We stopped halfway up the hill outside the restaurant. Hollywood Road was a steep narrow street lined on both sides with stores selling antiques and furniture. Since the construction of the escalator, a number of Western-style restaurants had also sprung up along the corridor, catering to the expat crowd riding the escalator home.
I steeled myself, then opened the restaurant door.
‘You’ll be fine, ma’am. She’ll understand,’ Gold said softly behind me.
Rhonda smiled and waved to us from a small table near the windows. Good, I could talk freely over there, nobody would hear us. I winced inside. I didn’t want to tell her this.
I was ready to shake her hand as I approached, but when I was close enough she embraced me instead. I was thrilled. I had a great deal of respect for Rhonda and really liked her, and was delighted she thought of me as a friend. It made it even more unpleasant, though, thinking of what we were about to discuss.
Gold shook Rhonda’s hand and we sat.
‘Rhonda, have you met Gold?’ I said, trying to remember if she had.
She shook her head and smiled kindly. ‘No, I haven’t. Hello, Gold, unusual name.’
‘He’s one of
them
,’ I said pointedly, and she nodded without losing the smile.
‘I should be offended, my Lady,’ Gold said, his boyish face full of good humour.
‘Why? I was about to say that you’re a
lawyer
,’ I said, and Rhonda laughed quietly. ‘He’s a Shen as well, by the way.’
Gold’s grin widened. ‘Two strikes against me already, ma’am, and I haven’t even said a word to Ms MacLaren.’ He turned to Rhonda. ‘I’m very pleased to meet you. I handle the Dark Lord’s legal matters here.’
Rhonda blanched. ‘Is Michael in trouble? He’s not in trouble with the police?’
I waved my hands in front of me. ‘No, no, nothing like that.’ She relaxed. ‘But we do have some things we need to discuss. No problem with the police,’ I reassured her quickly when I saw her face. ‘But let’s order something to eat first, I’m starving.’
The waiter presented us with menus. I ordered some mineral water and Rhonda asked for a basket of bread.
It was an upmarket Western restaurant with an interesting fusion of East and West, and from the descriptions on the menu possibly well done, which was unusual. There was even a varied vegetarian selection for me.
‘Are you vegetarian, Gold?’ I said, wondering what stones ate.
‘Human form, I can eat what I like,’ Gold said. ‘I love ice-cream. Strawberry. But I feel weird…’ He hesitated. ‘Eating the flesh of animals. Not really keen on the idea at all.’
‘I am so glad I don’t have to put up with that any more,’ Rhonda said as she eyed the menu. She put it down. ‘There’s obviously something up for you to bring your lawyer, Emma. How about you just tell me?’
‘If we’re ready to order I think we should do that first,’ I said, pretending to study the menu. ‘I’m ready. Gold?’
Gold called the waiter over and we ordered. The vegetarian ho fan with fungi sounded good. Gold
ordered a vegetarian pizza-type thing and Rhonda had a chicken Caesar salad.
When the waiter had taken the menus and moved away, I buttered some bread and sighed. ‘This is hard, Rhonda.’
Gold dropped his head without saying anything. Rhonda shifted impatiently.
‘We’ve been under attack quite a lot recently, and last week someone was killed,’ I said.
Rhonda’s eyes went wide but she didn’t say anything.
‘Michael obviously had some friends in very unpleasant places. He’d left them a long time ago, but they came after him.’
‘I’m sorry, Emma, I honestly didn’t know,’ Rhonda said. ‘I knew he had some nasty friends, but I didn’t know he was that caught up in it. I’ll
kill
him!’
‘We handled it.’ I didn’t elaborate. ‘But John’s housekeeper from London was visiting, and fainted from the stress. We took her to the hospital. A particularly nasty demon took her as second prize when he couldn’t get his hands on Simone or me. He used her as a bargaining chip, and when she was no longer useful, the slimy little bastard killed her.’
Rhonda’s face didn’t move.
‘Michael’s learned his lesson. They know who he is, what he is, and they want him for that. The demon who killed our housekeeper,’ I said, and took a deep breath, ‘is the Big Brother of all the Big Brothers. And he wants Michael for his own amusement.’
‘Shit!’ she exploded quietly, and banged the table softly. ‘I’m going to
kill
him!’
Gold jumped, but didn’t say a word. His face said it all.
‘Rhonda.’ I tried to keep my voice even. ‘Michael is in big trouble. This guy wants him. Michael is an enormous target. He’s the son of the West Wind, and they know that.
He’s a Retainer of the Dark Lord, and they know that too. They want him very badly.’ ‘Is he safe with you?’
‘He is safer alongside the Dark Lord and the Dark Lady than he is anywhere else on the Earthly Plane,’ Gold said.
Please don’t call me that, I begged Gold silently.
The food arrived. All three of us sat and looked at it miserably, without touching it.
‘Why did you bring your lawyer, Emma?’ Rhonda said softly. ‘You want me to sign a release? In case something happens to him?’
‘I want a witness,’ I said, trying to stay calm. ‘I don’t want a release from you; I know you trust us, there’s no need for that. What I
do
want is your permission to move him to the Western Palace if things get out of hand. We have control of the situation right now…’ I tried to sound confident. ‘But if it appears that Michael is in real danger, and we can’t protect him, then we’ll move him to the West where he’ll be completely safe. If he refuses to go, Gold will be able to back me up that it’s your wish as well.’
The noodles were going cold. Ho fan were absolutely no good cold, they went stiff. I didn’t care.
‘Would you like us to move him to the palace now?’ I said. ‘I asked him if he wanted to and he refused, but you’re his mother and it’s your decision as well.’
‘Don’t you
dare
,’ she said fiercely. ‘Not unless you absolutely have to. I do
not
want my son spending all his time with his father, I don’t want him learning anything off that man. Only move him if you have to. I’d much prefer he stayed with you and John, as long as you think you have it under control.’ She leaned back. ‘I trust you not to put him in danger. I leave the decision up to you.’
‘What if he wants to visit the palace and have a look?’
‘He can go for short stays, maybe school holidays or something. But I don’t want him spending all his time there. He’ll learn too much of his father’s attitude.’
‘His father asks about you all the time,’ I said.
She didn’t say anything, but her face spoke volumes. She hadn’t remarried after leaving the West.
‘You ever think about going back?’
‘Not as long as I’m one of a hundred.’ She straightened, picked up her fork and stuck it into the salad. ‘I think I deserve better than that.’
‘You definitely deserve better than that,’ I said. ‘I think you’re the only one who ever left him.’
Her face said it all.
‘Getting involved with Shen is always an extremely bad idea,’ I said, trying to cheer her up. ‘Look at me.’ I became serious again. ‘You still okay about Michael going to Europe tomorrow?’
‘Sure. From what I understand, they’re at their most powerful near the centre of China. Europe is a long way away, and they’ll be weak. It’ll be good for him to see a bit of the world. Take him, show him around. Just make sure he rings me now and then so I can keep track of him.’
‘I’ll make sure he does. Every day.’
The apartment was quiet when I returned. I poked my head into the kitchen. ‘Where is everybody, Ah Yat?’
Ah Yat’s eyes unfocused. ‘Master Leo and Master Michael have taken Miss Simone to the park. The Dark Lord is in his room, resting.’
‘Any messages?’
‘No, ma’am.’
‘Thanks.’
I went down to my room and called April.
‘
Wei
?’
‘Hi, April, it’s Emma. I’m just checking. How are you? How’s the baby?’
‘Not long to go now,’ she said with satisfaction. ‘You should see me, I’m huge. I’m not going out until the baby comes, it’s too embarrassing.’
‘And it’s due mid-September?’ I said.
‘I’ve already chosen a good day.’
‘What?’
‘A good day for the baby to be born,’ she said patiently, explaining.
‘Oh God, April, you won’t have a caesarean just so the baby’s born on a lucky day, will you?’
‘Of course I will. But they won’t do it in Hong Kong any more, they’ve gotten stupid about it. They want all the babies to come naturally; the rates of caesar here were very high or something, and it made them look bad. So Aunty Kitty’s arranging something for me in China.’
‘Aunty Kitty? Kitty Kwok?’
‘Yes,’ April said. ‘You should go and visit her, Emma, she really wants to see you.’ I didn’t say anything.
‘September twelfth, the baby will be born. I’m going to China just before that. Aunty Kitty says the clinic is very nice. She owns it. Like a private hospital. I was worried that the baby wouldn’t have Hong Kong right of abode, but since I’m Australian and both me and Andy have right of abode, it’s okay.’
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Fine,’ she said. ‘The doctors that Aunty Kitty sends me to are very good. Give me lots of medicine, lots of tonics to keep me strong. I’m feeling really good. A bit tired sometimes, but that’s normal.’ She laughed quietly. ‘I just don’t seem to be able to eat enough food. I’m so
hungry
all the time!’
Her voice dropped out, then returned. ‘I have another call,’ she said. ‘Probably Aunty Kitty, she checks me all the time, and Andy does too. Better say goodbye, I’ll talk to you later.’ She sighed. ‘I’m very happy, Emma. I hope you’re as happy as me one day.’
‘So do I, April.’
But not for the same reason.
S
imone and Michael sat in deck chairs on the open-air back of the boat and chatted about the scenery. John and I read books in the air-conditioned lounge.
Leo sat cross-legged on the couch with us, obviously trying to meditate and failing miserably. I wondered what had happened in the past to freak him out about being on the water. But if he didn’t want to tell me, it was his choice.
I decided to leave it and annoy John instead. ‘I thought you were planning to buy a bigger boat.’
‘Haven’t had time,’ John said. ‘I’m only good for a few more trips now anyway. Hardly worth it.’
‘Oh for God’s sake, John, don’t talk like that. Do you have to keep reminding me?’
‘Sorry. Feel free to go shopping for a new boat for me. You’ll have it when I’m gone.’
‘You’re doing it again. And don’t you dare tell me to read the
Tao.’
‘I think you’re past that stage. Look at what the stone said.’
I ran my hands through my hair and sighed. ‘God, but you hate me, Xuan Wu.’
Leo snapped out of it. ‘What did the stone say?’
We shared a look and decided to tell him. We didn’t need words. Leo was family.
I put my book down and closed the door to the back of the boat. Simone and Michael didn’t notice. I sat next to Leo, and he uncrossed his legs with relief, then shifted over for me.
‘You don’t need to sit like that if it’s uncomfortable,’ I said. ‘It’s best just to be comfortable to meditate. Remind me to show you some techniques when we get back.’
‘Thanks, Emma.’ He stopped and looked pointedly at me, waiting.
I sighed. ‘Exactly what did the stone say, John? I can’t remember. Most of what it says is stupid, anyway.’
I fully expected the stone to butt in with some acerbic remark but it remained silent.
‘Leo,’ John said, ‘the stone said that Emma is well on the way to Immortality without my assistance to Raise her. It said there is something unusual about her, but it didn’t know what. It suggested that she is dangerous, but not to her family. It said that she was a dark heartless monster. It also said that she is a perfectly normal human being. It is absolutely infuriating.’
Leo remained silent on the couch next to me and watched John. He didn’t look at me at all.
‘While we were at the Western Palace,’ John continued, ‘Emma did some things with energy that only Immortals should be able to do. I have never seen a mortal do that in my entire history. I had a close look at her and she is an ordinary human. There is something going on here, and I would dearly like to know what it is.’
‘I’d like to know as well,’ I said. ‘I don’t
feel
different. I didn’t even know I wasn’t supposed to be able to do it. It just happened.’ My throat tightened. ‘I don’t want to be a monster. I want to care for all of you. I want to make sure that Simone is safe.’
‘That explains it,’ Leo said with satisfaction. ‘Explains what?’ I said.
Leo pointed at John. ‘He is incredibly cold-blooded sometimes. Look at him: he was just talking about leaving his family as if he was discussing a shopping list. It’s not because he’s a reptile, it’s because he’s an Immortal.’
‘Say the word, Leo,’ John said without smiling.
‘Oh, all right.
Turtle
,’ Leo said. ‘You see? Coldblooded. You somehow get, I dunno…’ He searched for the word. ‘
Detached
from the world or something. And now you’re getting like that too, Emma. You’re getting dark, like him.’ He turned back to John and spoke with conviction. ‘Emma will be Immortal without your help.’
‘Could be,’ John said.
Leo quickly wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a huge hug. ‘That’s
great
! I am so goddamn glad for you two. This is wonderful.’
I held him and buried my head in his chest. ‘Leo,’ I said, muffled by his shirt, ‘you are the most wonderful man it has ever been my privilege to meet. If anybody deserves Immortality, it’s you.’
Leo pulled back to smile into my face. He ruffled my hair affectionately, making me giggle. ‘You go, girl. Do it. Then you’ll be here for sure when he comes back.’ He pulled me back in and hugged me so tight he just about killed me. ‘This is
great.’
‘Leo, you’re in serious danger of cracking my ribs,’ I said into his chest.
He released me and put his hands on my arms with a huge, honest grin on his face. ‘Damn, but you have just made my day. You should have told me before, my Lord. This is the best news in the world.’
John spread his hands. ‘We shall see when we shall see.’
It was our second-last day in Paris. John was with Kwan Yin, replenishing his energy levels, and Leo, Michael and I were sightseeing with Simone. The driver dropped us outside the Madeleine when we’d finished in the Luxembourg Gardens. We proceeded towards the Place de la Concorde; Simone wanted to see the obelisk again.
Afterwards, as we walked along the narrow treelined Rue du Faubourg St Honoré, I heard someone call my name. I turned, but didn’t see anyone.
‘Over here,’ called a female voice with an Australian accent.
‘Why are they dressed like that?’ Simone said.
It was a group of six Muslim women, all wearing traditional dress: long straight skirts, long-sleeved large tops, and veiled faces, only their eyes showing. Three burly male bodyguards holding a large number of glossy shopping bags escorted them.
‘Emma!’ one of the women shouted again. She waved, then dashed across the narrow busy street to us. One of the bodyguards quickly followed her.
It was Louise.
‘Why are you dressed like that?’ I said. ‘Does the Tiger make you?’
‘No.’ She giggled and pulled the veil from her face. She looked exactly the same: blonde, bony and full of mischief, but I’d never seen her wear quite so much make-up before. ‘We choose to do it ourselves. Isn’t it
fun
?’ She looked around at us. ‘And here’s little Simone. Remember me?’ She crouched in front of Simone. ‘I hope I have a little girl just like you.’
‘You’re pregnant?’ I said.
She rose. ‘Not yet. Won’t take long though—I see him nearly every second or third week. Apparently I’m
a big favourite.’ She shoved me playfully on the arm. ‘God, Emma, this is so much
fun!
’
One of the women in the group across the road called out with an English accent, ‘Come on, Louise, Chanel will close soon.’
‘I’ll be right there,’ Louise called over her shoulder. ‘You go on. Josh can bring me.’
‘Okay,’ said another woman with an Indian accent. ‘Hurry up.’
The bodyguard with Louise was a half-Chinese in his late twenties or early thirties, with very light brown hair.
‘Are you a son of the Tiger?’ I asked him. He didn’t smile. ‘I’m number Two Seven Nine.’ He studied Michael. ‘Are you Three One Five?’ ‘My name is Michael.’
‘I’ve heard about you.’ The bodyguard nodded to Leo. ‘Black Lion.’
Leo hesitated, unmoving. Then he nodded back.
‘What have you heard about me?’ Michael asked stiffly.
‘We’d all give our right arms to learn from the Dark Lord.’ The bodyguard grinned broadly, and when he smiled he looked completely different: kind and goodnatured. ‘Name’s Josh.’ He held his hand out to Michael. ‘Pleased to meet you.’
Michael moved forward and shook his hand. ‘I suppose we’re brothers.’
‘That’s right. All in it together.’ Josh nudged Louise. ‘Gotta look after the pride.’
‘Cut it out, Josh.’ Louise giggled. ‘Want to come up to the hotel later, Emma? We’re having a fashion show for the Tiger.’ She leaned over to whisper. ‘I’ve spent upwards of twenty thousand US dollars on clothes and shoes alone. Just
today.’
The bodyguard sighed loudly.
‘You were never much into fashion before,’ I said.
‘Hey, Chanel, YSL, all of it—how can you say no?’ Louise said with a huge grin. ‘I look so
great
in some of this stuff, you should hear what the Tiger says. It’s just so much
fun!
Come and see the show. We’ve set up a runway in the ballroom of the hotel.’
A fashion show. I couldn’t think of anything more boring in the whole wide world.
Leo rescued me. ‘Lady Emma, I don’t think it will be possible for you to visit this evening. The Golden Boy and the Jade Girl have arranged a meeting with you and the Dark Lord.’
‘You are Lady Emma?’ the bodyguard said quickly.
I nodded.
He fell to one knee and saluted. ‘Profoundest apologies for not recognising you sooner, my Lady. I am most honoured.’
‘What the hell are you doing?’ I hissed. ‘Get the hell up! We’re in the middle of goddamn
Paris
here!’
Leo made some amused sounds behind me and I nearly rounded on him, then changed my mind.
The bodyguard pulled himself to his feet. ‘I have heard of you, my Lady. It is an honour to meet you.’
‘Hey,’ Louise said loudly. ‘You don’t do that for
me.’
‘You’re not the chosen of the Dark Lord,’ the bodyguard said.
‘Can I visit you tomorrow, Louise?’ I said. ‘During the day? Leo and Michael can take Simone for me.’
‘I’m off to Milan tomorrow,’ Louise said with a huge grin. ‘I’ll come and visit you in Hong Kong later. How about that?’ She shoved me on the arm again. ‘If I’m not pregnant, that is. If I’m pregnant I can’t leave the palace. I want a girl, but the Tiger is really old-fashioned, and he’s close to breaking four hundred with the sons.’
The bodyguard put his hand to his ear. I hadn’t noticed before, but he wore an earpiece. ‘Time to go,
Miss Louise. The others are nearly finished, and we’ll be heading back to the hotel.’ ‘You can’t talk silently?’ I said.
The bodyguard shrugged. ‘Most of us didn’t inherit anything. No special abilities whatsoever. Perfectly ordinary human beings.’ He held his hand out to Michael, and Michael shook it. ‘Hope to see you again soon, Michael. Pleasure to meet you.’ He quickly saluted me, shaking his hands in front of his face. ‘Lady Emma.’ He bowed to Simone. ‘Princess.’ He nodded to Leo. ‘Lion.’ He put his hand around Louise’s back, guiding her. ‘Let’s go.’
Louise let him steer her away. She pulled the veil over her face and waved cheerfully. ‘Ta ta, Emma, see you in Hong Kong.’
‘Bye, Louise. Come and visit,’ I called, but she was already across the street and didn’t hear me.
I wandered back up the busy Montmartre street, enjoying the sights and sounds around me. I went past the roundabout with its elaborate sculpture, then along the boulevard towards the house. The plastic shopping bag bounced against my leg.
After we returned from Place de la Concorde I’d gone down the street to buy a few bits and pieces from a pharmacy. The stone that Gold had given me was in my pocket and worked perfectly; I could understand everything that was said to me and reply in the same language. I had even spoken what was probably an Indian dialect to a couple of exchange students in the pharmacy. Their faces had been priceless.
A typical Parisian café sat on the corner, dark wood and big windows. A bright canvas awning hung over a large number of small, round, metal-topped tables with old-fashioned wooden chairs facing the pavement. Some people had already set themselves
up with their pre-dinner glass of wine, watching the crowd go past.
A couple of leathery old men sat with glasses of red wine on the table in front of them and cigars in their hands. They watched me appreciatively as I walked towards them.
‘Face of an angel,’ one of them said quietly.
‘Grace of a tiger,’ the other one said.
I couldn’t help it; I smiled. One of them raised his glass to me and I nodded back, still smiling. I had a spring in my step as I walked around the corner and back to the leafy lane that held Ms Kwan’s imaginary house. She might even have finished with John, and I could do a tai chi set with him before dinner. Life looked very pleasant.
I pushed open the door, stopped dead, and dropped my little bag.
Simon Wong stood in the middle of the large entry, at the bottom of the sweeping stairs. Stood over John’s headless body. Holding Simone with one hand. And that damned
Wudang
sword in the other.
Simone tried to pull away from Wong, but he held her. He ignored her and smiled at me.
I sized up the situation. First: John was dead. Fine. Deal with that later.
I cast around for help. Leo? Michael? Leo’s body lay in a pool of blood under the stairs. No. I grabbed myself and shook. Breathe. Deal. Remember: Simone was there, alive.
Michael? There, behind Leo. I could see the blood staining his lovely blond hair. No. Incongruously: the Tiger and Rhonda would both kill me.
Concentrate. Simone.
I examined Wong’s chi level, already knowing what to expect. Yep: any energy work I used on him would kill me.
‘Help me, Emma,’ Simone said, still trying to pull away, still being ignored.
‘Stay strong, darling,’ I said. ‘I’ll get you free.’
Wong stayed perfectly still and ignored Simone’s struggles. His smile widened. His voice was like a razor. ‘You. Are.
Mine.’
He reached with his mind and unlocked something inside me.
Something huge and dark and monstrous emerged from deep within me. It recognised Wong. It bowed to him. ‘Master.’
‘NO!’ I didn’t care any more. I would destroy that monster if it was the last thing I did, regardless of what happened to me.
I struggled to generate the energy. The thing inside me blocked it. I couldn’t do it.
It grew and took hold of me. It took control. I fought it, but I was losing. It covered me and drowned me in the darkness. I struggled, but it forced me down and took control.
Then…No. You do not have control over me. There is nothing like that inside me. I am Emma, one hundred per cent, all the way through, and I will protect that little girl with my last breath.
The dark thing disappeared.
I knew it: a trick. You bastard.
But my energy abilities were still blocked. He had taken down everybody else, so I was no match for him physically. No problem. He held Simone with one hand and his sword with the other. I could use that against him. Simone would be okay with Kwan Yin.
I ran straight at him and his face went slack with shock.