Blue Dragon

are on alert we will not be attacked,’ the Phoenix said. ‘Sit down, Emma. We know what we are doing.’
    I fell into my chair with a bump. ‘Will he attack once Xuan Wu is gone?’
    ‘I doubt it,’ John said. ‘The Celestial Armies are very strong. I doubt he will attack at all. The probability is very small, as long as the Armies are on standby.’
    ‘You’d better be right,’ I whispered.
    ‘Tomorrow morning,’ John said briskly, ‘Martin will take Simone. I will move down to Wan Chai with the Lady. We will lock down the students, and prepare. At noon, we will begin the feed, and take it as it comes from there. Leo, take Dark Heavens; Emma, use the Serpent. I will not require a weapon. We will meet here 9 a.m. tomorrow. Dismissed.’
    The other three Winds and Na Zha saluted and disappeared.
    ‘You and Simone need your rest,’ Kwan Yin said. ‘I will help you. I will stay here with you until I go with Ah Wu tomorrow.’ She reached out and took my hand. ‘You will be fine, Emma.’
    ‘Are you sure?’ I whispered, looking for reassurance in her eyes.
    She smiled her sad smile and didn’t say anything.
    Simone, Leo and I were already awake and waiting in the dining room when John and the Lady came out.
    ‘Why aren’t you wearing your armour?’ John said.
    ‘I won’t need it until you start the feed,’ I said. ‘Besides, I feel really stupid wearing it.’
    ‘It took the armourers a long time to make that fit you, Emma,’ John said. ‘You know it has special abilities. Wear it.’
    I didn’t say anything. I hated that armour. It was heavy, even though it fitted me perfectly and was exceptionally comfortable to wear. I was the first European woman the armourers had fitted; Immortals like Meredith could conjure their own. It had taken the forge staff six weeks to get over the fact that European women were much curvier than Chinese; they refused to believe that my breasts and hips were actually that much larger around than my waist. In the end John had to take a photo of me and send it up to the Mountain before they’d believe the measurements.
    ‘Please wear it for me, Emma,’ John said gently.
    My throat thickened and I nodded into my tea.
    ‘Have you eaten anything?’ John said.
    Both Simone and I shook our heads. Leo glowered into his coffee.
    ‘You will need to eat something, ladies, Leo. We are going into battle today and you will need your energy.’
    ‘Eat,’ Kwan Yin said.
    Suddenly I was starving. ‘Ah Yat!’
    Ah Yat poked her head around the dining room door.
    ‘Toast and peanut butter for me, cereal for Simone, please.’
    ‘And apple juice,’ Simone said.
    ‘Eggs, ham,’ Leo said.
    Ah Yat smiled, nodded, and disappeared behind the door.
    ‘Thanks,’ I said.
    The doorbell rang. ‘It’s Martin,’ Simone said.
    ‘Finish your breakfast before you go with him, sweetheart,’ John said.
    Simone nodded. Ah Yat came in with the breakfast things. I went out to get Martin. He waited outside the gate.
    ‘She’s just started eating,’ I said as I opened the gate for him. ‘Wait until she’s finished, and then take her.’
    ‘I’ll wait in here then,’ Martin said, gesturing towards the living room.
    ‘No, come with me. It’s okay.’ I took his hand and led him into the dining room.
    The minute Martin entered, Leo grabbed his breakfast and coffee and slinked into the kitchen without a word.
    Martin and Simone shared a smile, a hug and a messy kiss before he sat next to her. I buttered my toast. John glowered.
    ‘My Lord, my Lady,’ Martin said to John and Kwan Yin.
    Ah Yat poked her head around the door. ‘Can I get you anything, Ming Daiyan ?’
    ‘Ceylon, please, Ah Yat,’ he said. ‘How close are you? You should be there soon.’
    ‘Nearly there,’ Ah Yat said, bobbed her head, and disappeared.
    ‘You know Ah Yat?’ Simone said.
    ‘I tamed her,’ Martin said. ‘Just before…’ His voice tapered off.
    John’s expression darkened but he didn’t say anything.
    ‘Where are we going, ge ge ?’ Simone said. John grunted at the table.
    ‘I am taking you to a cave that is very safe, mei mei ,’ Martin said gently.
    ‘A cave?’ Simone’s eyes were wide, her spoon poised halfway to her mouth.
    ‘Eat, Simone,’ John said.
    Simone nodded and ate.
    We sat in uncomfortable silence until Ah Yat brought Martin’s tea.
    ‘You should eat something too, John,’ I said.
    ‘Eat,’ Kwan Yin said. ‘She is correct.’
    John concentrated. Ah Yat