Blue Dragon

smiling. Simone was sitting on his lap, also smiling.
    I sagged back and ran my hand over my forehead. ‘Whoa. That feels weird.’ I tasted my mouth and gagged.
    Leo handed me a cup of something strong, sweet and fizzy, and I downed it.
    ‘Thanks, but I need to brush my teeth,’ I said. ‘My mouth tastes of blood.’ I looked around. ‘What happened?’
    ‘How much do you remember?’ Leo said softly. He crouched next to me, studying me intensely.
    I hunted through my memories. ‘Oh my God.’
    He dropped to sit next to me on the grey carpet. ‘Yep.’
    ‘Emma,’ John said sharply from the bunk, ‘did they have control of you?’
    ‘No, of course not,’ I said. ‘I was just playing for time. I was hoping he’d try to…’ I stopped. I didn’twant to say it in front of Simone. ‘I was hoping he’d take me into the main cabin first. The phone’s there.’
    John and Leo both sighed. Simone didn’t seem concerned.
    ‘It was the taste,’ I said.
    ‘That was what was different,’ the stone said. ‘In Central, she injured you.’
    ‘I was bleeding in Central,’ I whispered.
    ‘Thought so,’ John said.
    ‘What, Daddy?’ Simone said.
    Nobody said anything.
    ‘You healed me,’ Leo said.
    ‘He broke your neck,’ I said. ‘If he had ripped your carotid you’d be dead. I don’t know whether he missed it on purpose or not.’
    Leo put his arm around my shoulders and kissed me on the cheek. ‘Thanks, Emma.’
    I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a squeeze. ‘I am so glad I could do that. What happened after I changed back?’
    ‘The Lady and the Dragon came,’ John said. ‘The Lady gave me enough energy to make it to the resort. She didn’t want to feed me too much on the plane, it’s not sealed. We’d attract flyers. I’ll make it.’
    ‘And the Dragon’s flying the plane?’ I said.
    ‘No, actually he’s on the outside carrying it,’ John said with amusement. ‘He hasn’t stopped complaining about the damage to his claws.’
    ‘Oh, poor baby,’ I said. ‘Broke a fingernail.’
    Leo chuckled and his arm shook around me.
    ‘You were a big black snake again, Emma,’ Simone said.
    ‘Yes, I know, sweetheart,’ I said. ‘Don’t be afraid of it, it won’t hurt you.’
    Simone levered herself over the edge of the bunk and dropped to the floor. She came to me and fell into mylap. I released Leo, wrapped my arms around her middle and kissed the top of her head. Leo’s arm didn’t shift from around my shoulders.
    ‘It’s awfully big and scary, Emma. Was it really you?’ Simone said.
    ‘It’s really me,’ I said.
    Leo let go of me and pulled himself to his feet. ‘Coffee,’ he said, and went into the galley. He poked his head back out. ‘My Lord?’
    ‘Tea, tikuanyin ,’ John said. And a big glass of blood for the Serpent Lady.
    ‘You are really revolting sometimes,’ I said.
    ‘What did he say?’ Simone said.
    ‘Don’t you like it?’ John said. My Serpent does .
    ‘No!’ I said fiercely. I hesitated. ‘Strange. I liked it when I was really mad. Now I can taste it and it’s nauseating. I need to wash it out.’
    Your Serpent likes it.
    ‘Yeah. I know. But I don’t.’ I sagged. ‘I have a split personality. I need to see a shrink.’
    ‘Perfectly normal insanity,’ John said.
    ‘Yeah. I cannot believe I just tried to…’ I didn’t say the word, ‘…Simon Wong. I must be insane.’
    ‘I think the insanity is the most attractive thing about you,’ John said. ‘That and the black scales.’
    ‘You two are stupid ,’ Simone said.
    ‘Oh, I don’t know, Simone,’ John said. ‘Those who are simple-minded or insane have the easiest path to the Tao.’
    ‘Then I’m already there,’ I said. ‘Doubly so.’
    ‘You want something, Emma?’ Leo said from the galley, ignoring us.
    ‘Yeah,’ I said, gently moving Simone off my lap and pulling myself unsteadily to my feet, leaning on the wall. ‘I want to brush my teeth. Then coffee sounds really good. Strong. With lots of sugar.’
    Simone ran to her father and threw herself onto her stomach on the bunk next to him. She turned onto her back and smiled up at him. ‘Are we there yet?’
    He didn’t say anything, just tickled her until she fell off the bunk onto the floor with a thump.
    We sat together in the main cabin. John was drowsy but awake. Simone sat in his lap, her head on his chest. It had caught up with all of us.
    ‘What will we do about Brian?’ I said.
    ‘The Dragon