LITMIR.BIZ

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not?’ the stone in my ring snapped.

      Obsidian didn’t move from her knees on the floor. She didn’t look up.

      ‘I do not believe this,’ the stone said softly. ‘A daughter of mine sleeping with one of them.’

      ‘It is the most spectacularly beautiful stone I have ever laid eyes on,’ Obsidian said, then she glared at my ring. ‘And it’s an absolutely fantastic lover,’ she added defiantly, ‘both stone and human. If you knew it was already protecting them, I wouldn’t be needed, and you’d assign me somewhere else. I wanted to be with it.’

      ‘Why didn’t you tell the Shen when they went to pick up my family, Obsidian?’ I said. ‘You should have warned them about the opal.’

      Obsidian looked down, still on her knees. ‘I was at the post-Christmas sales in Brisbane,’ she said miserably. ‘Opal was looking after them, he said I could go. Obviously he —’

      ‘Fell asleep on the job,’ the stone said cuttingly. ‘Fine pair of guards you are. I’ve half a mind to reassign you anyway. This is the family of the Dark Lady we’re talking about here.’

      ‘Obsidian is reassigned regardless,’ John said severely. ‘And the punishment will be appropriate.’

      Obsidian collapsed over her knees.

      ‘Good,’ the stone snapped. ‘Give her to the Dragon.’

      ‘No,’ Obsidian whispered.

      I stayed quiet.

      ‘Report to Lord Qing Long,’ John said.

      ‘My Lord,’ Obsidian choked, saluted without looking up, and disappeared.

      ‘No attempt to defend her?’ John said softly.

      ‘She deserved it,’ I said. ‘Both of them should be sent to the Dragon. I take it you’ve sent her there because he’s Wood and Stone is weak against Wood.’

      ‘Yes. But mostly I sent her to the Dragon because he’s a complete bastard to all his staff,’ John said. He smiled slightly. ‘You are more and more cold-blooded all the time.’

      ‘You’re right,’ I said, miserable. ‘I can’t believe I just stood by and let you do that to her.’

      ‘You will make an exceptional Regent, Emma,’ John said. ‘And I am sincerely looking forward to taking up my Celestial duties again with you by my side. Together we will be the greatest team the Celestial has ever seen.’

      I turned to open the door. ‘I’m sure they’ll be glad to have your warm heart to counter my cold blood.’

      ‘We will,’ the stone in my ring said softly.

      ‘I still can’t believe this stuff was all around us and we never even knew,’ Alan said as we sat at the dinner table. Simone, Mark and David sat with Leo and giggled together.

      ‘Some of the Celestials here in China have never been to the Earthly Plane since they were Raised,’ John said. ‘I don’t think the Celestial himself has been more than two or three times.’

      ‘Who?’ Amanda said.

      ‘Their Jade Emperor,’ the opal said. ‘Their biggest boss.’

      Simone piped up. ‘Can you give us rides after dinner, Uncle Bai?’

      The Tiger glowered at her, then grinned. ‘Sure. You eat your vegetables like good children, and you can all have rides.’

      David and Simone put their heads together and whispered with excitement. Mark didn’t seem so sure.

      ‘You don’t have to if you don’t want to, Mark,’ I said.

      He nodded, serious.

      ‘Why are you vegetarian, John?’ my mother said.

      ‘It’s a long story,’ John said. ‘All human Immortals are vegetarian.’

      ‘But you’re a Shen, Daddy, not a human Immortal,’ Simone said. ‘So why? Uncle Bai isn’t vegetarian.’

      I made my voice very deep. ‘That is not for one such as you to know.’

      Leo did an excellent imitation of John, Cantonese accent and all. ‘That information is not for mortal ears.’

      The Tiger’s mouth opened with astonishment, then he banged his palm on the table and roared with laughter.

      ‘Directly after dinner, twenty-five level one sword katas, both of you,’ John snapped, but his eyes sparkled.

      ‘Yes, my Lord!’ Leo and I both shot back, saluting.

      ‘You’re a fool to have human staff, Ah Wu,’ the Tiger said, still chuckling.

      ‘Neither of them are staff, they are family,’ John said. ‘I love both of them dearly, and they know it.’

      A swift expression of pain swept across Leo’s face, so quick that it was almost unnoticeable. Neither John nor I missed it though, and we both decided to change the subject.

      ‘The Dragon says they will be here with your sister’s family in about an hour,’ John said. ‘Jade is bringing the bags.’

      ‘Will she be okay? Gold was followed and attacked,’ I said.

      ‘With the Dragon and Phoenix carrying them, your family will be protected, Emma,’ the Tiger said. ‘Jade can outrun just about anything; dragons are much faster than stones. Don’t worry about her.’

      ‘Was Jennifer okay about coming?’ I said.

      John didn’t reply.

      ‘Damn,’ I said quietly.

      ‘What’s a sword kata?’ Amanda said.

      ‘You’ve already seen me do it,’ I said. ‘A sword set. What I did for you in the yard back home.’

      ‘Wanna see some real stuff?’ Leo said.

      ‘Show Amanda how you can take Leo down,’ my father said to me.

      I glanced at my father. His face was full of pride. I grinned with delight; my father was proud of me.

      ‘Let’s just rub it in,’ Leo growled, but his small brown eyes sparkled as well.

      ‘You want to see?’ I asked Amanda and Alan.

      ‘We’re here, we might as well have a look,’ Alan said.

      ‘Yes, I want to see,’ Amanda said. ‘Mum’s been telling me some of the stuff you can do, and I find it difficult to believe.’

      ‘Okay,’ I said. ‘After Jennifer’s here and settled in, Leo and I will give you a small demonstration. The sword katas can wait.’

      ‘I ordered you to do them directly after dinner,’ John said.

      ‘Yes, my Lord,’ I shot back, saluting again. ‘Like I said, the sword katas can wait.’

      The Tiger roared with laughter again.

      The Tiger was giving both Mark and David a ride in the living room when the Phoenix and the Dragon turned up with Jennifer and her kids. Leonard had legal business to tidy up in London and would follow in a week.

      The Dragon placed Jennifer gently on the couch, and the Phoenix lowered her boys next to her.

      The Tiger quickly dropped to his belly and guided Mark and David off, then changed back to human form.

      ‘I still want to ride,’ David whined.

      ‘If I’m a tiger when your cousins wake up they’ll be scared to death,’ the Tiger said.

      John and I went to Jennifer. Amanda pushed John out of the way and she and I hovered above Jennifer, waiting for her to wake.

      She

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