White Tiger (24 page)

‘No!’ I rubbed my hands over my face. ‘No, Leo, they’re Shen, I know they are. You can’t kill Shen. They just go away for a while and then come back.’

‘He says about three or four months.’

‘That long?’

He nodded.

‘What are we going to do?’

He studied his coffee, full of misery. ‘Hope that he has the sense to call her before he fades away.’

I crossed my arms on the table and flopped my head on them. ‘No.’

He sighed with feeling, finished his coffee and rose. ‘I’ll be in the training room.’

When Simone woke she was listless and uninterested in everything I tried to do with her. Eventually I planted her in front of the television and she watched it, eyes wide and unseeing.

I pulled a book out and attempted to read. I kept reading the same page over and over without comprehension.

I jumped; I’d heard a noise. I rushed to the door and looked outside. Nope; not Ms Kwan at the door.

I went to Mr Chen’s room, opened the door slightly and checked on him. He appeared to be asleep, his face peaceful. He looked very, very old. He didn’t move.

I returned to the television room and tried to read the book.

A couple of hours later Monica prepared lunch for us and we sat around the table looking at it.

Simone picked up some vegetables in her chopsticks, then put them down again.

I sipped my tea.

Leo threw himself up and went back to the training room without saying a word.

Simone and I returned to the television room.

Half an hour later I heard another sound and rushed out. Ms Kwan wasn’t there. I sat on the couch in the television room and put my head in my hands. Leo was still in the training room doing a level one sword kata over and over. I’d had enough.

I grabbed Simone and took her into his room. I dragged a chair from beside the wall, jammed it next to the bed and sat in it. I pulled Simone into my lap.

He turned his head to look at me without saying anything.

‘You see this?’ I hissed. ‘This is the reason all of us are here.’

His eyes flicked to Simone and something changed in them.

‘Think of what would happen to her if you were to go now.’

He didn’t say anything. I wanted to slap him.

I half rose so that I could get closer to him, still holding Simone in my lap. ‘Call her. Get her here
now
.’

His eyebrows creased and he turned his face away.

Simone obviously didn’t understand, but didn’t say anything. I stood and gently lowered her to the floor. ‘And you think
we’re
stupid!’

The doorbell rang and Simone shrieked with delight. ‘Aunty Kwan’s here! Aunty Kwan’s here!’ She raced out the door.

I poked my finger into the air at him. ‘I am not finished with you.’

He ran his good hand over his forehead and smiled with some of the old sparkle. ‘I sincerely hope not.’

Ms Kwan appeared in the doorway. ‘Out, Emma.’

I went to her and took her hands. ‘Thanks for coming.’

She pushed my hands away. ‘Go. Quickly.’ I went out and closed the door behind me. Leo came out of the training room, the sword still in his hand. ‘Was that her?’ ‘Yep.’

He fell to lean against the wall and wiped his hand over his face.

‘Get some rest,’ I said.

‘After I have something to eat,’ he said. ‘Suddenly I’m starving.’

‘Me too!’ Simone said.

‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘I wonder if Monica’s thrown our lunch away yet.’

‘She doesn’t throw food away, Emma, you know that.’

‘Let’s go and see.’

I
heard them coming and sat upright on the sofa, groggy. Leo was sprawled across the living room’s other sofa. I checked my watch: 5 a.m. They’d been in there together for more than twelve hours straight.

Ms Kwan led him into the kitchen, her face like thunder. The plaster was gone and he could walk by himself.

Leo woke, and we opened the kitchen door to check on them. Mr Chen sat staring at the table, expressionless. She pulled a saucepan out of the cupboard and found some ho fan in the refrigerator. She poured some vegetable stock into the saucepan and put it on the stove. She didn’t look at us. ‘Out.’

Leo and I shared a look and closed the door.

Leo rubbed his eyes. ‘Thank God.’

I grabbed him and held him tight. He buried his face in my hair. We held each other for a while, then separated and returned to our rooms without saying a word.

About an hour later, Leo and I came out for breakfast. The kitchen was deserted so we sat at the table together and waited. Monica appeared, bustled through the
kitchen and made breakfast for us as if nothing had happened.

Ms Kwan came in and sat at the table with us. Monica made a pot of tea for her and she nodded her thanks. The three of us sat together for a long time without looking at each other.

Eventually she stirred. ‘Leo and Emma—here is something I should have given you a long time ago.’ She held her hand out, palm up, and a soft glow appeared. It coalesced into a pearl so large it filled her palm. She placed the pearl on the table with a soft metallic click.

‘If he should ever be this bad again,’ she said, ‘hold this and call me. I will come.’

‘Thanks,’ I said. ‘You don’t know how much we appreciate it.’

Leo nodded, speechless.

‘I will need to stay at least a week, day and night,’ she said. ‘Do you have room for me?’

‘You can have my room, I’ll take one of the student rooms,’ I said.

‘I don’t want to put you out,’ she said, concerned.

‘I would be honoured.’ I hesitated, but I had to know. ‘How bad is the Mountain?’

‘We all knew this was coming. It was inevitable. The Demon King led an enormous army of demons to attack the Mountain. The other three Winds and the Elite Guard of the Jade Emperor fought side by side with the Dark Disciples. All of the Dragons in the Heavens rallied to his aid. The Tiger’s Western Horsemen cut through the demons. But they were overpowered. Every demon in Hell joined the attack.’

‘All of them?’ Leo whispered.

‘Every single one. Even though he was nearly incapacitated in his own weakness, the Dark Lord donned his black armour and led his disciples under
their black banners. He must have destroyed hundreds of demons by himself. Eventually they overcame him and threw him from his own wall.’ Leo looked away.

‘He fought his way back up and defeated them. It was a mighty battle, and I was unaware. I was in retreat. I did not know.’ She smiled sadly. ‘I am sorry. They cut through the Mountain Palace of Yuzhengong. They desecrated the temples and killed the clergy. Much of the Palace has been burned to the ground.’

‘No,’ I whispered.

‘When the battle was over, he came directly here. But he knows that his Mountain, his Palace, is ruined. He has been building the Mountain for centuries, adding to its elegant halls and pavilions. Even its Earthly shadow was magnificent. And now it is all gone. It is breaking his heart.’

I took her hand and she smiled sadly at me. ‘I will spend the rest of the day with him. Do not disturb us. He was very close, and we should not be interrupted.’

‘We understand,’ I said.

She released my hand, rose and went out.

I woke and cast around, confused, then remembered. I was in a student room. I rose and went into the hallway. It was very late.

I went to the small picture window at the end of the hall. The carpet was soft under my feet.

The window overlooked the eastern part of Hong Kong Island. The ridge that was the top of the island stretched in front of me, leading down to Causeway Bay and North Point. The lights were still on; Hong Kong buzzed with activity, even though it was so late. The streets of Central were a flurry of traffic.

A lone car drove past, going down the tree-covered
hillside of the Peak. The Peak Tower had closed up for the night. The shopping centre next to it was dark.

The hills and highrises of Kowloon shimmered over the harbour in the distance. The clouds were low overhead, and glowed in the reflected light of the city.

I touched the glass. The surface was cold; the temperature would be less than ten degrees outside. It was warm inside.

I turned and looked along the hallway. Closed doors in the darkness. Shadows. Quiet. I was right next to his door.

I went to his door.

I touched the handle.

Wong had asked me: why don’t you go to him? And I asked myself: why not?

I knew he felt it too. Something was holding him back. If I went in and slid into bed beside him, what would he do?

I wanted so much to climb in with him, pull the covers over both of us and run my hands over his golden skin. To feel the muscles of his arms, his back. To run my mouth over his silken shoulders and bury my face in his neck. To feel his hair slide between my fingers, fresh with the smell of the sea.

To have him turn to me and hold me, his strong arms around me. To feel him next to me, to press myself against his warmth…

I grasped the door handle.

No. It wouldn’t be right. He’d made his choice and I had to respect it.

I just wanted to find a cup to have a drink of water, that was all. I took my hand away and headed towards the kitchen.

After I woke the next morning I quietly checked on Simone. She was still asleep, so I left her. She needed the rest.

I passed the training room on the way back to the kitchen. The door was ajar; I moved to close it.

They sat cross-legged on the mats, facing each other, their hands out and their palms together. Their eyes were closed and a glowing nimbus of silvery energy surrounded them.

I quietly closed the door and went into the kitchen to find some breakfast. Leo was already there. I poured myself some coffee from his pot.

When I sat he showed me an article on page five of the newspaper.

A fire has severely damaged the palace of Yuzhengong at Wudangshan in Hubei province. Because of the remote nature of the palace, many parts of it were burned to the ground before fire crews could arrive. No one was hurt, but many Ming Dynasty (14th- to 17th-century) structures were destroyed.

The palace is one of the pinnacles of Chinese art and architecture, representing the finest examples from a period of over 1000 years. The palaces, halls and temples are some of the greatest achievements of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The palace is situated on the slopes of the Wudang Mountains in Hubei province and contains Taoist buildings from as early as the 7th century. The palace was a World Heritage Listed site.

‘What, the journalists didn’t see the demons? Are they invisible or something?’

‘The demons attacked the Mountain on a higher plane,’ Leo said. ‘The one at Wudangshan reflected the damage. At least that’s my understanding of it. You ever been there? Wudangshan?’

I shook my head.

‘It’s a really amazing place. The whole Palace clings to the side of the mountain. There’s a little temple right on top of the mountain, made of gilded copper with a gold roof, with a statue of
him,
’ he nodded towards the door, ‘inside. Love to see that. The one on the Celestial Plane, I mean.’

‘Maybe one day he’ll be able to take you.’

‘He won’t be taking anyone,’ Leo said with bitter finality. ‘He’ll hang around until Simone’s ready, and then he’ll go.’

I sighed. ‘Most of the Mountain on the higher plane is gone anyway.’

‘It’ll be killing him,’ Leo said. ‘It was bad enough when he couldn’t go there. Now that it’s been destroyed I hate to think how he’s being affected. The Mountain is a part of him.’

‘And that part of him has been destroyed with it.’

Leo dropped his head.

Ms Kwan came in, and Monica made her a pot of tea. Ms Kwan seemed tired.

‘Are you okay?’ I said after Monica had moved away. ‘You’ve been holding human form for a long time.’

‘I spend most of my time human,’ she said. ‘I wander the world. I care for you all.’

I nodded understanding. It was one thing to give your life for another, but she gave her whole Immortal
existence
to serve humanity.

‘Ms Kwan,’ Leo said, ‘there’s something we haven’t told him. About the attack.’

‘What, Leo?’

Leo fiddled with his coffee mug. ‘I didn’t tell him about one of the demons that attacked us. It was a Demon Prince.’ He tilted his head, still studying his cup. ‘It was the one that killed Michelle.’

‘Do not tell him,’ she said sharply. ‘I will be the one to tell him. He is not ready yet. I think I know the one you mean. It does not have the skill to defeat you, Leo, but it is learning.’

‘It broke in and stabbed me in the back in October.’

‘I am not surprised,’ Ms Kwan said. ‘It is quite a piece of work.’

‘You have no idea,’ I said. ‘It said some things you wouldn’t believe.’

‘I would believe it,’ she said. ‘I wish the King had not sworn that foolish oath. To be Number One is a very grand prize for them. They know Ah Wu would swap his head for anything he loves. We must not let it have its hands on Emma or Simone, Leo. You must protect them.’

‘So far they’ve only sent small ones to try me out, and I’ve managed to avoid facing them,’ I said. ‘I don’t need Leo’s protection, I can handle it.’

Ms Kwan hesitated, looking at me, then turned and glared at Leo. ‘She doesn’t know?’

Leo smiled wryly.

I looked from one to the other. ‘What don’t I know?’

Ms Kwan sighed. She picked up the teapot and two cups. ‘Come with me, Emma, we need to talk.’

‘Sorry,’ Leo said as we went out.

‘You will very shortly receive the sharp edge of my tongue,’ Ms Kwan said without looking back.

Leo’s voice followed us down the hallway. ‘You don’t have one, Ms Kwan, and you know it.’

Ms Kwan led me to my room. There was very little evidence of her residence there. She gestured for me to sit on the couch and sat next to me. She poured the tea.

‘Now.’ She turned to face me. ‘It is obvious that these
stupid
men have not told you.’

‘Told me what?’ Then I understood. ‘Why he won’t have me. Why won’t he, Ms Kwan? We could have
years together! I don’t need anything permanent. I don’t need promises or grand sentiments. If I could just have him for the short time we have left…’ My voice broke and I tried to control it. ‘I don’t need more than that.’

She passed me the box of tissues from my desk.

I pulled one out and wiped my eyes. ‘I know he feels the same way! Even the demon said I should go in and wake him up!’

‘Emma. Dear Emma.’

I dropped my head with misery. ‘That’s what he called me in the hospital.’

‘I cannot believe these two useless men have not told you, but I should not be surprised. They really will receive the sharp end of my tongue.’

I shook my head. ‘Leo’s right. You know you don’t have one.’

‘In this case I do. Emma, listen carefully. This is most important. Your life is at stake here. You must understand.’

I glanced up at her.

She smiled sadly. ‘His feelings for you are as strong as yours are for him. Stronger, if that is possible.’ She sipped her tea. ‘It is strange. After such a very long time without finding someone worthy, he has encountered two, one after the other. It is far too unlikely to be a coincidence. But we must deal with what Fate hands us.’

‘I’m worthy? Wait,
he feels the same way too
?’

‘Of course. But he cannot act on his feelings. It would kill you.’

This stopped me dead. It would
kill
me?

‘If you had gone to him as the demon suggested, you would be dead.’ She poured more tea for us. ‘Emma, if you were to go to him, he would not be able to control himself. He would take you in a second. He would not
think twice. He would completely lose control. It is his nature, because of what he is.’

‘A Shen?’

‘No, a Turtle.’

I gasped.

‘You know it is an insult?’ I nodded.

‘You are learning quickly.’ She sipped her tea, then placed her teacup on the table, took my hand and looked into my eyes. ‘Emma, the sharing of love is a sharing of energy. You are young, he is old. You are strong, he is drained. If he were to take you, he would take your energy. He would suck the life out of you and kill you. He would not be able to stop the drain. He would not be able to think at all. Sometimes even the sharing of your feelings through a touch can start the drain. He must be very careful.’

I stared at her.

‘Do you understand, Emma? If you two were to act on your feelings for each other, it would kill you.’ She sighed. ‘He is a fool. He should have dismissed you the moment he knew how he felt for you. But he has kept you here, because he cares so deeply for you, and because Simone loves you. But you must know, Emma. The more he loves you, the less he will be able to touch you. If he loved you completely he would be unable to touch you at all.’

‘He loves me,’ I cried softly. ‘He loves me. I love him. And it can’t happen.’

‘It can never be. Do you understand what the demon was trying to achieve when he suggested you go to him?’

‘He was trying to get me killed.’ I thumped the table. ‘Damn it! They should have told me! He should at least have asked Leo to tell me! Why didn’t they
tell
me? You know I nearly went to him? It was a close thing, Ms Kwan, I had my hand on his door.’

She watched me with compassion.

‘If I’d gone in there, I would have been dead by now.’

I picked up my tea and put it down again. ‘Those two are such
idiots
sometimes! I am going to
strangle
them!’

‘No,’ Ms Kwan said. ‘I will strangle them first.’ We shared a smile.