Blue Dragon

mouth dropped open.
    ‘Go home, and don’t worry. The worst we’ll probably find is that you’re a lost Shen, or half Shen, or something like that, and you’ll have extra talents we can bring on.’
    ‘I just want to be completely human,’ Amy said. She saluted me and left, closing the door softly behind her.
    ‘Well?’ I said.
    ‘There’s something there,’ it said, ‘but I’m not sure what it is. Wait until Gold has a look at her. We’ll both see inside.’
    ‘Is it possible that she’s a demon?’
    The stone hesitated. I heard it hesitate.
    ‘Well?’
    The stone’s voice was completely emotionless. ‘Yes, Emma, it is quite possible.’
    ‘But she doesn’t know if she is?’
    ‘Correct,’ the stone said.
    ‘Has this happened before? Somebody was a demon but didn’t know about it?’
    The stone hesitated, then obviously decided to answer before I could shout at it. ‘Yes, of course. It was a favourite trick of the previous King. Create a half demon, half human. Plant a trigger in it, similar to a program. The demon itself is unaware of its true nature. When the time is right, the trigger is activated and the demon usually self-destructs, taking all around with it.’
    ‘Holy shit,’ I said softly. ‘Why didn’t John tell me about this?’
    ‘Two reasons,’ the stone said. ‘The first is obvious. The second is that the current King is slightly more honourable than its predecessor and does not engage in this sort of underhand activity.’
    ‘He can be pretty underhand when he wants to,’ I said grimly.
    ‘He is a Demon King.’
    ‘Will Gold be able to tell if Amy is a demon?’ I said.
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘You sure?’
    If the stone could sigh it would have. ‘Of course. He is my son.’
    ‘You mean child .’
    The stone didn’t speak to me for a long time after that.
    I arranged the examination for two days later so that John and Meredith could be present as well as Goldand me: John for his demon-spotting skills, and Meredith as the best demon-binder on the Mountain. JC Poon, the Demon Master, was on call, but didn’t need to be present unless Amy was a demon and was either bound or tamed. If she turned and attacked us we would destroy her and he wouldn’t be needed at all.
    We used a training room on the twenty-second floor by silent mutual agreement. It would be the best place if she turned; the seniors and Celestials would be close by.
    Amy walked in and stopped dead when she saw all of us. Her face went ashen, then she remembered and fell to one knee, saluting us all.
    ‘Come in, Amy,’ I said, as gently as I could. ‘I think you know everybody. Do you know Meredith?’
    Amy shook her head, her eyes wide. She was panicking. She knew something was up.
    I gestured towards Meredith. ‘Master Liu, Energy Master, Tai Chi Master.’
    Amy saluted Meredith and Meredith nodded back, her angular, intelligent face serious. She was already examining Amy.
    ‘Okay, Amy,’ I said, trying to be brisk and businesslike. She broadcast raw terror. ‘Sit cross-legged on the floor in the centre of the room and Gold will have a look inside you.’
    She did as she was told.
    Gold knelt behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. ‘Relax, dear. I won’t hurt you. Everything will be just fine.’
    Amy was shaking.
    Gold didn’t move, but I saw him contact Meredith. Meredith silently moved forward and put her hand on top of Amy’s head.
    Amy went rigid at the touch and then her face went slack. Gold nodded and Meredith moved away.
    Human at the top level, Gold said. My Lady, could you bring my parent here, please? I would like it to provide a second opinion.
    I moved quietly to Gold and put the stone in front of him. I released it, and it hovered in front of Gold’s face, between his nose and the back of Amy’s head. Gold nodded, his face still full of concentration.
    Going deeper. Dad ?
    Human. No apparent demonic attributes at any of the top levels, the stone said.
    Gold stiffened. What a bastard.
    With you there, the stone said. No wonder she wanted to learn to defend herself.
    Gold sighed, his shoulders moving. Going deeper.
    What was that? the stone said.
    What ? Gold said.
    For a moment there…nothing.
    My Lord Xuan, please take a quick look , Gold said. Through me, so that you cannot harm her.
    John approached them and bent to place his hand on Gold’s shoulder. His face went rigid with concentration, then he released Gold and moved back.
    Definitely not a demon, John said.