‘What if I’m the White Snake?’ I said.
‘You can’t be,’ he said. ‘Ah Wu and I discussed it. The Pagoda has not fallen. The Red Snake has not appeared. You are not the White Snake.’
‘What would happen to his vow to marry me if I was the White Snake? If I was his daughter?’
‘How do you know she was his daughter?’
I smiled grimly. ‘I saw the look on his face.’
‘He vowed to marry you. It would happen. If you are the White Snake, you would not discover it until after you are wed. That is the nature of a vow such as this. I felt it when he made his oath to you, all the way from here. Such a vow from one such as he is a thing of incredible power.’
‘What would be our punishment for marrying in a situation like that?’
‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘Something like that has never occurred among us. And it’s already too late, you know that.’ He suddenly appeared wistful. ‘The White Snake was a delightful girl. A loving wife, faithful, everything a man could want. Her human husband was very lucky. What they had together was a rare and precious thing. Even after he discovered her Serpent nature, he still loved and trusted her.’
I tried to control the bitterness in my voice. ‘And a Taoist priest convinced her husband she was evil. Just because she was a snake.’
He smiled gently. ‘There is nothing evil about snakes. They are just cold-blooded.’
‘And eat babies. Alive.’
He shrugged. ‘Young antelope are the best. Sweetest.’
‘But serpent Shen in human form can’t do the things that I can do,’ I said. ‘I checked.’
‘Is it true that you lifted Leo one-handed?’ he said softly.
I didn’t reply.
‘Ah Wu is not concerned, but I have to admit that I am. That is more than Serpent nature, Emma. Do you thirst for blood? Do you have dreams?’
I dropped my head. ‘Yes.’
‘Clear round for Two Eight Seven,’ the announcer said. ‘With the fastest time, Two Eight Seven is now in the lead.’
Everybody applauded.
‘Do you harm any of them in your dreams?’ the Tiger said.
‘No.’ I glanced at him, trying to hold my emotions in. His golden face was full of sympathy. ‘One Two Two and Kitty Kwok had me for a year. They experimented on me, I know they did. The Serpent is probably a result of that. If it is, then it’s demon, it’s inside me, and they may be able to bring it out.’
‘Shit.’ He looked away. ‘Shit.’
‘I dream I’m a Mother.’
‘Having children is life’s greatest gift.’
‘I dream I’m a
Snake Mother
, Bai Hu.’
His voice was almost a whisper. ‘Shit.’
I ran my hands through my hair. ‘I vowed to Simone that I would never take my own life. I promised her.’
He looked into my eyes. ‘You have wanted to?’
‘When I see what’s inside me, sometimes, yes.’
He turned away. ‘I wouldn’t blame you.’ He sighed, his shoulders moving. Then he held his hand out. A bright glow appeared in his hand, and coalesced into a large silvery claw, gleaming on his palm. He held it towards me. ‘Take this.’
I lifted the claw out of his hand. It was about ten centimetres long and the point was sharp. It appeared to be made of platinum.
‘It’s one of mine,’ he said. ‘If you feel that the dark urge is too strong, hold it in your hand and concentrate on me. I will come.’
‘Thank you.’
He turned back to the arena. ‘Time to present the trophies. Will you do them the honour?’
I checked the board. ‘Michael came second. I’d love to give him the trophy. But we’ll need to find a place to put them soon; his room is full of them.’ I glanced at the Tiger. ‘What would Xuan Wu do if you had to kill me to protect Simone?’
‘He is not vengeful by nature, Emma. But his grief would be punishment enough.’
Both of us rose, smiling, to present the riders with their prizes.
L
ouise’s face changed and she looked up at me, more serious now. Her voice softened. ‘Do you turn into a snake, Emma?’
I hesitated.
‘Tell me,’ she said softly.
I changed, and grabbed her. I quickly wrapped my coils around her. Squeeze this one. No venom; I wanted to feel her struggle. The demon in the corner and the delicious child would be next.
‘Emma, what are you doing? Stop it!’ Louise yelled, struggling frantically. Her arms pushed against my coils, only encouraging me to pull tighter. The feeling was fabulous.
‘Emma, you’re killing me, let go.
Let go
!’ Louise shrieked.
If I could have grinned I would have. I checked the baby in the corner; yep, still there. If they tried to make a run for it I wasn’t worried; I’d be faster than them.
Louise’s voice became strangely deeper, sounding more masculine. ‘Emma, you’re hurting me, ease up!’
Something clicked inside my head. What?
‘Emma, let go! You’re hurting! Let
go
!’ Louise’s voice
was even deeper now, and her face was darker, and it wasn’t the beautiful black of asphyxiation.
‘Emma, you’re
killing
me!’
Leo?
Something crashed and I was struggling with Leo; I had my arms around him and held him tight. I released him and cast around: I was in my bed back home at the Peak and Leo was sitting on the edge of the bed facing me. John stood just inside the door where he’d come racing in.
Leo’s face was blank with horror. I threw myself into his arms. He hesitated for a moment, then held me and buried his face in my hair, stroking the back of my head.
‘Leo, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,’ I said, gasping. ‘I was dreaming. I didn’t mean to hurt you.’ I pulled back, hands on his arms, so that I could see his face. ‘Are you okay?’
Leo smiled slightly. ‘That’s a hell of a grip you’ve got there, sweetheart.’
‘Any cracked ribs?’ John said softly without moving from the doorway.
I quickly checked Leo for injuries, and shook my head through the tears. ‘No.’
‘I think you’d better talk to Mr Chen,’ Leo said, releasing me and rising. ‘That was a hell of a dream.’
I wiped my eyes. Leo turned to go out. As he passed John, John put his hand on his shoulder and they shared a look that spoke volumes. Then John released Leo’s shoulder and Leo went out.
John came and sat on the bed, far enough away not to hurt me. ‘You dreamed you were the Serpent,’ he said, and it wasn’t a question.
I just nodded. Then I glanced at him. ‘How did you know?’
‘Emma can’t do telepathy, but the Serpent obviously can,’ John said. ‘We all saw it. Simone’s in with Ah Yat, too terrified to come near you.’ He glanced down. ‘Leo
came in first, and saw the snake. He went to you anyway. Then you changed and grabbed him.’
‘Oh my God,’ I said softly. ‘He came to me anyway, even though I was a snake?’ I shook my head with disbelief.
John concentrated, and I heard a soft sound in the hallway outside the door. ‘Emma?’
‘Come in, Simone, I won’t hurt you,’ I said, full of misery.
Simone crept in, and then her little face filled with relief when she saw it was me. She threw herself into my arms. ‘You dreamed you were a snake, Emma. You were killing your friend. It was horrible.’
‘I know, pet,’ I said, burying my face in her hair. ‘It was horrible for me too.’
‘It was just a dream,’ John said. ‘In dreams, we have no control. Emma would never hurt her friend or the baby in reality. Do you understand?’
I clutched Simone and both of us nodded.
Simone pulled away to smile at me. She put her little cool hand on my cheek. ‘Daddy’s right, Emma, don’t be afraid. Your snake won’t hurt anybody you love. It was just a dream.’
John moved closer and put his arm around my shoulders and the three of us held each other.
‘Daddy, can I sleep in your bed tonight?’ Simone said, her voice muffled.
‘No,’ John said. ‘I need to sleep well and rebuild my energy. I’m sorry, sweetheart.’
‘I understand,’ Simone said. She glanced up at me. ‘Emma?’
I hesitated, then decided. ‘I nearly hurt Leo while I was dreaming, sweetheart. I don’t think it would be a good idea.’
Simone dropped her head and nodded into my chest.
‘Go and ask Leo,’ I whispered.
‘Leo says I kick too much.’
‘I think, tonight, he won’t care,’ John said. ‘I think he’ll be glad to have you safe there with him.’
The Saturday after I returned from the Tiger’s palace, I sat with Leo in his office during the morning break between classes and we had a coffee. It was one of the first times since my return that we could talk in peace and privacy. School was nearly finished for the year and we were making arrangements for the holidays.
‘So we’ll continue the roster,’ Leo said. ‘Just not staking out the school any more, minding her at home instead.’
‘Works for me. She can come down to the Academy sometimes too.’
‘Mr Chen said that’s okay?’
‘He said he’d prefer her here actually. With the Masters around her, on call.’
‘What about Michael?’
‘He can go to the Western Palace for a while,’ I said. ‘I’ve made arrangements: some time with his father, some with his mother. He’ll be helping out in her shop, in between classes here at the Academy. He’s asked to do some intensive energy work and advanced Weapons during the holidays. But the first three weeks he’ll be in the West.’
‘I’ll miss him,’ Leo said. ‘He’s good company.’
I nodded. I understood. I’d miss Michael as well.
Leo’s face grew serious and he leaned over the desk to speak intensely to me. ‘Any more dreams?’
I ran my hands through my hair. ‘No.’
He leaned back. ‘Probably caused by the shift in location, and the stress that you’ve been through—when that demon poisoned you. You’ll be fine.’
I sighed. He was right. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you sometimes, Leo.’
Leo smiled slightly, his small brown eyes sparkling.
Gold interrupted us.
Lady Emma, are you free to talk? I have something I would like to ask you.
I tapped the stone to wake it. ‘Can you talk to Gold, or should I call him?’
The stone paused, checking. ‘No, I can talk to him.’
‘What, Emma?’ Leo said.
‘Gold,’ I said. ‘Wants to ask me something. I’ll get him to conference call. Tell him to talk to Leo too, stone.’
Okay.
‘This would be easier using the phone,’ Leo growled.
I have seen an extremely talented practitioner
, Gold said, ignoring him.
Only been learning a year, but appears to be close to generating energy already. Very talented at hand-to-hand. I’d like to bring her in.
‘Where are you?’ I said.
Christchurch.
‘Where the hell is that?’ Leo said, still growling.
‘You
American
!’ I said with scorn. ‘It’s in New Zealand. I can’t see the problem, Gold. Does the family object? And if they do, why are you asking us? You know that if the family objects that’s the end of it.’
She is twenty-eight years old. Married. Separated. Divorce will be final very soon.
‘Children?’ I said.
Of course not.
‘Too old,’ Leo said. ‘Waste of time.’
‘Talented at hand-to-hand?’ I said.
Exceptionally talented.
‘Bring her in,’ I said. ‘Not a problem at all.’
‘She’s too damn old, Emma,’ Leo said. ‘She’ll be a total waste of both our time. Don’t worry about it, Gold.’
‘You think if somebody’s twenty-eight they can’t learn to generate energy?’ I said.
‘Nobody who started above the age of about twenty-two has ever made it,’ Leo said with conviction. ‘Ever.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ I said. ‘You can start it older than that, it’s just harder. We should give her a chance. Gold.’
My Lady.
‘Ask her if she wants to come. She may need some convincing—’
They always do, ma’am.
‘But get her to come. I want to teach her.’
‘You are totally wasting your time, Emma,’ Leo said. ‘It’s just not possible. Absolute maximum is twenty-five.’
‘Absolute maximum?’ I said.
‘Absolute.’
‘I bet you a beer that there’s been a student who did it older.’
He walked right into it. ‘No way. You’re mixed up. We sometimes take older people for hand-to-hand, but nobody for energy that’s older than twenty-two.’
‘I bet you a beer. Older than twenty-five. Generated energy for the first time.’
He eyed me sceptically. ‘Human?’
I nodded. ‘Human.’
He pushed his huge dark hand over the desk and I shook it firmly.
‘Okay then, smarty chick, who?’ Leo said.
I crossed my arms over my chest. ‘Me. I was twenty-nine when I generated my first chi.’
He looked at me blankly. Then he grinned. ‘But you’re not human.’
‘Damn straight I am.’
‘You’re a goddamn
snake
, Emma. You’re not human, and that’s why you could do it.’ He waved his hand over the desk at me. ‘Look at you. Completely cold-blooded. One minute freaking out about your weird
dreams, the next minute making stupid damn bets that you’ve obviously lost, because you’re
not human
.’
‘I. Am. Human. And you owe me a beer.’
‘I want a second opinion as to your humanity,’ Leo said sternly. ‘Lord Xuan.’
‘Whoa,’ I said. ‘High stakes. Okay, a beer and dinner as well. If he says I’m not human, I’ll buy.’
Leo pushed his chair away from the desk and rose. ‘And if he says you are human, I’ll buy. Let’s go.’
John was sparring with the Weapons Master, Miss Chen. She swung a vicious metal spiked chain whip with three hooks on the end. He was bare-handed.
I winced. If she hit him with it, anywhere along its length, it would shred him. The spikes were on every link of the chain, razor-sharp and more than two centimetres long.
‘He is completely crazy,’ Leo said softly beside me, crossing his arms and leaning on the doorframe. ‘Overconfident.’
Miss Chen was a tiny Chinese woman, around one and a half metres tall, who appeared to be in her early sixties with a round, grandmotherly face and a plump, matronly figure. Her hair was braided into a long queue that was almost completely white. Like most things on the Mountain, though, she was much more than she appeared. As Master of Weapons she was matched in skill only by John himself. The chain whip was one of the most difficult weapons of all to master.
Chen swung the whip at head height and John ducked easily underneath it. She snapped it back immediately, again at head height, and he back-flipped. The chain spun between his head and his feet, missing both completely. He landed on his feet facing her, spread into a standard defensive position.
She snapped the whip back and paused.
Neither of them moved.
She performed a magnificent handless cartwheel and snapped out the whip just as her head brushed the floor. The whip snaked across the floor and wrapped around John’s ankle. As soon as her feet hit the floor she snapped the whip back, but it was too late. He back-flipped again, using his bound ankle to jerk her off her feet. She fell onto her belly and slid across the floor, eventually conceding and releasing the whip.
The whip spun in the air as John flipped, and he somehow snapped his ankle so that the whip was released and coiled into his hand. He landed on his feet, once again in a defensive position, holding the coiled whip in his left hand.
‘Damn,’ she said loudly. ‘You do that every single time.’
‘What, win?’ he said, relaxing out of the stance.
‘Yeah,’ she said, pulling herself to her feet and accepting the whip from him.
‘Overconfident?’ John said.
‘Are you injured?’ I said.
‘It’s nothing.’
‘
What
?’ Miss Chen said fiercely. ‘What do you mean,
nothing
?’
‘I knew it!’ I shouted, racing as close as I could to John. I pointed at the ankle that had taken the whip. His black pants were shredded and dark with blood. ‘Look. Bleeding. You stupid goddamn Turtle, I will
kill
you! Quick, look at it, Leo.’
Leo knelt and John tried to pull away. Miss Chen grabbed him and held his wrist. ‘You stand right there, Dark Lord,’ she said grimly. ‘Don’t you dare move.’
Leo pulled the bottom of John’s track pants up and hissed. I knelt beside him and watched. ‘Some of these are nearly two centimetres deep. He’ll need stitches,’ Leo said.
‘Get Meredith,’ I said.
‘You can’t, my Lady,’ Miss Chen said. ‘Nobody can heal him with energy—it would destroy anybody who tried it. And he can’t heal this himself, he’s too drained. This will have to heal normally, and it will take a long time in his current state.’ She glared at John. ‘You said it would be
okay
.’
‘It is,’ John said.
We took him down to the infirmary where the Academy doctor saw to him. She used local anaesthetic to numb the wounds before she would stitch them, despite John’s protests. Normally an energy worker would numb any injury sites using the meridians, but nobody could do it for John without putting themselves in major peril. And we couldn’t find a set of acupuncture needles; we never needed them.
‘You should never have done that!’ I said.
‘You cannot stop me from being what I am,’ John said calmly as Regina worked with the needle on his lacerated ankle.
‘The pain will wear you out and use your energy,’ I said fiercely. ‘We’ll all suffer for this. Being in constant pain is exhausting.’
‘Is it?’ John said, sitting straighter. ‘I didn’t know that.’
‘We have a choice,’ Leo said. ‘Either feed you pain-relieving drugs or let you suffer. Either way, you will burn energy. This is a no-win situation.’
John was silent, his face rigid.
‘You didn’t know, did you?’ I said softly. ‘You’ve never been in real pain for any length of time before. You’ve always been able to heal yourself.’
‘He was in pain after the Mountain,’ Leo said. ‘In the hospital.’
‘They fed him some heavyweight stuff there,’ I said.
‘Nearly pushed him over the edge, I think. And then Ms Kwan fixed him up.’