Red Phoenix

floor.
    ‘Where the hell am I?’ I demanded. ‘Snow White said that differently,’ the stone said dryly.
    ‘Tell me where the hell I am right now or I will take you off my finger and throw you down the nearest toilet.’
    ‘You are safe in my palace in the Western Desert,’ the Tiger said from the doorway. ‘Who are you talking to?’
    ‘My engagement ring.’ I pulled myself around to sit on the edge of the couch. I felt dizzy; it must have been from the travelling. I rubbed my hand over my forehead. ‘It seems to think it’s a BBC newsreader.’
    ‘The weather will be very dry today,’ the stone said in its very best announcer voice.
    ‘Shut the hell up,’ I said. ‘I meant it about the toilet.’
    ‘Typical of the Turtle.’ Bai Hu leaned against the wall and folded his arms over his chest. ‘Never does anything by halves. Not a diamond, oh no. Has to give his Lady a Building Block of the World.’
    I ran to him and threw myself into his arms. He held me gingerly and kissed me on the cheek. His golden face lit up with a huge smile and his tawny eyes sparkled. He wore his usual old-fashioned white cotton pants and jacket trimmed with gold.
    ‘Why am I here, Tiger?’
    ‘No demon can get you here.’ He shrugged. ‘You’re completely safe. He doesn’t have to worry about you.’ His voice changed slightly. ‘Whatever happens.’
    I stepped back and sagged. I fell to sit on the couch, put my head in my hands, then ran my hands through my hair.
    ‘No.’ I glanced up at him. ‘Did he win?’
    ‘If he wins he will tell me. Until then he has requested that he not be disturbed, as he needs to concentrate.’
    ‘I was taking him to Paris next week, Bai Hu. He’s almost completely drained.’
    The Tiger came and sat next to me. ‘It will all be over soon, Emma, one way or another. Have faith in your Lord; he will defeat this bastard, and then you can take him to Paris. Remember…’ He smiled sadly. ‘This is the God of Martial Arts we’re talking about here. He is the best there is, even drained and in human form.’
    ‘What are his chances, do you think?’
    ‘About fifty-fifty, my Lady.’ He put his arm around my shoulder and squeezed me affectionately. ‘Would you like to take a look around the palace while you wait? Louise would love to see you.’
    I hesitated. ‘If you don’t mind, Tiger, I think I’ll stay here and meditate. Alone. I’ll just wait for him. However long it takes.’
    ‘Very well, Emma. If you need anything,’ he pointed at a small brass gong on the intricately carved teak coffee table, ‘sound the gong. A servant will come. I am nearby. Would you like tea?’
    ‘Yes, please. But right now I’d just like to be alone and wait.’
    After he’d gone I settled to sit on one of the rugs to meditate. But for the first time since I’d gained the skill I couldn’t do it. Wonderful. If I couldn’t even do this now, then I’d be completely incapacitated when he left, and I would have duties to perform. Not good enough.
    I rose and performed a Yang-style tai chi set, to set my body in motion and clear my mind at the same time. This was more effective. I had to concentrate on the moves and I couldn’t think about John. I phased out and relaxed.
    I made it. I was freed from the anguish. My mind and body moved in harmony, becoming the moves themselves. I moved the chi around very slowly and deliberately, following it with my eyes as it glowed in my hands, pure shining white.
    I stopped mid-move without losing concentration. My chi was white. It wasn’t chi, it was shen. This was incredibly wrong and very dangerous. I had my soul out there on my hands. I didn’t even know I could do that.
    I maintained the harmony and very slowly completed the set. It didn’t feel wrong; in fact I felt absolutely wonderful, glowing and relaxed. It felt like Ms Kwan was with me, filling me with complete peaceful serenity. I looked around for her, but she wasn’t there. ‘Kwan Yin?’
    ‘No, that was all you,’ the stone said. ‘You are on the Celestial Plane, where it is possible to work with shen. But even here, what you just did is exceptional. Thank you; that was a wonderful feeling. If the Turtle returns for you, you should tell him about it. I cannot wait to see his reaction.’
    ‘I’m on the Celestial Plane?’ I went to the window and looked out. I wished I could enjoy it.
    The window was high up in the wall of the palace. Gardens spread below me. They were desert