White Tiger

the wall, with shards of broken glass set in it.
    Mr Chen raised his hand and the black steel gates in front of us swung smoothly open.
    ‘You can get young again now, Daddy,’ Simone said.
    ‘Can’t,’ he said. ‘I’d break these clothes and I need them to go back in.’
    She giggled.
    ‘You know other kids’ dads can’t do that, Simone,’ I said. ‘When you go to school you can’t talk about it.’
    ‘I know that, silly Emma.’ Simone gazed up at her father with adoration. ‘My daddy’s really special .’
    ‘So are you,’ he said.
    We drove for about three hundred metres along the driveway then crested the hill. A huge white concrete mansion with a green tiled roof nestled into the hillside on the other side. The view from the top of the hill was spectacular, overlooking the fish ponds and rice paddies below. The haze of pollution from Shenzhen economic zone, where many goods for the West were manufactured, made the horizon a blur.
    ‘We’re lucky we’re so high here—we’re out of the pollution,’ I said. ‘I should be able to generate twice as much chi.’
    ‘That’s why I brought you,’ Mr Chen said.
    Leo stopped the car in front of the house. Two gardeners who had been trimming a hedge dropped their tools and rushed inside.
    A tiny round-faced middle-aged Chinese lady wearing the traditional black pants and white jacket of a servant came out the front door.
    Mr Chen leapt out of the car and charged into the house without stopping, his long hair flying. The servant smiled indulgently as he passed her. Simonejumped out of the car and ran to the servant. The woman hugged Simone, then walked to the car holding her hand.
    Leo opened the boot. The gardeners and another female servant came out of the house to help him with the bags.
    The servant holding Simone’s hand came to me and said in perfect English, ‘Hello, madam. I am Ah Yat.’
    ‘I’m Emma, and I’m not madam, I’m just the nanny.’
    ‘Yes, Miss Emma.’ Ah Yat smiled down at Simone. ‘Long time no see, my darling.’
    ‘I’m hungry ,’ Simone said.
    ‘Come with me.’ Ah Yat patted my arm. ‘I have tea.’
    The minute she touched me, I knew. Ah Yat was a demon. I took Simone’s arm and pulled her away.
    ‘Emma, stop!’ Simone shouted. ‘Don’t do anything! It’s okay!’
    Leo grabbed me from behind and held me before I could attack Ah Yat.
    ‘What the hell are you doing, Leo? It’s a demon !’ I shouted.
    Ah Yat stood silently and watched us with amusement.
    ‘Emma, calm down, it won’t hurt anybody,’ Leo said into my ear. ‘It’s a tame one.’
    I stopped struggling. Leo released me.
    Simone put her little hands on her hips and scowled. ‘Don’t you dare hurt Ah Yat! She’s a good demon.’
    I rounded on Leo and stuck my finger into his chest. ‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me? I could have destroyed her!’ I dropped my voice to speak with more menace and continued to poke him in the chest, making him take a step back. ‘The next time there is something I should know that is important enough to save my life, you had better tell me, Mr Alexander.’
    Leo opened his mouth to protest and then realised I was talking about more than just Ah Yat. He rubbed the back of his neck, sheepish.
    ‘Watch my chi,’ I said softly. ‘It will be out to get you next time.’
    I turned back to Ah Yat. ‘So sorry, Ah Yat, but these stupid people didn’t think it would be necessary to tell me about you.’
    ‘Not a problem, Miss Emma. You have done very well to spot me. Master Leo didn’t pick me at all when he first met me. Would you like some tea?’
    ‘Absolutely,’ I said, and followed her into the house.
    Ah Yat sat us in the kitchen and presented us with a pot of Chinese tea.
    ‘How long have you worked for Lord Xuan Wu?’ I said.
    ‘About…’ She stopped and her face went strange. Then she snapped back. ‘Sorry, Miss Emma. I am the head demon here. I tell the others what to do. I have been in the Dark Lord’s service for nearly six hundred years.’ She put a saucepan on the stove to make some instant ramen for Simone. ‘I am close to attaining perfection and gaining humanity.’
    ‘I don’t want you to go, Ah Yat,’ Simone said.
    ‘Don’t you want me to be human and live a real life?’
    Simone screwed up her little face with deliberation. ‘Yes, but I want you to stay here and look after us too.’
    ‘The Dark Lord will not release me until he is sure that I am no longer