Red Phoenix

trying to calm your family. It might be a good idea to leave them for a while.’
    ‘Do you think we should move them to the Western Palace?’ I said as we went down the stairs. I could hear Jennifer raging loudly in the living room and I winced.
    ‘I will arrange for seals to be set on this house. I will post guards. They will be as safe here as they could be anywhere on the Earthly Plane. It will take a while for the demons to regroup. I do not expect another attack for a while. And it will be directed at us, wherever we are, not at them.’
    I nodded. That was enough to keep them safe. The attack had been against us. All of the attacks had been aimed at John, Simone, or me; except when they had taken Charlie as second prize.
    ‘This must end soon,’ I said desperately. ‘It’s worse every single time.’
    ‘He’s stronger every single time too, love,’ John said sadly. ‘Our time is limited.’
    We went into the yard. The fire elemental was a creature of flames: roughly man-shaped and about normal human size, but its entire form was writhing fire. It didn’t move but the flames danced, making luminous shadows on the grass in the fading afternoon sun. Zhu Que stood in the yard and examined it from about a metre away. When she saw us she waited until we approached and then saluted, bowing to each of us. ‘My Lord. My Lady.’
    ‘Madam.’ John gestured towards the table. Zhu Que nodded and sat. She put her hand on the table and waited patiently, similar to the way the Demon King had. John sat across from her. I sat next to him.
    ‘Fire elementals. Birds. Explain,’ he said.
    ‘Not me. This is not one of mine,’ she said calmly, her beautiful long face expressionless. She gestured dismissively with one hand and the colours on her robe rippled. ‘It is the bastard son of a Snake Mother and something unspeakable.’ She eyed it with contempt. ‘It is a corruption of the pure flames. When I discover who is creating these things, I will ensure that they have a taste of the distilled fire themselves.’
    ‘One Two Two,’ John said.
    The Phoenix stiffened and her face went taut with anger. ‘That one is not clever enough to fashion something as powerful as this.’
    ‘The King has sworn to stay out of it. Who else could be helping that little piece of shit?’ John said without emotion.
    She made a soft sound of amusement. ‘Anyone helping it is as stupid as it is.’ She leaned her arms on the table. ‘We need intelligence, quickly. Do you think the Lady would help us?’
    ‘Ask the elemental first,’ John said. ‘I do not want the Lady to risk herself for us.’
    ‘It is not an elemental!’ she spat. ‘It is a vile demon hybrid.’
    ‘Can you control it?’
    She eyed it appraisingly. ‘I don’t know, Ah Wu,’ she said softly. ‘Let’s see. Maybe Lady Emma should move back; it may attack when we unbind it.’
    I moved away slightly to watch.
    John and the Phoenix moved closer to study it. ‘It has a most interesting structure,’ she said softly. ‘There is a demon in there somewhere, hardly visible to the Inner Eye. Look inside.’
    He looked at her pointedly.
    She bowed and saluted. ‘I apologise, my Lord.’ She turned back to the elemental. ‘That may be why these have been produced. Can you sense them coming?’
    He shook his head without saying anything. His face was rigid with restraint.
    ‘What?’ I said. Both their faces were expressionless.
    John sighed. He gestured with one hand towards the Phoenix. ‘I am North, she is South. I am Water, she is Fire.’
    ‘And?’
    The Phoenix explained. ‘Although Water is not vulnerable to Fire, it is still not his element. There is no water essence in it at all. He is unable to see inside this creature, because it is composed of fire. He cannot sense it coming. It has the advantage on him.’
    ‘Holy shit,’ I said softly. ‘And you think Wong made this just for you?’
    His face closed down even more. He nodded sharply. Then his expression softened. ‘If what the Phoenix says is true, it is a rather unpleasant development. I have never seen anything like this before. Can you see inside it?’
    I shrugged. ‘I can try.’
    I opened my Inner Eye and studied the fire demon. Itwasn’t pure fire. Black demon stuff writhed like ribbons through the flames.
    ‘I can see the demon stuff,’ I said. ‘I can see that it’s not pure fire. Is a true elemental pure flames?’
    Zhu Que nodded. ‘You are quite impressive, my Lady.