White Tiger

and Simone fell onto the floor.
    Mr Chen dropped his sword, crouched over her and touched her hair. ‘Are you okay, sweetheart? Are you hurt?’
    ‘I’m okay, Daddy,’ she said, then picked herself up and threw her little arms around his neck. ‘I’m not hurt.’ She leaned her forehead on his bare chest and burst into tears.
    He flicked back his long braid, then gracefully rose, still holding Simone. He buried his face in her hair and squeezed his eyes shut. He turned and carried her down the hall, then stopped and turned back to where Leo and I stood frozen.
    ‘Don’t open the boxes. Don’t eat the pizza. Take the boxes downstairs and put them in the trash immediately.’ He dropped his voice and spoke with chilling calmness. ‘I will deal with you two in the morning.’ He went into his room, still carrying Simone.
    Leo silently collected the boxes and carried them to the lift lobby. He pushed the button for the lift, the doors opened, and he went in.
    I sat on the floor, stunned. My brain just wasn’t working at all.
    The lift doors opened and I cringed away. But it was only Leo. He picked up the sword from where it lay on the floor of the entry hall and took it into the kitchen to rinse it off. He dried it on a towel. Then he put it into its scabbard and clipped it onto the wall. He closed the apartment door.
    Then he sat next to me and put his arm around my shoulders. We stayed there on the floor of the living room in silence for a long time.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    I tried to be cheerful the next morning as I played with Simone, but I was losing the battle. She didn’t seem to notice and played happily with her modelling clay.
    She was the one who brought the subject up. ‘I was hungry. And we couldn’t eat the pizza.’
    ‘I know,’ I said. ‘I shouldn’t have let him in.’ ‘You didn’t know he was a demon, Emma, it wasn’t your fault,’ she said. ‘We’d be okay anyway. Leo’s killed lots of demons for me—he’s really good.’ ‘Really? Lots?’
    She nodded and returned to the clay. She made a wobbly pony and waved it around, delighted.
    Leo poked his nose in and gestured for me to follow him. Monica was behind him. She stayed to mind Simone, while Leo led me to the training room.
    The mats were soft under my feet. He gestured for us to kneel on the floor facing the mirrors.
    I knelt, then curled up over my knees. ‘That monster nearly had Simone and it was all my fault.’
    ‘You didn’t know, Emma.’
    ‘I should have,’ I whispered, and then we both stiffened. We heard Mr Chen coming down the corridor towards us.
    He wore a black silk robe with his hair in a long braid. He stopped in front of us with his back to the mirrors. His face was like thunder; his dark eyes blazed with fury. He stood silently for a while, then he spoke. His voice was soft and icy. ‘You let a demon in, right through my front door.’
    Neither Leo nor I moved.
    He was chillingly calm. ‘You let a demon leave a trail right into my house. You let a demon take…’ his voice changed slightly ‘… Simone, and nearly let it have her.’
    Leo sagged over his knees.
    ‘You have broken every seal on this house. I built those seals over many years, and they will never be the same again.’
    He was silent for a while, watching us.
    ‘Give me one good reason why I should not dismiss both of you immediately.’
    ‘You can’t fire me because I quit,’ Leo said without looking up. ‘I can’t do this any more. I keep failing you.’
    ‘You resign your station?’
    Leo dropped his head. ‘I resign.’
    Mr Chen took a step forward and stood over Leo. ‘You are aware of your fate if you leave my household.’
    Leo hesitated, then nodded once, sharply, without looking up.
    Mr Chen turned away. ‘I accept your resignation.’ Leo dropped his forehead onto the floor. Mr Chen turned his blazing eyes to me. ‘Miss Donahoe?’
    Leo broke in. ‘She didn’t know, my Lord, don’t blame her.’
    ‘No, I should’ve known better, Leo.’ I looked up at Mr Chen. ‘But you can’t fire Leo—please don’t fire him. He loves her. It was my fault. Don’t send him away.’
    ‘You are not dismissed, Miss Donahoe. You didn’t know. But Leo knew the consequences of inviting a demon into my house.’
    ‘Don’t fire him!’ I cried.
    He turned away. ‘I haven’t fired him, he has resigned.’
    My voice broke and I struggled to control it. ‘Don’t send him away. You know how much he loves Simone. And she