Red Phoenix

imagined myself holding my hands out. I hadn’t even known ordinary humans couldn’t do it.
    He hunted through me. ‘Same as before, nothingspecial, ordinary human.’ He hesitated for a moment, then said, ‘Stone.’ ‘Yes, Turtle?’
    ‘I looked inside her before, she is an ordinary human being. Something dark emerged when the Demon King saw inside her; it was enough to push him out. It must have been something very powerful, but when I look now, I see nothing. But she just worked with shen, which ordinary humans can’t do. Why is this?’
    ‘To tell you the truth,’ the stone said in its best BBC voice, ‘I have no idea either. All I know is that you have chosen a most unusual female—’
    ‘Female!’ I squawked again.
    ‘—and that she has talents that will only grow with time. There is a great deal of hidden power in this one. Immense destructive capability. It is a shame you will not be around to guide her to full realisation of her potential. When you return, you will be astounded.’
    ‘Destructive capability?’ I said.
    ‘Immense. When you realise your potential, I think you will be the most destructive thing the Dark Lord has ever seen, and he is the power of yin himself.’
    ‘Is she dangerous?’ John said quietly.
    The stone hesitated. I heard it hesitate.
    ‘Answer the question, stone. Am I dangerous?’
    The stone didn’t reply.
    ‘Tell me right now,’ I said. ‘I don’t want to be a danger to Xuan Wu, Simone, or any member of the family.’ The stone still didn’t reply.
    I took John’s hands from my face and put them on my throat. ‘Kill me now, John, please.’ I looked straight into his horrified eyes. ‘Kill me!’
    ‘No!’ the stone shouted. ‘There is absolutely no need for this.’
    We sagged against each other.
    ‘Am. I. Dangerous,’ I said very slowly and clearly.
    ‘Yes, you are,’ the stone said.
    We snapped our heads up and gazed into each other’s eyes.
    ‘But not to your family, Emma. I should have made myself clearer,’ the stone said.
    John visibly relaxed. I put my hands on his shoulders. He brushed his hands over my back. We touched foreheads and sat motionless.
    ‘What the hell are you talking about, stone?’ I said, quietly exasperated. ‘You make absolutely no sense whatsoever.’
    ‘Let me elaborate,’ the stone said. ‘You are very unusual. Very talented. Right now you are an ordinary human being. That will change as time passes—’
    ‘Of course it will. I will Raise her when I return,’ John said.
    ‘Don’t interrupt me!’ the stone snapped. ‘You may not need to. She is a long way there herself already. Look what she just did. She is extraordinary.’
    ‘That’s what Ms Kwan is always saying,’ I said.
    ‘ I will stop talking if you keep interrupting me ,’ the stone said. ‘Lady Emma Donahoe, I don’t know quite what you are or where you’re going, but I would like to come along for the ride. Lord Xuan Wu, Dark Lord, listen to me.’
    ‘I’m listening,’ John said.
    ‘Teach her as if she is Immortal. See how far you go. Don’t push her too hard, you could kill her. Until you leave her. When you return, you will be astonished.’
    John raised his head to gaze into my eyes. ‘I’m looking forward to it.’
    ‘And now I think I will stay quiet and watch. Except when you’re doing your animal thing, because then I’ll be asleep. Understood?’
    ‘I love you, Xuan Wu, and I wish I knew what the stone was talking about here.’
    ‘I love you too, Emma, and so do I.’
    ‘Animals!’ the stone snapped, and went quiet.
    ‘I think you should talk to somebody about this death wish that you seem to have,’ he said.
    ‘Excuse me, doctor, could you help me, please? When my fiancé, who is a turtle that I can’t touch because it would kill me, went to fight this demon, I offered to fall on my sword rather than into the demon’s hands. And then later, when my engagement ring said that I might be dangerous to my family, I asked the turtle—who, by the way, is missing his snake half—to kill me. Oh, and all of this happened at the house of our best friend, who is a tiger.’
    ‘I see your point.’
    ‘Maybe an animal psychologist would be more help.’
    ‘I think the Tiger has one or two here in the palace,’ he said, perfectly serious. ‘Would you like me to make an appointment for you?’
    I giggled and pushed him over. He grinned and pulled me on top.
    ‘Not again already.’
    ‘Emma, I thought you did