Red Phoenix

Michael didn’t even notice.
    I sat on the other couch and waited for him to recover and start asking questions. But he just sat for a long time, staring at me without saying anything. I sighed. Two in one day. Maybe I should make a set of signs to hold up. ‘No, it won’t hurt you.’ ‘Yes, this is a strange household.’ ‘A turtle.’
    I suddenly understood: this was why John never told anybody anything. He always asked somebody else to tell people the truth about him. It wasn’t just because it wasn’t fitting, him being who he was. It was because he was bored to death of telling people the same things over and over and having to explain the truth patiently to them.
    I wondered if I could delegate the job to somebody else after he’d gone. Maybe Jade could do it.
    Monica came to collect the tea things. She saw Michael’s face and smiled.
    ‘Thanks, Monica,’ I said. She nodded and took the tray out.
    ‘What did he call me?’ Michael said softly. ‘Three One Five? What’s that?’
    ‘You’re son number three hundred and fifteen.’
    ‘He doesn’t even know his own kids’ names?’
    ‘Frankly, Michael, I don’t think he cares very much.’
    ‘Where were you, my Lady? Leo said not to worry, you were fine. What happened?’
    ‘The Tiger took us to his palace in the Western Desert.’ I paused, remembering that beautiful place. ‘It’s on the Celestial Plane. I finally made it there.’
    Michael’s eyes went wide.
    ‘The Tiger wanted to make sure that I’d be safe, so he took me there, where the demons couldn’t get me. When the demon ran from Mr Chen, the Tiger took Mr Chen there too. He is a complete idiot. Mr Chen obviously takes a lot of carrying and now the Tiger has to stay in True Form and recuperate.’
    ‘And that was it?’ Michael said. ‘True Form.’ ‘Yes, it was.’
    ‘What was the palace like?’
    ‘Wonderful. But we didn’t see that much of it, we were busy.’ Michael didn’t seem to hear me; he was obviously deep in thought. ‘If you ever want to go there, you can. He has an army there, the Western Horsemen. You heard what he said. You can go and join any time you like.’
    ‘I think I’ll stay here and learn from you and Lord Xuan. But I’ll think about it.’
    ‘Give me plenty of notice if you do decide to go. You’re really very good, and I’d have a hard time finding someone good enough to replace you.’
    He lit up with a genuine grin of delight. ‘Thanks, ma’am.’

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
    L eo brought Michael into the dining room and they both saluted John and me, then sat. ‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Before we discuss the revised trip, there’s something I’d like to talk about first.’ I sighed. ‘John, while I was talking to Monica, I assured her that Bai Hu wouldn’t hurt her. That’s true, but I also told her that she was safe. After what happened to Charlie, we know that’s no longer true.’
    John’s face went expressionless. ‘You’re right, they’re not safe any more. None of them. This is the first time in my history I have experienced this. I have encountered a demon that is so without honour that it will attack defenceless Retainers.’ He rubbed his hands over his face. ‘Time to do it. I hoped this day would never come. I will dismiss everybody.’ He looked down at his hands, then up at me. ‘I’ll sell the house in London, it’s too far away. With no staff to manage it, it won’t last until I return. We’ll trim back to bare essentials. I can’t afford to put anybody else at risk. I’ll dismiss all the household staff and you can go to the Western Palace. We’ll leave it as just me and Simone.’
    ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ I said. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
    ‘I want you safe, Emma.’
    ‘We’ve had this discussion before, John. I’m staying with you and Simone, and there’s nothing you can do about it.’
    ‘Me too,’ Leo said. ‘You can’t fire me.’
    ‘What, because you quit?’ I said.
    ‘No, because I just won’t go,’ Leo said. ‘I’ll camp out on the doorstep if I have to.’ He gestured towards Michael. ‘Michael is safer here with us. The minute he walks out the door he’s a target. Doubly so. If he doesn’t stay here he should go to the palace.’
    ‘They’re all targets,’ I said to John. ‘He knows you can’t protect your staff now. I think if you dismiss them he’ll just go around and pick them off one by one.’
    ‘Shit,’ John said, very calm. ‘I must move them all