Blue Dragon

about two centimetres across, onto the table. ‘This was in the Lion’s pocket,’ he said. ‘Somebody probably slipped it onto him while we were at the concert.’
    We all leaned forward to study the stone.
    ‘Let me see, Emma,’ the stone in my ring said. ‘Put me on the table next to it.’
    I took the ring off my hand and moved it near the black stone. ‘Not too close!’ it squawked, and I placed it about ten centimetres away.
    ‘Damn,’ the stone said. ‘I’m speechless. How the hell did he manage to do this?’
    Gold changed back to his normal human form, wearing a pair of tan slacks and a tan polo shirt. His face was very grim. ‘This was once one of us, my Lord. Now, it is less than nothing.’
    I inhaled sharply with shock. ‘This was a stone Shen?’
    Gold nodded. ‘I knew this one too. She was a wonderful person. There is nothing left of her that can be salvaged.’ He looked away, his face full of pain.
    ‘My Lord Bai Hu, Exalted Emperor of the Western Heavens,’ the stone in my ring said very formally.
    ‘Jade Building Block of the World,’ the Tiger said.
    ‘My Lord,’ the stone said, not quite as formal, ‘I’d like your permission to bring the opal in on this. The opal can take this…’ It hesitated, as if taking a deepbreath. ‘This thing and show it to the Grandmother. It is vitally important that she sees this.’
    ‘The Grandmother speaks to us all,’ Gold said, turning back so that he could see the black stone. ‘If she is aware of this… thing , then we are all aware. We will have the knowledge to avoid such a thing happening in the future.’
    ‘Granted,’ the Tiger said, just as grim. ‘Gold can come with me to the palace to talk to Amanda, then the opal can go and report.’
    I glanced at Gold. ‘Does Leo know that he was controlled and that it wasn’t his fault?’
    ‘He hasn’t come around yet, but he’ll still think it’s his fault anyway, ma’am,’ Gold said sadly. ‘He’ll be full of guilt that they managed to place this thing on him in the first place.’
    ‘Come on, Gold, let’s go and talk to this opal,’ the Tiger said, and both he and Gold disappeared, taking the black stone with them. I put the jade ring back onto my finger.
    ‘What’s your name, Two Sixty?’ I asked the Horseman.
    ‘Derek,’ he said with a sad smile. ‘I hope my dad remembers to come back for me. This is the second time this year he’s left me stranded on the Earthly.’
    John’s eyes turned inwards. ‘Leo will survive. They moved him into intensive care. Meredith is with him, she appears as his wife.’ He smiled slightly. ‘Two Sixty, your father left you here deliberately, I think, to take up Leo’s duties while he recuperates.’
    ‘No! Really?’ The Horseman’s eyes unfocused; obviously his father was speaking to him. He grinned broadly. ‘ Hot damn !’
    ‘I’d like to go and see Leo,’ I said. ‘I know Simone would too. How can we do it so we’re safe?’
    ‘I will take you,’ John said, rising. ‘Obviously they are still too cowardly to face me. Leo will be harmlessnow that the stone has been removed. Two Sixty, stay here and guard the Dark Lady’s parents. Ah Yat!’
    Ah Yat poked her head through the doorway.
    John gestured towards Derek. ‘This one is staying in the room next to Michael’s. Arrange it while Emma, Simone and I go to the hospital.’
    ‘My Lord,’ Ah Yat said, and her head disappeared around the door.
    ‘You know what to do,’ John said.
    Derek saluted. ‘My Lord.’ He was hard-pressed to keep the delight from his face. ‘I am extremely glad the Lion will be all right. All of us Horsemen have a tremendous amount of respect for him. We’ll be gunning for him to recover quickly.’ He grinned again. ‘And damn , this is an honour to be serving you in his place.’
    ‘Come on, Emma,’ John said. ‘Let’s go to the hospital and try to convince Leo that he isn’t the worst guard on Earth.’
    ‘Not going to happen, John,’ I said softly as I followed him out.
    The staff said children weren’t allowed in intensive care. Meredith came out in the form of a portly black woman in her mid-thirties and coerced them into letting Simone in. We went into the ward together. Leo was on a number of life-support machines, but they were completely silent; there wasn’t the usual heartbeat blip sound that was so popular on television.
    My heart twisted when I saw the signs above his bed. A brilliant black-on-yellow