Red Phoenix

lot. Michael is actually safer with him than he is with John right now, as John is so weak.’
    ‘They haven’t been up to anything together, have they?’
    ‘Not as far as I know,’ I said. ‘Na Zha promises to behave when he’s with Michael. They get on really well, they’ve become very good friends. Surprisingly enough, they seem to have a lot in common. John has absolutely no problem with him. It drives me nuts. I personally don’t like him very much, he’s very insolent to me.’
    ‘Okay. I suppose I’ll just let you guys keep an eye on him then.’
    Rhonda didn’t move off the couch.
    ‘Something else?’ I said.
    She put her head in her hands.
    I went to the couch and sat next to her. I put my arm around her.
    ‘I don’t know what to do, Emma, I’m so torn,’ she said.
    ‘What?’
    She glanced desperately at me. ‘I really do love that stupid man.’
    ‘Oh God, Rhonda,’ I said. ‘You know we saw you in Paris.’
    ‘He just whisked me away. He gave me the excuse it was to see Michael, but we never did. He’s so romantic,you know? He’s so warm, and considerate, and wonderful…’
    ‘And has a hundred wives.’
    ‘I know,’ she moaned. ‘That’s what makes his offer so damn hard.’ ‘Offer?’
    ‘He says he wants to Raise me and take me as Empress of the West.’
    ‘Holy shit,’ I said softly. ‘He’ll give up the others for you?’
    ‘No. I’ll be Empress in the old-fashioned sense. The traditional sense. You know?’
    ‘Yeah. I know. You’d be in charge of the palace and the women. That’s the traditional role of the Empress.’
    ‘Will you be like that?’ she said.
    ‘No. We’ve talked about that. Xuan Wu’s not like that. His nature is different.’
    ‘That’s the problem,’ she said. ‘It’s his nature. How can I stop him from being what he is?’
    ‘Oh God, Rhonda, he’d Raise you. And you are so worthy.’
    ‘What would you do?’ she whispered.
    ‘For a while I thought that might be my role,’ I said, ‘until I asked John about it. He said no, for him there was just one. Always, just one. If it hadn’t been that way I wouldn’t do it. I wouldn’t share him.’
    We sat together silently for a while.
    ‘Talk to Kwan Yin,’ I said. ‘She won’t tell you what to do. But she will help out.’
    ‘You can call her for me?’
    ‘I’ll ask John to call her for you.’
    ‘Thanks, Emma.’
    ‘Come on.’ I rose and held out my hand to her. ‘I know exactly where you need to go.’
    John was in his office. We both sat across the desk from him, miserable.
    ‘You need to tidy up in here, Emma,’ Rhonda said.
    ‘Rhonda’s right. What’s the problem, ladies?’ John said.
    ‘The Tiger has asked me to be Empress of the West,’ Rhonda said.
    John leaned back and didn’t say anything.
    ‘He’s offered to Raise her and make her his consort,’ I said.
    ‘He’s never done anything like that before,’ John said. ‘He’s never accepted a woman as his equal, and that’s what he’s doing with you. Remarkable.’
    ‘Give her a gold coin,’ I said.
    Rhonda glanced at me.
    I shrugged. ‘Private joke.’
    ‘I’m the first one?’ Rhonda said softly.
    ‘Yes.’ John leaned forward over the desk and retied his hair. ‘What are you going to do? Will you take him up on it?’
    ‘I don’t know,’ Rhonda whispered.
    ‘I think she should talk to Kwan Yin,’ I said.
    ‘Good idea,’ John said. ‘Wait.’ He stopped and concentrated. His eyes unfocused.
    Kwan Yin appeared behind him. She smiled sadly. She came around the desk to us and held out her hand. ‘Come with me.’
    Rhonda took Kwan Yin’s hand and they disappeared.
    ‘What do you think, Emma?’ John said. ‘You think she’ll do it?’
    ‘I think she will, love,’ I said.
    ‘Did you tell her what you would do in the same situation?’ he said.
    I folded my arms on the desk and dropped my head onto them. ‘I lied.’
    His voice was full of quiet humour. ‘You said you wouldn’t share me.’
    I nodded into my arms.
    I heard a soft sound and looked up. He watched me with amusement. In front of me on the desk was a gold coin.
    I took the coin, rose without saying anything, and went out.
    My viva was in late November. The office of the university was only two blocks away from the Hennessy Road building, which was a convenient stroke of luck for me—until I remembered that there is no such thing as coincidence.
    I took the lift to the second-floor offices. The university was