Red Phoenix

could hold it down?’
    I nodded. He grabbed the jug from the bedside table and poured me a glass of water. He paused. ‘I can’t do it,’ he said, his voice full of pain. ‘You need someone to lift your head.’
    Leo moved around him and gently reached behind my neck, raising my head. It exploded with pain and I winced. He hesitated. He brought the glass to my lips and I took a few sips of the water. It was incredibly sweet. I nodded my thanks. My head exploded again. Leo carefully lowered me back to the pillow.
    I looked around. A simple hospital room. Dark blue curtains over the window. Beige walls. Two chairs nextto me. John, with Simone in his lap. Simone’s little face wide-eyed with concern.
    ‘How’s your head?’ John said quietly. ‘Do you have much of a headache?’
    I felt inside my head. My brain was numb and swollen. ‘I feel fuzzy but I think I’ll live.’ I tried to remember what had happened. Nothing. My left arm was in a cast; I must have broken it. I was on a drip. Whoa, but my face felt weird. ‘What happened?’
    ‘You collected the files from Wellington Street. You went back to your car. You were obviously attacked by something big. You took it out, but it must have broken your left arm and managed some serious strikes to your head before you did.’ John leaned forward over Simone. ‘Do you remember anything at all?’
    ‘Level fifty, female,’ I said with wonder. ‘I saw her in the lobby of the office building. I don’t remember anything after that.’
    Leo inhaled sharply. ‘No way.’
    ‘Leave it for now,’ John said firmly. ‘Rest. Now that you’ve come around we’ll be able to take you home, and you can recuperate properly. The police want to talk to you. What do you want to tell them?’
    ‘I have no idea,’ I said helplessly. ‘I don’t know. I don’t remember anything.’
    ‘Well, then,’ he said, ‘tell them the truth.’
    ‘Are they starting to look at you?’ I said.
    ‘Yes, they are. When the time comes you may run into some difficulty. I hope it doesn’t happen.’
    I didn’t say anything. I leaned back on the pillows and closed my eyes.
    ‘Take Simone home,’ John told Leo. ‘I will follow with Emma as soon as she is strong enough.’
    ‘Emma will need help, my Lord, and you won’t be able to touch her. It’ll have to be me who stays,’ Leo said.
    ‘Leo’s right, John,’ I said without opening my eyes. ‘You take Simone home. Leo can give me a hand.’
    Simone’s little voice, demanding, ‘I want to stay with Emma!’
    ‘Go home with your dad,’ I said. ‘I’m okay, Leo’s here. He’ll bring me home shortly, and Meredith can fix me up, good as new.’
    ‘I want to stay here with you, Emma.’
    I opened my eyes. Her face was set into a stubborn mask.
    ‘Could you go home, choose some nice clothes for me to wear, and ask Ah Yat to bring them down to the hospital for me, Simone?’ I said kindly. ‘You’re the only one I trust to do that for me. The guys have no idea what clothes I wear.’
    ‘I don’t know.’
    ‘Your dad can show you where my wardrobe is, Simone,’ I said. ‘He knows where everything is. You two go and have a look for me.’
    ‘I’ll help you,’ John said.
    ‘Okay.’ Simone hopped down and gently took John’s hand. ‘Come on, Daddy, let’s go and find something nice for Emma to come home in.’
    ‘Thanks, sweetheart,’ I whispered and closed my eyes. The door closed behind them.
    ‘Would you like another drink of water?’ Leo said.
    ‘Please.’
    Leo gently lifted my head and put the glass to my lips. The water was still sweet. I took a few sips. It flowed coolly down my throat. I nodded and he gently let me down. I had a sudden shock of concern. ‘What happened to you, stone?’
    No reply.
    ‘If you’re talking about your ring, they took your jewellery and put it in a safe place,’ Leo said. ‘It’s not here.’
    ‘The demon seemed to have disabled it,’ I said. ‘I banged it on the wall and everything, and it didn’t say a word.’
    ‘Talk to Mr Chen when you get home,’ Leo said. ‘Rest right now, and I’ll take you home when you feel up to it.’
    ‘Leo,’ I whispered.
    His face moved into view.
    ‘Sorry, mate, but can you help me up? I want to use the bathroom.’
    ‘Mate?’ His eyes sparkled with amusement as he lifted me easily. ‘Just call a nurse. You don’t have to get up.’
    ‘I want to get onto my feet anyway,’ I said as he helped me around so that my