Blue Dragon

Simone, sweetheart? Are you okay?’
    ‘I’m fine, Leo,’ Simone said, her little voice as stricken as her face. ‘Does it hurt?’
    Leo coughed again, then moaned. ‘It hurts a little bit. But I don’t care, sweetheart, ’cause you’re okay.’
    Simone was silent, her eyes still wide.
    ‘What happened wasn’t your fault, Leo,’ I said, rubbing the blanket that covered his leg. ‘You were controlled by a demon. Rest, get better, and then we’ll take you home. I think you should put him back under now, Meredith.’
    ‘Wait,’ Leo gasped, a heavy breath.
    We all hesitated.
    Leo was silent for a while. Then, ‘I don’t know what to say.’
    ‘You don’t need to say anything,’ John said, still grasping Leo’s hand. ‘Concentrate on recovering. That’s all you need to do.’
    ‘Somebody needs to guard Simone at school,’ Leo said. ‘Somebody needs to guard Emma, and Simone.’ His strained voice became urgent. ‘The family must be guarded. I have to get out of here!’
    ‘Simone’s school is finished for the year, Leo,’ I said gently. ‘She can spend her holidays at the Academy where she’ll be safe. I’ll be in the Academy too. You don’t need to worry about us.’ I patted his leg. ‘Worry about yourself for a change, and concentrate on getting better.’
    ‘Is that an order?’ Leo breathed with some of his old defiance.
    ‘Damn straight it is. Now Meredith’s putting you back to sleep, and I’ll be here to visit you tomorrow morning, first thing. Okay?’
    ‘Okay,’ Leo said, but he was already asleep before he’d finished saying it.
    A week later we brought Leo home from the hospital. He was still very weak, even with the additional assistance in healing from Meredith. I held one arm and John held the other as we guided him into his room.
    We led him to his bed, turned him around, and gently lowered him to sit. He winced; he was still very sore inside. I bent and pulled his loafers off, and John moved to undo the buttons on his shirt.
    ‘Stop,’ Leo said, and we both hesitated. ‘Emma, Mr Chen, please don’t do this.’
    I rose to speak to him at his level. His face was full of misery. ‘Who else can do it?’ I smiled and shrugged, patting his arm. ‘You’re like a brother to me, Leo.’
    Leo glanced from me to John.
    ‘I’ll go out,’ John said.
    ‘Wait,’ Leo said, and John hesitated. ‘My Lord, could you ask Michael if he would be willing?’
    John concentrated, his eyes unfocusing. ‘Michael is on his way. Are you sure?’
    Michael tapped on the door and came in.
    ‘I’m sure,’ Leo said. ‘Out. Both of you.’
    Michael stood to one side and let us leave.
    ‘Leo and Michael?’ John whispered as he closed the door.
    ‘Of course not,’ I whispered back impatiently. ‘Leo’s like a father to Michael, that’s why he asked for him.’ We went back up the hall towards the training room; we’d decided by silent mutual agreement to do some weapons work together. ‘You really don’t understand people very well sometimes, John.’
    ‘I don’t think I ever will,’ John said as he held the training room door open for me.
    ‘What about me?’ I said as I collected my sword.
    ‘Especially you,’ he said as he studied the weapons on the wall, and eventually selected a pair of sais . He turned to face me, spinning them appraisingly in his hands.
    I pulled out my sword and tossed the scabbard aside. ‘Okay, Raphael, do your worst.’
    ‘See?’ he said, and attacked.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
    T he New Zealand woman Gold had recruited was called Amy. She was half-Chinese and exceptionally talented. She and I became good friends very quickly; not surprisingly, we had a lot in common. She knew about Chinese culture from her Chinese father, and the Australian and New Zealand cultures were very similar. She was friendly and happy and the difficulties she’d had in her marriage didn’t seem to have affected her much at all.
    I began to suspect there was something special about her when she generated chi the first time she tried. I sat her in my office to speak to her.
    ‘Amy, you remember you swore allegiance?’ I said.
    ‘Yes, ma’am.’
    ‘Okay then, keep that in mind. I want some answers.’
    Amy straightened.
    ‘First: have you really been studying the Arts for only a year?’
    ‘Yes. I wanted something to get me out, something different. Something that would make me feel…’ She hesitated, searching for the words. ‘ Strong again. I was