White Tiger

turn to what?’
    ‘Now that you’re back, and it’s Chinese New Year, I have to go and visit my family.’
    ‘Is that a problem?’
    He paid the parking ticket at the Shroff Office and led us to the car. ‘You have no idea.’
    He opened the car door for me and I buckled Simone into the back. ‘Oh. Your lifestyle?’
    ‘That’s a delicate way of putting it,’ he said sarcastically.
    I nodded to Simone.
    ‘Oh,’ he said, understanding. He got in behind the steering wheel. ‘They may try to cure me.’
    ‘Cure you? There’s no cure for…’ I stopped.
    ‘He told you.’ He closed the car door.
    ‘I’m sorry if you didn’t want me to know. He just came out with it. He said you’d have about a year once he’s gone.’
    Leo started the car and eased it out of its space. ‘He has the right to tell you anything he wants to about me.’ He shook his head. ‘I did some really stupid things when I was young.’
    ‘But surely your family know there’s no cure, Leo?’
    ‘That’s not what they’re trying to cure. They don’t even know about that. No, every eligible girl in the neighbourhood will probably be waiting for me.’
    ‘Oh,’ I said softly. ‘That’s awful.’
    He stopped the car to put the ticket into the machine, then turned to me and grinned. ‘How about I take a photo of us together and tell them you’re my wife?’
    ‘How about I rip your head off and feed it to the biggest demon in the jar?’ I glared at him. ‘You are a demon that’s kidnapped the real Leo. Where did you put him?’
    ‘Don’t be silly, Emma,’ Simone said patiently. ‘That’s not a demon, that’s my Leo.’
    Leo turned to me as the boom gate opened. ‘It’s good to have you back, Emma.’
    ‘It’s good to be back.’
    The minute we entered the front door Mr Chen raced into the hall from the dining room. He came to me and stopped, then gazed intensely into my eyes. ‘Careful,’ Leo said.
    ‘No need,’ Mr Chen said. ‘Take Simone.’
    ‘Sir.’ Leo led Simone down to her room.
    His eyes didn’t leave my face. ‘Welcome back, Emma. It’s good to see you.’
    More than anything else in the world I wanted to throw myself into his arms and squeeze the life out of him. Instead I took a deep breath and smiled. ‘It’s wonderful to be back.’
    ‘When you’ve unpacked and rested, we need to talk. Let me know when you’re ready.’
    We went into the training room together and he closed the door. His face was rigid with restraint. He went to the long wall and put his hands behind his back without looking up.
    I stood in the middle of the room.
    ‘I have hesitated about taking this step,’ he said.
    I waited.
    ‘I don’t want to do this, but if we are to take the training to the next level, then it must be done.’ ‘What?’
    He looked into my eyes. ‘Here in the training room, we are master and student. But I cannot take you to the next level until the relationship is formalised.’
    ‘Formalised?’
    ‘You must swear allegiance to me, Emma. If you are to learn energy work, you must do it as a Retainer. I wish you could learn it as something more, but it can never be. So you must swear allegiance and formally become a Retainer.’
    ‘Is this something terribly complicated?’ ‘You must go down on your knees, accept me as your Lord, and swear to obey me.’ I relaxed, relieved. ‘That’s easy.’
    He fixed his eyes on mine. ‘No, Emma, I don’t think you understand. You must promise to obey me if I give you an order. Regardless of what I order you to do. Any order.’
    I hesitated. ‘ Any order?’
    ‘Any order. If I order you to lie for me, or steal for me. If I order you to commit murder for me: to kill another human being, not a demon. If I order you to fall on your own sword, to kill your friends, to kill your family. You must obey me without hesitation. Even if I were to order you to bring Simone in here and remove her head.’
    I sagged slightly. This was big.
    His gaze was very intense. ‘Do you understand the full implications of what I am requiring of you, Emma Donahoe?’
    I nodded.
    His voice was gentle and full of pain. ‘Answer the question, Emma.’ ‘I understand, sir.’ He looked away.
    ‘Leo’s already done this, hasn’t he?’ He smiled slightly, then looked back at me. ‘Of course.’
    ‘It doesn’t stop him from telling you off.’
    ‘He may give advice. He may object. But if I tell him it is an order, then he will obey. Always. Immediately and