Blue Dragon Part 80

'Well done, my Lady,' the King said. 'I was right about you all the time.'

'Why did he do that?' Simone said.

'Because you were the only one strong enough to kill the bad demon,' I said. 'Even stronger than your daddy, right now. And the only way to get you here was to have me here first, so that you'd come and find me.'

'I want to take you home,' Simone said. 'If he doesn't let you go, I'm going to yin him.'

'He's not holding me here, Simone,' I said. 'I promised to stay, to keep you safe. I'm here by my own free will.'

She dropped her little head and her tawny hair fell forward around her face. 'I want you at home with me, Emma,' she whispered. 'You're all I've got left.'

'You are released from your oath, my Lady,' the King said. 'You can go home with her if you choose. The choice is yours.'

'I'm free to go?' I said.

'Yes, but please consider, Emma,' the King said. 'If you go with her, all deals are off. I won't make any attempt to keep her safe any more. And if the Dark Lord touches you while you are like this, you will be destroyed.' He smiled and shrugged. 'Stay here with me instead. When he returns, I will make you whole and the two of you can be everything you want for each other.'

'I want you at home with me, Emma,' Simone said, her voice small. 'I need you.'

I approached Simone and crouched in front of her, not touching her. 'Look inside me, Simone, very carefully.'

I felt her Inner Eye and stiffened with the agony. It snapped off before I screamed from the pain.

Simone's face screwed up and she turned to the King, furious. She pointed at me, glaring. 'Did you do this?'

'No, I swear, Princess,' the King said. 'I had nothing to do with it.'

Simone turned back to me and her little face softened. 'I don't care, Emma, I want you at home with me. Please come home.' She reached out to touch me but I pulled away.

'Stay here, Emma,' the King said. 'If you go with her, you will never have a chance to be whole.'

'I'll find a way to change her back,' Simone said fiercely.

The King just smiled indulgently at her.

I rose. I hesitated, watching the King.

'There isn't much of a decision to make, Emma,' he said gently.

'You are quite correct,' I said. 'If I were to stay with you instead of being with Simone when she needs me, then neither Xuan Wu nor I would ever forgive me. We would never put our needs before hers. There's no decision to make at all.'

I pulled the remaining black jade earring out of my ear and pa.s.sed it to him. He held one hand above it and the diamond post floated out of the black jade coin. He returned the diamond to me without a word.

'How will you get me home, sweetheart?' I said.

'Hold my hand,' Simone said. 'I'll take you home.'

'I can't hold your hand, Simone. You know what I am.'

'They've done something to you, Emma, and we're going to take you home and fix it.' She held out her hand. 'It's okay. You know we can touch things without hurting them when we want to.'

I trusted her. I reached out and took her hand. I felt my shape dissolve, but held her hand anyway. Simone's eyes widened. She dropped my hand and I returned to normal.

'You looked like a Snake Mother, Emma.'

'I know, sweetheart,' I said. 'If you want to leave me here I would understand.'

'Bye, King,' Simone said. 'Don't come and visit us. You're not welcome.'

'I'm sure I'm not, Highness,' the King said with a wry smile. He took my hands, pulled me close and kissed me on the cheek. 'I would forsake my kingdom for you, you know,' he whispered into my ear.

I pulled away and he didn't attempt to hold me.

'I have something for you,' he said. 'A gift.'

He held out his hand and a braided lock of long, black hair appeared in it.

I suddenly found it very difficult to breathe.

'Take it,' he said. 'Remember.'

I took the hair out of his hand. It was smooth and silken. I raised it to my face. It smelled of the sea.

'Thank you,' I whispered.

'You are most welcome,' he said. 'Remember: any time.' He shrugged. 'Come and visit, I'd love to see you. Until he returns, that is. After that you probably won't be able to come for coffee.'

'Where's Leo?' Simone said loudly. 'I want him to come too. I know he's here somewhere.'

'Leo is in the holding cells of Court Ten,' the King said. 'I have no control over the workings of the Courts, Princess. They are incredibly busy right now; they have more Immortals there than any time in recent history. The Celestial himself is managing this particular case. I suggest you take it up with him.'

'The Celestial?' Simone said.

'He means the Jade Emperor, Simone,' I said.

'Oh,' Simone said, very softly. She straightened. 'Okay, I'll go and talk to him.'

'You do that,' the King said.

He picked up the sword that Wong had dropped. He moved a few paces, collected the scabbard and put the sword away. He held it out to Simone. 'This is yours, I believe, Princess.'

Simone didn't move.

The King pushed the sword towards her. 'This is Dark Heavens. And until your father returns, my dear, it belongs to you.'

Simone silently moved forward and accepted the blade.

The King gestured towards me. 'The Murasame is yours. Use it well. I won't attempt to touch it, but you can call it when you are home and it will come to you. You are its master.'

'Come on, Emma,' Simone said, and held out her hand.

I didn't take her hand. 'One thing before I go, King.'

'Hmm?' His gorgeous face lit up.

'Do you know what I am?'

The King looked at me blankly, then roared with laughter. He fell over his knees laughing. He pulled himself up, still chuckling. He wiped his eyes. 'Oh, my.' He studied me, a huge grin on his face. 'Oh, dear.' He shook his head. 'The answer to your question, my Lady, is: yes. I do know what you are.' He chuckled again. 'The irony is superb. Goodbye.'

Simone and I were back in the living room of the Peak apartment.

Three green and gold baby dragons gambolled on the floor, rolling Gold's child between them, all of them squealing with delight. Jade, Gold and Amy watched them indulgently from the couches. The windows were fixed and the furniture had been restored.

When they saw Simone and me, they rushed over and embraced me tearfully. Then they all started talking together, asking me what had happened, then turned to Simone, checking that she was okay.

Michael and Rhonda came in, and Monica and Ah Yat too, when they heard the noise. Michael rushed to Simone, lifted her and pulled her close for a hug, making her squeal. Then he gently lowered her and threw his arms around me. Rhonda hugged and kissed us as well.

'Don't you ever go off by yourself like that again,' Rhonda scolded Simone, then grabbed her and held her tight.

Something moved in the corner of my eye. The ring had been sitting on the hall table next to the front door. It floated into the air, then the stone took human form. He came to me and embraced me. He pulled back and held my face in both hands. 'It's good to have you back, dear,' he said, his pale blue eyes s.h.i.+ning under his white hair. He dropped his hands onto my shoulders. 'Now, hold your hand out. I want to go home.'

I put my hand out and he folded up, back into the ring, which slid itself onto my finger.

That feels so much better, it said. it said. It's good to be home. Who was buying your clothes? You look like a street sleeper. It's good to be home. Who was buying your clothes? You look like a street sleeper.

I didn't have a chance to say something scathing. The doorbell rang and everybody froze.

'It's two small demons,' Michael said softly. 'Everybody back.'

I knew who it was. 'It's okay,' I said, and went to open the door.

Yi Hao and Er Hao stood uncomfortably on the other side of the gate.

'Come on in, ladies,' I said. 'Come and meet the family, and then I'd better find something for you to do.'

The two demon servants came in, obviously intimidated by the large number of people in the living room. Yi Hao held a small box wrapped with red and gold paper.

'It's okay, n.o.body will hurt you,' I said, and closed the door behind them. 'These two little demons looked after me.'

'This is for you, ma'am,' Yi Hao said, holding the gift out to me. 'I don't know what it is; he said to give it to you.'

I took the gift to examine it.

'What is it?' Michael said.

'I have no idea,' I said. 'Simone, what's inside it?'

'A CD,' Simone said. 'And a phone.'

'What on earth for?' I said. 'Simone, is it safe to open?'

'Can't you see inside it yourself, Emma?' Michael said softly.

'It's safe to open,' Simone said.

I knelt next to the coffee table and opened the box. The little dragons raced up, wide-eyed with curiosity. The baby stone lifted itself and hovered above them, watching as well.

Inside the box was, as Simone had said, a CD and a phone. The CD was a writable one, obviously containing files. There was a note on top.

Call me. Come and have lunch, I'd love to see you. Here's your story. Please send me a copy when it's all finished. Have you thought about publis.h.i.+ng it? It's a great read. I loved your description of me.

George R.

I put the lid on the box and pushed it to one side, then turned to sit on the sofa.

'I suppose I'd better tell you where I've been for the last three weeks.'

We sat around the dining table: Jade, Gold, Michael, Simone, me. It was five of us now, and would be for a very long time.

'Can you see him?' I said.

'Yes,' Gold said. Jade nodded. They didn't elaborate.

'Tell us,' Simone said.

Jade and Gold shared a look.

'Something's wrong,' Simone whispered. 'Is he okay?'

Jade sighed. It was Gold who spoke. 'Underneath the icecap of the North Pole, where the water is freezing and dark, swims a great black Turtle, its sh.e.l.l half a li li across.' across.'

Simone grabbed my hand before I could pull it away.

I changed, knocking the chair over behind me with my tail.

Michael, Jade and Gold all shot to their feet. Jade moved into a guard stance, but Gold and Michael both generated enormous b.a.l.l.s of chi and hurled them straight at my head.

I closed my eyes and waited. Nothing happened. I opened my eyes.

'They did something to Emma, everybody,' Simone said, her voice small. She had risen to stand next to me and was still holding my hand, her other arm protectively in front of me. 'Don't try to hurt her. It's really her. Okay?'

Michael turned his Inner Eye on me and gasped with the pain.

'Whoa,' he said. 'You're half demon demon.'

'Who did this to you, my Lady?' Gold said.

'One Two Two,' I said, my voice hissing. 'It's still me, I swear. Simone's touch forces me to take...' I hesitated, then took a deep breath. 'True Form.'