Blue Dragon

what you want to do. Now that we’ve survived this, we need to plan the next move. Come on in and tell me, or I’ll get these four legs working and visit you.’
    ‘Leo,’ I said, my hands still on his head, ‘you are the most remarkable man it has ever been my privilege to meet.’
    ‘Just get me a steak,’ Leo growled, the lion vocal chords making his voice a throaty rasp. He shook his head free. ‘Go.’
    I felt a stab of pain in my leg as I pulled myself upright. Ms Kwan helped me.
    ‘Oh, one other thing,’ Leo said. He shifted so that he was lying on his belly like a cat.
    ‘What, my friend?’ John said.
    ‘A bowl of coffee.’
    On the way back to the dining room we passed Gold. He sat in the living room holding his new child and gazing at it with wonder. Both John and I stopped and went to him. Ms Kwan left us and went into the dining room.
    The living room was a disaster area. All of the windows were broken and shattered glass covered the floor. Some of the priceless Tang and Ming china had been smashed, and a couple of rosewood side tables had been totally destroyed. John’s collection of antique English books was scattered on the floor. Ah Yat was busily sweeping up the glass on the carpet.
    Gold’s child appeared as a small stone, pink-flecked grey granite, about the size of a child’s fist.
    ‘Are you okay, my Lady?’ Gold said. ‘You’re wounded.’
    ‘I’m fine,’ I said, limping to sit with difficulty on the couch. The leg was beginning to stiffen as well as swell. ‘The demon stabbed me in the leg to sedate me.’
    ‘Wake my parent, my Lady,’ Gold said. ‘It will want to see.’
    I tapped on my ring. It had slept through the whole attack.
    ‘Next time wake me up! I could have been of use to you!’ the stone demanded loudly. ‘Damn! You’re injured!’
    ‘I’m okay,’ I said.
    Gold’s baby squeaked, a tiny sound, then went silent.
    ‘By the Grandmother,’ the stone in my ring whispered.
    ‘Gold…I am…By the Grandmother.’ Its voice became even softer. ‘It is so beautiful.’
    ‘I have the sudden urge to take female human form,’ Gold said with a small smile.
    ‘You can if you want,’ I said.
    The gentle smile lit up his face. ‘No need. It’s all the same to us.’ He rolled the stone in his hands and it squeaked again, a quiet sound of contentment. ‘Besides, I don’t think Amy would be too impressed if I did.’
    ‘How much care does it need?’ I said. ‘Does it need feeding, or cleaning, or anything like that?’
    ‘Nope,’ Gold said with a shrug. ‘Nothing like that. Basically all it needs is lessons from its parent on being a good stone.’
    ‘You’ll be a great parent, Gold,’ the stone in my ring said.
    ‘Thanks, Dad.’ Gold held the stone out to me. ‘Take it. Let my parent see it.’
    I held the stone gently in both hands. Its surface was rough and unpolished, quite unlike Gold’s smooth quartz. It was warm and seemed to be pulsing gently in my hands.
    ‘It’s beautiful,’ the stone in my ring said with awe. ‘I wonder what mineral it will take.’
    ‘It could be jade, like you, Dad,’ Gold said. ‘Or gold, like me. Either way, it’s precious.’
    ‘Precious,’ the stone in my ring said. Its voice became more brisk. ‘Emma, you need to send them somewhere safe.’
    I held the stone out for John to take.
    Gold and the stone in my ring both yelled ‘ No !’ at the same time, and Gold shot to his feet.
    John didn’t move. ‘I should not touch something so young and fragile.’
    I took the stone back and Gold sagged with relief. ‘Return it to me, please, my Lady. You nearly gave me a heart attack.’
    I passed it back to him and he held it with reverence.
    ‘Jade has nested on the top of Tai Mo Shan,’ John said. ‘The tallest mountain in Kowloon. She has found a hollow in the hillside there, far from any hiking trails. It is quite remote for Hong Kong. You and your child will join her, and all of you will return when the situation is resolved, one way or the other. Go.’
    Gold didn’t move. ‘I won’t leave you.’
    ‘That is an order, Gold. Go. Emma will send for you when this is resolved.’
    ‘My Lord,’ Gold said, and hesitated. His voice softened. ‘Please let me stay here for a while. I want to make sure you are all safe. My child is here with me, we are protected.’ He smiled and shrugged. ‘Besides, I need to rest, and there are nice soft beds here.’
    ‘Do you want to go back to your flat at