by Kylie Chan
‘Pair of weirdos,’ she said under her breath and stirred the congee with her spoon.
John and I shared an amused glance and ate our congee with gusto. We really were starving.
‘So Emma can take the Elixir now?’ Simone said after a while. ‘She’s strong enough?’
I lit up at that. I hadn’t thought of it. I could take the Elixir and really be useful in the defence of the Heavens.
John studied his congee. ‘This isn’t true recovery. It’ll fade after a week.’
‘Okay,’ Simone said. ‘I hope we’ll all be back here in a week and both of you look this good again.’
I glanced at her. ‘Really?’
‘Whatever it takes.’ She shrugged and her voice thickened. ‘All I want is to be able to share meals with my family. Is that too much to ask?’
‘It’s all we want as well,’ I said, and John rubbed my back.
‘Putting up with this is an unpleasant by-product of what we are,’ he said. ‘We are strong, and many people rely on our strength.’
‘I know, and I’m ready to use my strength to help them,’ Simone said.
‘I’m proud of you.’ John became more serious. ‘When we reject the treaty at noon, the demons will immediately attack. Emma, please stay here on the Mountain where you’re safe …’
‘I plan to,’ I said.
‘Simone, don’t risk yourself. Stay out of the main melee, be selective about who you choose to take on, and if things become too hard, don’t hesitate to retreat.’
‘Are you going to remind me to go to the bathroom before we leave as well?’ she said, exasperated.
‘Well, it’s a good idea …’ he said.
She raised her spoon. ‘I’m nearly nineteen and I’m going into battle today. Cut it out.’
He looked from Simone to me. ‘I don’t want to lose either of you.’
‘And we don’t want to lose you,’ I said. ‘If they do something to disable you, we’ll put you back in the cage, so be ready to take your smallest True Form.’
‘And if you’re in any danger at all, make sure you have that claw,’ John said.
‘No,’ I said. ‘I’m giving it to Simone straight after breakfast.’
‘Dammit,’ he said into his congee. ‘I should have given you a piece of my shell last night.’ He looked up. ‘After what the Jade Emperor said, maybe you should keep it.’
‘After what the Jade Emperor said, we know what my chances are, and the claw won’t make any difference,’ I said. ‘I’m giving it to Simone.’
‘What claw?’ Simone said.
I put my hand out and the claw appeared in it. I passed it to her and she took it and turned it over in her hands.
‘This is more than a good-luck charm,’ I said. ‘This is an item that could save your whole existence. Hold on to it. Keep it close. If you think you’re going to …’ I couldn’t say the word. ‘Make sure it’s in contact with your skin.’
‘What is it?’ she said.
‘The Tiger’s claw.’
She looked at us, from one to the other. ‘Why?’
‘We can’t say,’ John said. ‘Just make sure you have it in your hand.’
‘I can do better than that,’ she said, and shoved it down the front of her shirt into her bra.
John’s eyes went wide with astonishment.
‘Is that okay?’ I said. ‘The end’s awfully sharp.’
‘The sharp bit’s sticking into the padding. I might go find some cotton wool to wrap around it as well. I have plenty.’
I didn’t think it would be possible for John’s eyes to go wider, but they did.
‘Liu Cheng Rong is a wine nut — he should have a cork you can use,’ I said.
She unfocused and snapped back. ‘He says yes, he has one. Good idea, Emma.’
I finished my congee and checked the art deco mantel clock over the fireplace. ‘We have five hours.’
John rose. ‘I’ll be in Hell for the next two hours, then I’m coming up here to supervise the disposition of the Mountain defences. After that I’ll give you some last-minute tips, Simone. At noon, the King will return with the treaty. Emma, I’d like both you and Ming to watch my back in case they do something to me.’
‘What about me?’ Simone said.
‘I will let you know when the situation is clearer.’
‘Don’t you dare leave me out of this,’ she said. ‘I have yin, and those black-armoured demons could be there.’
‘I’m well aware of that,’ he said. He put his arms around our shoulders and kissed our heads, one after the other. I raised my face and he kissed me with more passion, then stood straight. ‘I’ll be back about nine. Stay safe, both of you.’
‘You stay safe too, Daddy,’ Simone said. ‘Be careful.’
He nodded to her without replying and went out.
She sat again. ‘These are going to be the longest five hours in the history of the world.’
‘I think you’re right.’
‘Uh …’ She pushed her nearly untouched bowl away. ‘He was right about going to the bathroom. Suddenly my tummy’s really wobbly. Can you stay here and wait for me? I’ll be right back.’
‘I’ll be here,’ I said, and she raced out to the downstairs powder room.
23
There was silence as we waited for the Demon King to enter. The Celestial Palace really was deserted; the only sound was the breeze through the clerestory windows high above us. John, in full Celestial Form with Seven Stars, stood next to the massive rosewood negotiation table in the centre of the hall. Imperial Elites in their red and gold armour stood along the walls of the hall, and Er Lang and Venus flanked the Emperor’s throne on the dais. Martin and I waited at the side of the dais with ice packs and water in case the demons did something to John.
The Door Gods opened the double doors and a cohort of demon Dukes in human form, appearing as Chinese warriors wearing black enamel armour, entered the hall and formed an honour guard on either side of the carpet.
The silence thickened even further and both Demon Kings strode into the hall accompanied by a single Snake Mother, all of them in human form. The Eastern Demon King was short and slender, wearing scaled armour of red and gold, with his maroon hair long and in a traditional topknot. His fine fair features gave his face a classical beauty, marred by the cruelty in his red eyes. He watched with satisfaction as the Dukes positioned themselves around him.
The Western Demon King’s human form was taller. He wore a double-breasted pinstriped suit and looked exactly like the dead Russian gangster on the tombstone: fair, with dark hair and eyes. He walked casually with his jacket undone and his hands in his pockets.
The two Kings stopped inside the door and looked around. The Eastern King nodded along the lines of Elites, obviously counting and weighing them up, and John stiffened. The Western King was more relaxed, looking around the hall with a small smile on his face. He saw me and his smile widened as he waved to me.
They moved to the table and stopped. The Celestials waited for the Kings to kneel, but they didn’t. There was a long moment of silence as the two sides faced off. The Jade Emperor sat on his throne above them, glaring as he waited for them to show their respect. John dropped his head and his eyes burnt.
The Jade Emperor rose. ‘Xuan Tian.’
‘Majesty,’ John said, his voice deep and resonant and as majestic as the rest of him.
‘I delegate this negotiation to the Northern Heavens.’
John bowed slightly without looking away from the Demon Kings. ‘Celestial Majesty.’
The Jade Emperor turned and walked down the steps at the back of the dais, with Venus and Er Lang following him.
John shrank in size to match the Demon Kings, took human form in his robes and armour, and made the table smaller to fit. He gestured stiffly with one hand, inviting the Demon Kings to sit at the table with him.
The Eastern King bowed slightly and held one hand out in reply.
The Weste
rn King took his jacket off and threw it on the table, then pulled a chair out, sat and leaned back with his hands behind his head. Both John and the Eastern King glared at him and he smiled and shrugged.
‘Your boy dishonours you, Ah Mo,’ John said.
‘I know,’ the Eastern Demon King said. He concentrated on the Western King. The Western King’s smile didn’t shift, and he shrugged again. The Eastern King gestured angrily towards him and his expression darkened. They had a silent argument, and the Western King sat straighter in his chair. Both their faces became fierce with rage. Eventually, the Western King threw himself to his feet, tipping his chair over. He grabbed his jacket, turned and stalked towards the door, gesturing angrily at the Dukes as he passed them. Two of them peeled off to escort him out of the hall.
Martin and I shared a look. John stood silent and dour, then bowed and gestured towards the table again. The Demon King bowed back and mirrored the move, and John pulled a chair out and sat.
The Demon King picked up the fallen chair and put it on the third side of the table between them. He smiled at me and gestured with his head. ‘Come on, Brains, come and be a part of this. Without you involved, the Dark Lord’s at a distinct disadvantage and I want these negotiations to be completely equitable.’
I hesitated. John nodded so slightly it was almost imperceptible, and I walked carefully to them. I stood behind John, to his left, and put my hand on his shoulder.
‘Sit, Lady, sit,’ the Demon King said, indicating the chair.
‘I’ll stay here with my Lord, if you don’t mind,’ I said, squeezing John’s shoulder.
John nodded imperceptibly again.
The Demon King gestured up at the Snake Mother, who was standing behind him and mirroring my position. ‘This is Lucinda; you might remember her. Brightest one I have, but doesn’t want the job. She’s acting Number One until enough people die and someone is still standing to take the position.’ He glanced up at her, his eyes full of amusement, but she didn’t move. ‘She really should do it, but she’d prefer to stay female.’
‘I think you mean alive,’ I said, and Lucinda nodded to me, smiling slightly.
‘Like I said, smart,’ the King said. ‘So do we have an agreement, Ah Wu? Will you let us play in the sun again? The little ones want to come out. They’re jealous of the big ones being allowed to do stuff up top.’
John put his hand out and the binder appeared in it. He placed it on the table in front of him. ‘The terms are not acceptable. The existing agreement is to stand.’
‘You’re rejecting it outright?’ the King said, incredulous.
‘I am. Go back to Hell.’
‘I thought at least you’d negotiate something,’ the King said. ‘You know we’ll try to take the Earthly by force if you deny us outright.’
‘We will stop you.’
‘Your nature betrays you,’ the King said. ‘You want to go to war.’
‘I never want to go to war. But your terms are unacceptable.’
‘Then let’s negotiate something acceptable!’ the King said, spreading his hands to emphasise the point. ‘All we want is for more of us to have a longer time in the sunshine. That’s all.’
‘You want to torture humans.’
‘They deserve it,’ the King spat. ‘They treat each other like shit. The men treat the women worse than animals. Everybody uses the children as slaves. They’re repulsive. They deserve everything we want to give them.’
‘They deserve a chance to become something greater.’
‘Pah,’ the King said with disgust. ‘Only a tiny fraction of them ever learn true compassion. The rest spend all their time boosting their own self-importance by degrading their brothers and sisters. They’re happy to wallow in their filth, polluting the air and fouling the water. Some parts of the Earthly make Hell look pleasant.’
‘Then go back to Hell and let the humans manage their own domain,’ John said.
‘My children need to play in the sun,’ the King said. ‘Give us more time at Hungry Ghosts. Let us play with the really bad ones before they arrive in Hell. We won’t harm the innocent.’ He cocked his head to one side. ‘It can’t be that hard to negotiate something, can it? There has to be some middle ground, Ah Wu, let’s not go to war over this. I could win, and if I do, you’ll lose everything.’
‘Ah Mo,’ John said, exasperated, ‘your children already break the terms of the agreement we brokered all that time ago, and we’re flexible about it as long as they don’t go overboard. We let the Princes have their business dealings — even when it’s obvious they’re hurting humans — as long as it isn’t to excess. We let the Mothers wander around the Earthly for more than their allotted time to keep them occupied. You already have what you’re asking for. All you need to do is go home and we’ll be at peace again.’
‘The little ones want more time,’ the King said.
‘There are tens of thousands of them,’ John said. ‘We can’t give them more time. If I let them onto the Earthly many humans will suffer. When they grow large enough they can come up, and they know it. Leave them where they are. They’re so small and mindless that it’s not worth risking everything for them.’
‘You have a point.’ The King studied John for a while, then obviously made a decision. ‘But when I took the throne, I promised them that I’d give them more time in the sun.’
‘You gave your word?’
‘Solemn oath, Ah Wu, in front of everybody. It’s the only thing that’s kept me alive.’
‘You’ve broken your word before. You guaranteed our safety when you gave us this,’ he raised the treaty, ‘and you made a try for me anyway.’
‘That was to you. This is to my own children. If I break this one, I’m dead and gone and you know it. They’ve been patient, but their patience is wearing thin, and now that I have your other half I have no choice. I must make a move.’ He raised his hand and smiled. ‘And don’t even think about offering me asylum. I’d rather give my children a chance to be in the sunshine than be your slave.’
‘Very well,’ John said, and put the binder to one side on the table. ‘But before we do this, let’s talk about my family.’ He raised his head slightly and the Elites saluted him, weapons in hand, and filed out. ‘Dismiss your guard.’
The Demon King concentrated for a moment, his blood-red eyes intense, and the demon Dukes filed out of the hall as well. John waited a moment, then nodded confirmation that they’d actually gone. Both of them relaxed slightly.
‘Sit, Emma, this includes you,’ John said, gesturing towards the empty chair.
‘What about Simone?’ I said as I pulled the chair around to John’s side of the table and sat next to him.
‘I don’t trust the King anywhere near her.’
The King smiled. ‘Is Simone eighteen yet?’ He saw John’s expression and leaned back, grinning. ‘No! No! Not like that. She’d make a brilliant Number One, you know? The training you’ve given her, her knowledge, skills and intelligence … damn.’ He shook his head. ‘Exceptional. I’d love to have her as Number One and groom her for the job of King if I ever fall. Both of them together, her and lovely Frankie …’ His eyes were wide with admiration. ‘They’d make a formidable team, particularly if they had Emma standing behind them to advise.’
‘I think both Emma and Simone would die first.’
I nodded agreement.
The King shrugged. ‘Worth a try.’
‘I have an offer for you,’ John said. ‘I want to trade your life in the coming conflict for that of my family. It is inevitable that we will face each other before this is over, and if you can guarantee their safety I will ensure that you are spared.’
‘We won’t harm the boy. He’s …’ The King hesitated, and dropped his voice. ‘The light of my life, actually.’ He nodded to me. ‘He will be kept safe, Emma. But I don’t have the time that he deserves, and the servants can’t give him the stimulation an intelligent child like him needs. Why don’t you come and be hi
s nanny and care for him? All you have to do is say yes and you can spend all your time with him.’
I sat for a long time, intensely aware of John’s fierce dark presence next to me. This was my son. This was my baby, and I could be with him every day …
I leaned back and grinned. ‘There you go, trying to get me into Hell again. What is this fixation on me? I’m small and human.’
‘Exactly,’ the King said. ‘The only thing you have going for you,’ he gestured towards John, ‘is that he loves you and you’re worth something as a hostage. But frankly, the two kids are worth way more. Look at him dropping the negotiation about the Celestial and talking about his family instead. He’d probably sacrifice you in a second if it meant saving Simone’s life.’
‘I’d sacrifice myself in a second if it meant Simone’s life as well,’ I said.
‘There, you see? Some of the programming is even still there. It never ceases to amaze me that something as small and defenceless as you has managed to survive so long. I don’t know how you made it through the night when we dumped you in the West. You should have died.’
‘I’m a survivor,’ I said with grim humour.
‘That you are,’ the King said, and turned back to John. ‘So my life for the safety of your family? I have a better idea.’ He leaned his elbow on the table and studied John. ‘Your life for the safety of your family.’
John glowered. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
‘I don’t mean kneel down right now and let me take your head,’ the King said, exasperated. ‘Use your brain, Ah Wu. Oh, I forgot, I have it.’ He smiled slightly. ‘There are no rules in war. Things will happen that are beyond our control. I’ll try to protect Emma and Simone out of the respect I hold for you, but I can’t guarantee anything.’ He raised his hand. ‘But if you come to me, change to True Form and go into that cage, I guarantee their safety. The boy too. They can come up to Heaven and live here as a family under my protection when I win.’
John studied him for a long moment.
‘Shut up, Emma, this is between him and me,’ the King said without looking away from John. ‘He’s remained silent while you negotiated with me; do him the same courtesy.’