister a look that shook the walls of the castle.  There was a small but unmistakable vibration in the stones; a hint of a power so big that it defied known boundaries.

Senti paled.

So did Cross.

Nia saw the exact second that he chose the devil he knew.  “I don’t want to leave the Shadowland.”

“Shit!”  Nia threw her hands up and stared at the tiny boy in dismay.  “Sweetie, no.  Job won’t hurt you like the rest of them.  He seems scary, but he’s your savior.  Job.”  She whirled around to face him again.  “Damn it, he’s a baby.  You’re frightening him.  Don’t be so proper!  Go pick him up and carry him back to the Earth Kingdom.”

Job stared at Cross for a moment as if he was trying to get a better look at him.  “I am your uncle.”  He said at length.  “I won’t harm you.  All I want is your happiness, Cross.”

Nia’s lips parted.  For Job, that was the equivalent of wearing his heart on his sleeve.  He wanted to go to Cross.  He just didn’t know how.  And Cross was too distrustful of everyone to close the distance.  Nia saw the beginnings of that two feet of space Cross tried to keep between himself and the world forming like a shield around him as the memories went on.

“You aren’t welcome here, Job.”  Senti hissed.  “You’ve seen him.  Heard him say that he’s very happy with us.  No one needs your interference, so get out.”  She gestured towards the front door.

Job watched Cross for another moment and then nodded.  “It was good to meet you, Cross.”  He said, stiffly.  “Perhaps, one day we could talk further.”

Cross gave a disbelieving snort.

Nia ran a hand through her hair as Job actually left.  “I’m going to strangle them both.”  She whispered in defeat.

Senti stalked across the room and backhanded Cross into the door.  “I told you never to come into my house!”  She screeched as she beat him.

Nia covered her eyes and started to cry.  She was trapped and helpless to stop these memories and she just couldn’t take any more.  How had Cross survived this?  Hadn’t anything good ever happened to him?  How could he ever open up to her if this was all he knew?

The scene shifted again and Nia was back in Cross’ shack.

He was lying on his cot and breathing like every inhalation of air hurt unbearably.  There was a smell here that nearly drove her to her knees.  Nia knew that smell.  Everyone who’d survived the Fall knew it.

Blood.

Fluids.

Bodies rotting.  So many bodies there weren’t enough graves, no matter how many anyone dug.

Death.

The Fall summed up in its base odors.

“Cross?”  She coughed trying not to gag at the stench and the memories it brought up for her, as well.  “Are you alright?”

He was curled into a fetal position, panting and panting.  As she got closer she saw his eyes were open and the whites of them were bright red.  The Shadows were killing him.  Blood was pouring out of his nose and ears, pain etched on every line of his face.  Nia sat down as close to him as she could get.  “Sweetie, I’m here.”  She didn’t know what else to say.  “I’m here, Cross.”  She was still crying.  “You aren’t alone.  I’m here.”

The door to the shack slammed open and Job swept in, searching.  When his eyes settled on Cross, Nia saw relief and concern mix on his rough face.  “Cross.  There you are.”  He was across the room in two strides and crouching down next to the cot.  “You’re supporting the entire House alone?”  He demanded.  “Can you do that?”

Cross rolled his bleeding eyes up to meet his uncle’s.  His expression perfectly conveyed the staggering stupidity of that question.  “I am doing it.”  He whispered as if it hurt to talk.

“Can you keep it balanced, though?”  Job raised his hand like he wanted to touch Cross’ shoulder.  Then, he dropped it, again.  “I’m not sure how we can distribute the weight to another House.  Only Shadow Phases can support the Shadows.”  He was babbling now and Job wasn’t a man who babbled.  “Oh, Gaia.”  He closed his eyes.  “Just… Thank Gaia, you’re alive.”  Nia had never seen him look so tired.  During the Fall, Job had tried so hard to hold the center… But things still fell apart.  For once, he actually looked a thousand years old.  “Cross.”  He focused on his nephew.  “Your mother…”

“Dead.”  Cross interrupted.  “Everyone but me.”

“I know.”  Job sighed, again, and Nia realized he was actually taking a moment to mourn his horrible sister.  “I sensed Senti die.  I just…”  He trailed off and cleared his throat.  “At least, I still have you.”

Cross gave the exact same snort he’d drug out the last time Job had come to see him.  Doubt and distain, liberally sprinkled with not giving a damn.  He closed his eyes as if he wanted to shut Job out.

Nia stared at Job and, for the first time, she saw a hint of vulnerability in his invincible façade.  For a second, he looked like a lonely little boy who knew he wasn’t welcomed to play kickball with the other kids.  Then, it was gone and he was just Job again, all protocol and procedure.

“I felt the world end, Cross.  How did you stop it?  How are you doing this?”

“Match.”  Cross’ blood filled eyes lit with a determination even brighter than the pain.  “Felt her.”

Nia’s heart stopped.

“You found your Match?”  Job translated.  “That’s wonderful.”  His voice was so beautiful.  Rich and pure, like a balm healing all the little microscopic fissures inside of you.  Cross might have acted like Job’s visit was a colossal imposition on his social calendar, but Nia could see him relaxing slightly and focusing on his uncle through the agony.  “Where is she?”  Job glanced back at the door as if Cross’ Match might be lurking out among the corpses.

“Don’t know.  Just felt her.  Going to find her.”  It was a vow.

Nia felt herself responding to the raw determination in his tone.  “You found me, Cross.”

Job frowned.  “You don’t know where she is, but your Match was strong enough that your felt her as the universe collapsed?  Am I getting that?”

“Yes.”  Cross mouthed the word.

Job’s head tilted, again, as if he was thinking deeply.  “Not many Phases are left.”  He ran a hand through his hair.  It was the first time Nia had ever seen it disheveled and loose.  Thick and pure white, it fell past his shoulders, the highlight a vivid lawn green.  It was lovely.  Job could actually be sort of handsome if he tried.  “There are so few of us, now.”

“I’m left.”  She told him.  “Me.  I’m his Match, Job.  Nia, of the Water House.”

“She’s left.”  Cross whispered.  “Maybe not a Phase.  Don’t care.  She’s there.”

“Thank you.”  Nia nodded.  “See, Job?”

He clearly didn’t see.  “Teja made it.  She’s got a lot of energy.  You’d be able to feel it over an apocalypse.”

“Teja?!”  Nia tried to give Job’s shoulder a punch. “Me, me, me, me, me, dummy!”

He reached up to touch the exact spot she’d hit, his expression faintly puzzled.

Nia froze.  “Oh my, God.”  He really was sensing her.  Sensing her when she wasn’t even there.  “Job, how powerful are you?”  She got out in a strained tone, because she’d never even heard of someone being able to do what he just did.  It actually went passed impressive and into the realm of scary.

Job gave his head a clearing shake and raised another almost-touching-but-not-quite palm to Cross.  That damn two feet of air, again.  Job wouldn’t break into Cross’ very clear space bubble without some kind of permission.  He was apparently strong enough to do things that no other Phase would dream of, but Job was still all about etiquette.  “Do you want some water?”

Cross let out a low groan.  “Yes.”  The desire was so apparent in his tone that Nia felt tears well up, again.

She was a Water Phase and her Match was thirsty?  He was here suffering and she couldn’t help him, at all.  “Job, hurry.”

Job got up to get Cross a drink.  “At least, Nia and Tharsis are keeping the Water House afloat.”  He muttered.  “And if Ty recovers, we’ll have three.  God, we can’t lose them or we’ll all go under.”

There was absolutely no reason for him to say something like that.  Even he looked baffled as he came back to Cross with an earthen mug full of water.  Job felt her here.  Nia was convinced of it, now.  He didn’t know it, but he was picking up on her energy and instinctively thinking of her.  “Job, I’m his Match.”  She repeated.

“Water House?”  Cross gulped down the water so fast it ran down his chin.  “Only three Water Phases left?”

“Only three.”  Job went to pour Cross a second glass.  “Luckily, one of them is Nia and she’ll never let it fall.  She’s too stubborn.”

Nia took that as a compliment.  “Thanks.”

Cross sucked down the second cup of water a bit slower.  “Nia?”  He echoed, his Shadow-y tone rumbling over the name and Nia felt herself melt.  She loved his voice.

“Nia.  The most aggravating, know-it-all, idealist in the realm.”  Job reported.  “She thinks she can tell me how to run the Council.  Once she’s finished there, she’ll be off to reorganize the rest of universe.  Bossy and defiant and –God-- if your Match is anything like her, you’d better just run.”

“I detest you, right now.”  Nia snapped.  “I’m so making you pay for that.”

“She’s yours?”  Cross asked, apparently picking up on something in that list of insults that led him to think that Job was praising her or something.  Men were idiots.

“No.”  Job shook his head.  “I don’t have a Match.  I’m not meant to.  But, the Phase who gets Nia will be blessed.  She’s a Match who any man would choose if he could.  Lovely and honest and strong.  She’s a gift.”

Nia forgave Job.  “I love you, too.”

“She’s a pain in the ass, though.”  Job continued.  Now that he’d captured his nephew’s attention, Job seemed willing to pursue the topic of Nia forever, if need be.  “She shouts at me.  Nobody shouts at me.  I’m not sure why I allow it from her.”

“Allow?”  Nia challenged.  “Oh, please.  Tell him more good stuff about me and stop trying to pretend that you’re cool.”

And Job did.  He talked about Nia for over an hour, his perfect voice going from annoyance, to affection, to amusement as he told stories about her childhood Council visits.

Cross laid there and listened, his expression more open than Nia had ever seen it.

Nia rested her head on his cot and watched him absorb every word Job spoke.  She saw Cross’ yearning, his desperation to have someone to love, his crippling isolation and pain.  How, in the midst of his terrible life, in the midst of terrible pain and a terrible plague, he’d chosen life rather than leave her.  He hadn’t been exaggerating earlier. He needed her, desperately.

“I’m already here, Cross.”  Nia assured him.  She would never leave this man.  Not for anything in the universe.

But, she was tearing down that two feet of space that he tried to hide behind if she had to hire a wrecking ball to do it.