Blue Dragon

sweet guy.’
    ‘They say things about you too, Emma,’ my mother said, studying me.
    ‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘I know there are stories about me.’ I smiled. ‘I had lunch with Louise a couple of days ago.She had a bet running with the other wives that the stuff I’ve done is true. The other wives didn’t believe it.’
    ‘That’s part of the reason we want to stay here, Emma,’ my mother said, and she shared a look with my father. ‘Being your mother makes me royalty. Everybody treats us like we’re something very special.’
    ‘They couldn’t believe I was just an ordinary Australian electrician,’ my father said with amusement. ‘They thought I had to be a demi-god or something, to have a daughter like you.’
    ‘You are,’ I whispered.
    ‘Do you think you could manage a walk through the gardens?’ my mother said. ‘You could come and visit Amanda in the crèche, see Jen in the shops. The Tiger has a complete shopping mall attached to the palace—’
    ‘Full of women’s shops,’ my father said grimly. ‘Not a single hardware store there. Going to fix that as soon as I’ve finished the air con in the women’s quarters, and then I’m wiring up that mall so you can actually see when you’re in there. A couple of sons have asked to come along and learn from me. I have apprentices.’
    ‘I thought you were planning retirement,’ I said with amusement as I rose, leaning on the back of the chair. My mother moved to help me and I waved her away. ‘I should be fine to walk around. If I’m too weak I’ll let you know.’
    ‘For your father,’ my mother said, linking her arm in mine to help me anyway, ‘this is retirement.’
    I didn’t hear the Tiger appear as I sat on the viewing podium watching the show-jumping competition. Michael was competing and they’d put me in the VIP box, right in front of the arena. A smiling demon waiter made sure that I was well cared for with cool drinks and vegetarian snacks. I hated receiving special treatment, but at least the competition was good.
    ‘Lady Emma Donahoe, chosen of the Dark Lord,’ the Tiger said, lounging next to me as if he’d always been there.
    ‘Lord Bai Hu, Emperor of the Western Heavens,’ I replied, watching the riders.
    ‘You’ll be terrific in Court,’ Bai Hu said.
    ‘Oh, thanks a lot .’
    He turned and grabbed a tall drink of something cold from the demon waiter who had appeared next to him. ‘Your family is great. Your dad has already wired up nearly half the women’s quarters. Your mother has made friends with just about everybody. Your sister Jennifer can be a bit hard to take sometimes, but the other one—I don’t remember her name—she’s a cutie. I offered her half a million US dollars for that Southern stone Shen and she wouldn’t take it, despite its protests. She said it was worth more than money to her.’
    ‘Amanda,’ I said. ‘I can believe that she wouldn’t take money for it; it’s saved her family’s lives more than once. But the stone tried to convince her to take the money?’
    ‘I think it was planning to sneak back to her after I’d paid for it,’ the Tiger said with amusement.
    The loudspeakers crackled to life over the arena. ‘Two Nine Seven, riding Sun Bird.’
    A young son of the Tiger, slim and well-built with mid-brown hair, rode a large strong chestnut horse into the arena. He came to the front of the box and saluted us with his whip. The Tiger and I nodded back, the Tiger raising his drink. Two Nine Seven then faced the judges and saluted, and the bell rang for him to commence his round.
    ‘And you keep your paws off my sisters, they’re married,’ I said.
    ‘You’re not married,’ the Tiger said softly, watching the young man take the horse over the jumps. A rail went down and he winced.
    I sighed. ‘We’ve had this discussion before, Bai Hu. And if John knew, he’d pull your whiskers out one by one.’
    He shrugged. ‘Can’t blame a guy for trying.’
    We watched the rider in silence for a while. He finished the round with eight faults—two poles knocked down—but he had the fastest time.
    ‘Good horse,’ the Tiger said. ‘He’s done well with it.’ He didn’t turn away from the arena. ‘Is it all right if your family stay? I’d be truly honoured by their presence. I would be able to keep them safe for you.’
    ‘If that’s what they want, I have no problem with it.’
    A group of gorgeous young wives appeared, escorted by a couple of guards. They