Red Phoenix

Michael.’
    ‘I’ve heard about you.’ The bodyguard nodded to Leo. ‘Black Lion.’
    Leo hesitated, unmoving. Then he nodded back.
    ‘What have you heard about me?’ Michael asked stiffly.
    ‘We’d all give our right arms to learn from the Dark Lord.’ The bodyguard grinned broadly, and when he smiled he looked completely different: kind and goodnatured. ‘Name’s Josh.’ He held his hand out to Michael. ‘Pleased to meet you.’
    Michael moved forward and shook his hand. ‘I suppose we’re brothers.’
    ‘That’s right. All in it together.’ Josh nudged Louise. ‘Gotta look after the pride.’
    ‘Cut it out, Josh.’ Louise giggled. ‘Want to come up to the hotel later, Emma? We’re having a fashion show for the Tiger.’ She leaned over to whisper. ‘I’ve spent upwards of twenty thousand US dollars on clothes and shoes alone. Just today.’
    The bodyguard sighed loudly.
    ‘You were never much into fashion before,’ I said.
    ‘Hey, Chanel, YSL, all of it—how can you say no?’ Louise said with a huge grin. ‘I look so great in some of this stuff, you should hear what the Tiger says. It’s just so much fun! Come and see the show. We’ve set up a runway in the ballroom of the hotel.’
    A fashion show. I couldn’t think of anything more boring in the whole wide world.
    Leo rescued me. ‘Lady Emma, I don’t think it will be possible for you to visit this evening. The Golden Boy and the Jade Girl have arranged a meeting with you and the Dark Lord.’
    ‘You are Lady Emma?’ the bodyguard said quickly.
    I nodded.
    He fell to one knee and saluted. ‘Profoundest apologies for not recognising you sooner, my Lady. I am most honoured.’
    ‘What the hell are you doing?’ I hissed. ‘Get the hell up! We’re in the middle of goddamn Paris here!’
    Leo made some amused sounds behind me and I nearly rounded on him, then changed my mind.
    The bodyguard pulled himself to his feet. ‘I have heard of you, my Lady. It is an honour to meet you.’
    ‘Hey,’ Louise said loudly. ‘You don’t do that for me.’
    ‘You’re not the chosen of the Dark Lord,’ the bodyguard said.
    ‘Can I visit you tomorrow, Louise?’ I said. ‘During the day? Leo and Michael can take Simone for me.’
    ‘I’m off to Milan tomorrow,’ Louise said with a huge grin. ‘I’ll come and visit you in Hong Kong later. How about that?’ She shoved me on the arm again. ‘If I’m not pregnant, that is. If I’m pregnant I can’t leave the palace. I want a girl, but the Tiger is really old-fashioned, and he’s close to breaking four hundred with the sons.’
    The bodyguard put his hand to his ear. I hadn’t noticed before, but he wore an earpiece. ‘Time to go,Miss Louise. The others are nearly finished, and we’ll be heading back to the hotel.’ ‘You can’t talk silently?’ I said.
    The bodyguard shrugged. ‘Most of us didn’t inherit anything. No special abilities whatsoever. Perfectly ordinary human beings.’ He held his hand out to Michael, and Michael shook it. ‘Hope to see you again soon, Michael. Pleasure to meet you.’ He quickly saluted me, shaking his hands in front of his face. ‘Lady Emma.’ He bowed to Simone. ‘Princess.’ He nodded to Leo. ‘Lion.’ He put his hand around Louise’s back, guiding her. ‘Let’s go.’
    Louise let him steer her away. She pulled the veil over her face and waved cheerfully. ‘Ta ta, Emma, see you in Hong Kong.’
    ‘Bye, Louise. Come and visit,’ I called, but she was already across the street and didn’t hear me.
    I wandered back up the busy Montmartre street, enjoying the sights and sounds around me. I went past the roundabout with its elaborate sculpture, then along the boulevard towards the house. The plastic shopping bag bounced against my leg.
    After we returned from Place de la Concorde I’d gone down the street to buy a few bits and pieces from a pharmacy. The stone that Gold had given me was in my pocket and worked perfectly; I could understand everything that was said to me and reply in the same language. I had even spoken what was probably an Indian dialect to a couple of exchange students in the pharmacy. Their faces had been priceless.
    A typical Parisian café sat on the corner, dark wood and big windows. A bright canvas awning hung over a large number of small, round, metal-topped tables with old-fashioned wooden chairs facing the pavement. Some people had already set themselvesup with their pre-dinner glass of wine,