White Tiger

forgive this small person.’
    ‘You are forgiven. Go to Emma.’ Mr Chen gestured for Bai Hu to follow him.
    ‘I’ll give you a ride later. Promise.’ Bai Hu shot me a wicked grin and winked, then followed Mr Chen into the dining room.
    Simone climbed back into my lap and we returned to the book.
    The doorbell rang again.
    ‘Monica’s not here,’ Simone said.
    Leo came back down the hall, grumbling loudly. He opened the door and the gate.
    A striking Chinese woman with long scarlet hair came in. Her traditional flowing red robe was shot with brilliant colours that shimmered as she moved. She stopped and watched us from the entry hall.
    Simone climbed out of my lap and bowed politely. ‘Madam Zhu Que.’
    ‘Hello, Simone,’ Zhu Que said.
    Leo opened the dining room door and she went in. He closed the front door and went down the hall, still grumbling.
    ‘You have some unusual visitors today,’ I said to Simone.
    ‘Do I? Who?’
    The doorbell rang again and Leo shouted something angrily unintelligible from the training room. He stormed down the hall and threw the front door open.
    It was another man. He towered over Leo; he must have been seven feet tall, slim and elegant as a dancer. His silk robe was brilliant turquoise with a pattern of reptilian scales shot in silver. His long turquoise hair floated behind him. He came in and watched us from the doorway, his long serene face expressionless. He scared me to death; his turquoise eyes were ice-cold and merciless.
    Simone clambered out of my lap and bowed politely. ‘Lord Qing Long.’
    Qing Long went into the dining room without saying a word.
    Leo closed the doors and stomped down the hallway towards the training room.
    ‘That’s all of them now,’ Simone said, and returned to my lap.
    ‘Won’t Leo be in trouble for being rude to them like that?’
    Simone giggled. ‘They’re used to him.’
    I laughed with her and we returned to the book.
    About an hour later Mr Chen shouted for Monica from the dining room. Monica came into the living room carrying the folding mah jong table and proceeded to set it up near us.
    ‘Does he want us out, Monica?’ I said.
    ‘He didn’t say, Emma,’ Monica said.
    ‘It’s nearly your bedtime anyway, Simone,’ I said. ‘Let’s pack up.’
    Mr Chen and his visitors came out of the dining room as we were putting the toys back into the box. Black, white, red and blue. Something clicked inside myhead and I tried to remember what it was, but it escaped me.
    Simone giggled. ‘They’re the same colour as my Lego,’ she whispered.
    I laughed with her. ‘Only yellow’s missing.’ She nodded. ‘Yellow’s the Jade Emperor.’ I stopped and stared at her.
    The four of them chatted amiably as they sat at the table.
    ‘So the Jade Emperor himself came down,’ the red lady, Zhu Que, said.
    ‘You are privileged in having a visit from the Celestial,’ turquoise Qing Long said. ‘He detests the Earthly.’
    They pulled the tiles out and shuffled them on the table, rattling them loudly.
    ‘I was nearly late for my appointment,’ Mr Chen said, and they chuckled as they turned over the tiles.
    ‘The Elite Guard is a rare gift indeed,’ Zhu Que said.
    ‘It’s the least Ah Wu deserves. He provided most of those bastards with their basic training anyway,’ Bai Hu said.
    ‘Mind your mouth. My daughter is in the room,’ Mr Chen said.
    ‘My Lord,’ Bai Hu said, smiling slightly.
    ‘Throw for North,’ Qing Long said.
    ‘No need,’ Bai Hu said with a broad grin. ‘Ah Wu’s always North!’ He banged his hand on the table, threw his head back and roared with laughter at his own joke.
    The other three glared at him, unamused.
    ‘That joke stopped being funny a long time ago,’ Zhu Que said.
    ‘Lighten up, Fong.’ Bai Hu grinned evilly. ‘Or it’s chicken for dinner.’
    Zhu Que shot to her feet, trembling with rage. ‘I should expect as much from one who spends so muchtime with the Barbarians of the West,’ she hissed. ‘Perhaps you should spend time with Lord Xuan here in the South, where we are civilised.’
    She saluted Mr Chen. ‘Xuan Tian. My Red Warriors are yours.’ Her robes spun and expanded. She disappeared.
    Qing Long rose and saluted Mr Chen. ‘Xuan Tian. You have us if you need us.’ He faded, and was gone too.
    Mr Chen glared at Bai Hu. ‘Thank you very much.’
    ‘Hey.’ Bai Hu spread his hands. ‘You got what you wanted. With my Horsemen, the Dragons, the Elite Guard and the