Blue Dragon

was quite large, about three centimetres long and two wide, a roughrectangular shape. It was almost jet black with flashes of midnight blue and fiery red through it.
    ‘You are absolutely spectacular, you know that?’ I said.
    ‘Yep,’ the stone said. ‘Pass me back, and then this geological mistake can tell me how I got here and what the story is.’
    ‘Humph,’ the stone in my ring said. ‘You always were a rude bastard.’
    ‘Shut the hell up and tell me what’s going on,’ the opal said.
    The stone in the ring returned to my finger. Amanda put the opal back around her neck.
    ‘You can talk, I’ll just tell the opal what’s happening,’ the stone said. ‘Don’t mind us, we’ll have a little stone-to-stone talk.’
    ‘Dickhead,’ the opal said, and went quiet.

CHAPTER SIX
    I burst into John’s office without knocking. ‘We need some more pillows. Can I send—’ I stopped dead. A young Chinese woman I’d never seen before was sitting across the desk from John.
    ‘Whoops, sorry,’ I said, and moved to go out.
    ‘Wait,’ John said. ‘Obsidian here would like to apologise. This is Emma.’
    Obsidian fell to her knees and saluted. ‘My profoundest apologies, my Lady. I have failed both you and the Dark Lord.’
    ‘She was your sister’s guard stone,’ John said. ‘She never told us that the opal was sentient.’
    ‘Why not?’ the stone in my ring snapped.
    Obsidian didn’t move from her knees on the floor. She didn’t look up.
    ‘I do not believe this,’ the stone said softly. ‘A daughter of mine sleeping with one of them .’
    ‘It is the most spectacularly beautiful stone I have ever laid eyes on,’ Obsidian said, then she glared at my ring. ‘And it’s an absolutely fantastic lover,’ she added defiantly, ‘both stone and human. If you knew it was already protecting them, I wouldn’t be needed, and you’d assign me somewhere else. I wanted to be with it.’
    ‘Why didn’t you tell the Shen when they went to pick up my family, Obsidian?’ I said. ‘You should have warned them about the opal.’
    Obsidian looked down, still on her knees. ‘I was at the post-Christmas sales in Brisbane,’ she said miserably. ‘Opal was looking after them, he said I could go. Obviously he—’
    ‘Fell asleep on the job,’ the stone said cuttingly. ‘Fine pair of guards you are. I’ve half a mind to reassign you anyway. This is the family of the Dark Lady we’re talking about here.’
    ‘Obsidian is reassigned regardless,’ John said severely. ‘And the punishment will be appropriate.’
    Obsidian collapsed over her knees.
    ‘Good,’ the stone snapped. ‘Give her to the Dragon.’
    ‘No,’ Obsidian whispered.
    I stayed quiet.
    ‘Report to Lord Qing Long,’ John said.
    ‘My Lord,’ Obsidian choked, saluted without looking up, and disappeared.
    ‘No attempt to defend her?’ John said softly.
    ‘She deserved it,’ I said. ‘Both of them should be sent to the Dragon. I take it you’ve sent her there because he’s Wood and Stone is weak against Wood.’
    ‘Yes. But mostly I sent her to the Dragon because he’s a complete bastard to all his staff,’ John said. He smiled slightly. ‘You are more and more cold-blooded all the time.’
    ‘You’re right,’ I said, miserable. ‘I can’t believe I just stood by and let you do that to her.’
    ‘You will make an exceptional Regent, Emma,’ John said. ‘And I am sincerely looking forward to taking up my Celestial duties again with you by my side. Together we will be the greatest team the Celestial has ever seen.’
    I turned to open the door. ‘I’m sure they’ll be glad to have your warm heart to counter my cold blood.’
    ‘We will,’ the stone in my ring said softly.
    ‘I still can’t believe this stuff was all around us and we never even knew,’ Alan said as we sat at the dinner table. Simone, Mark and David sat with Leo and giggled together.
    ‘Some of the Celestials here in China have never been to the Earthly Plane since they were Raised,’ John said. ‘I don’t think the Celestial himself has been more than two or three times.’
    ‘Who?’ Amanda said.
    ‘Their Jade Emperor,’ the opal said. ‘Their biggest boss.’
    Simone piped up. ‘Can you give us rides after dinner, Uncle Bai?’
    The Tiger glowered at her, then grinned. ‘Sure. You eat your vegetables like good children, and you can all have rides.’
    David and Simone put their heads together and whispered with excitement.