Red Phoenix

come.’
    ‘How are they doing downstairs?’ I said.
    ‘They are holding their positions and waiting for One Two Two,’ the stone said. ‘At this stage nobody has been injured.’ Its voice softened. ‘Jade is checking on us for the Dark Lord as I check on them for you.’
    I breathed a sigh of relief. ‘This attack is awfully close on the heels of the last one, stone. That was only two days ago. The attacks are closer together all the time.’
    ‘That was the King. This is the Prince. You will not see the King again unless you decide to call him. If you defeat the Prince this time, he will probably stay quiet for a while,’ the stone said. Then, ‘The Tiger is downstairs.’
    ‘He has a personal score to settle with Wong,’ I said. ‘He made us promise to invite him along to our next little party.’
    ‘Birds!’ the stone said.
    I spun to face the window and made the sword sing. Five birds exploded before they reached the house. ‘How many more birds?’ I said.
    ‘Ten. Eight. Jade is chasing them down in the air. Six. Three. At the window!’ the stone hissed. I made the sword sing. The three birds exploded.
    Jade appeared at the window. She didn’t say a word; she nodded, turned, and snaked down through the air.
    ‘She is making it rain to take out the last few fire elementals,’ the stone said. ‘Gold was required to handle them; humans cannot physically face them, they are too hot.’
    There was complete silence, only the sound of the rain pattering gently on the roof. The rain stopped. ‘Stone?’ I said softly.
    ‘Nothing,’ the stone said. ‘They are waiting. The Prince has not yet arrived.’
    I waited. There was still complete silence.
    ‘We’re okay, Emma,’ Simone said.
    ‘Good,’ I said without turning away from the window.
    I heard someone coming up the stairs.
    ‘Who is coming?’ I said.
    ‘The Dark Lord. Alone,’ the stone said.
    ‘Really him?’ ‘Yes.’
    John appeared at the doorway. Simone raced to him and he picked her up. He smelled strongly of smoke.
    ‘He changed his mind, Emma, when we took out his thralls. We were obviously too strong for him, and he did his usual cowardly thing. It’s finished.’
    ‘He’s not coming at all?’ I said with relief.
    John shook his head. He held out his other arm and smiled.
    I raced to him and he wrapped his free arm around me. I buried my face into his chest, still holding my sword in my right hand at his back. He smiled down at me. His free hand came behind my head and held me. He closed his eyes and kissed me.
    ‘Yuck,’ Simone said loudly.
    We laughed into each other’s mouths, and turned our heads together to see her. Simone leaned the side of her head against his shoulder and her eyes sparkled at me. ‘You two are so gross,’ she said happily. ‘Move away, Emma, I want to look at the cars.’
    John pulled away. He gently lowered Simone, then gestured for me to follow him onto the landing. As he closed the door behind us, Michael nodded inside the room.
    ‘We are in big trouble,’ John said. ‘Fire elementals are supposed to belong to the Red Lady. I’d like to know how One Two Two had control of them. I have summoned the Phoenix and she is on her way. There is a fire elemental bound in the backyard. I am surprised I was able to bind it, that is most unusual. Oh,’ he added almost as an afterthought, ‘your sister is having hysterics in the living room, and your brother-in-law is ready to rip our throats out for putting his family in danger.’
    ‘Is everybody okay otherwise?’ I said.
    He nodded, still smiling. ‘Emma,’ he said, and the smile disappeared, ‘I hope you understand what we will have to do eventually. This cannot be permitted to continue. As soon as Simone is ready—’
    ‘As soon as Simone is ready, we will hunt this little bastard down and you will take True Form and give him exactly what he deserves.’
    ‘How did you know?’
    ‘It’s what we have to do,’ I said. ‘I also know that if it comes down to him or us, you’ll do it. You’ll take True Form and rip his nasty little guts out. I only hope we have Simone up to speed before it comes to that.’
    ‘In True Form I can take him easily,’ John said, ‘and I don’t need to worry about going too far and losing it. Even on the land, I can take him. But you must understand: afterwards I will be gone.’
    ‘I know.’
    His eyes turned inwards. ‘The Red Lady is here. Let’s talk to her first. Jade and Gold are