White Tiger

at it.
    Simone picked up some vegetables in her chopsticks, then put them down again.
    I sipped my tea.
    Leo threw himself up and went back to the training room without saying a word.
    Simone and I returned to the television room.
    Half an hour later I heard another sound and rushed out. Ms Kwan wasn’t there. I sat on the couch in the television room and put my head in my hands. Leo was still in the training room doing a level one sword kata over and over. I’d had enough.
    I grabbed Simone and took her into his room. I dragged a chair from beside the wall, jammed it next to the bed and sat in it. I pulled Simone into my lap.
    He turned his head to look at me without saying anything.
    ‘You see this?’ I hissed. ‘This is the reason all of us are here.’
    His eyes flicked to Simone and something changed in them.
    ‘Think of what would happen to her if you were to go now.’
    He didn’t say anything. I wanted to slap him.
    I half rose so that I could get closer to him, still holding Simone in my lap. ‘Call her. Get her here now .’
    His eyebrows creased and he turned his face away.
    Simone obviously didn’t understand, but didn’t say anything. I stood and gently lowered her to the floor. ‘And you think we’re stupid!’
    The doorbell rang and Simone shrieked with delight. ‘Aunty Kwan’s here! Aunty Kwan’s here!’ She raced out the door.
    I poked my finger into the air at him. ‘I am not finished with you.’
    He ran his good hand over his forehead and smiled with some of the old sparkle. ‘I sincerely hope not.’
    Ms Kwan appeared in the doorway. ‘Out, Emma.’
    I went to her and took her hands. ‘Thanks for coming.’
    She pushed my hands away. ‘Go. Quickly.’ I went out and closed the door behind me. Leo came out of the training room, the sword still in his hand. ‘Was that her?’ ‘Yep.’
    He fell to lean against the wall and wiped his hand over his face.
    ‘Get some rest,’ I said.
    ‘After I have something to eat,’ he said. ‘Suddenly I’m starving.’
    ‘Me too!’ Simone said.
    ‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘I wonder if Monica’s thrown our lunch away yet.’
    ‘She doesn’t throw food away, Emma, you know that.’
    ‘Let’s go and see.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
    I heard them coming and sat upright on the sofa, groggy. Leo was sprawled across the living room’s other sofa. I checked my watch: 5 a.m. They’d been in there together for more than twelve hours straight.
    Ms Kwan led him into the kitchen, her face like thunder. The plaster was gone and he could walk by himself.
    Leo woke, and we opened the kitchen door to check on them. Mr Chen sat staring at the table, expressionless. She pulled a saucepan out of the cupboard and found some ho fan in the refrigerator. She poured some vegetable stock into the saucepan and put it on the stove. She didn’t look at us. ‘Out.’
    Leo and I shared a look and closed the door.
    Leo rubbed his eyes. ‘Thank God.’
    I grabbed him and held him tight. He buried his face in my hair. We held each other for a while, then separated and returned to our rooms without saying a word.
    About an hour later, Leo and I came out for breakfast. The kitchen was deserted so we sat at the table together and waited. Monica appeared, bustled through thekitchen and made breakfast for us as if nothing had happened.
    Ms Kwan came in and sat at the table with us. Monica made a pot of tea for her and she nodded her thanks. The three of us sat together for a long time without looking at each other.
    Eventually she stirred. ‘Leo and Emma—here is something I should have given you a long time ago.’ She held her hand out, palm up, and a soft glow appeared. It coalesced into a pearl so large it filled her palm. She placed the pearl on the table with a soft metallic click.
    ‘If he should ever be this bad again,’ she said, ‘hold this and call me. I will come.’
    ‘Thanks,’ I said. ‘You don’t know how much we appreciate it.’
    Leo nodded, speechless.
    ‘I will need to stay at least a week, day and night,’ she said. ‘Do you have room for me?’
    ‘You can have my room, I’ll take one of the student rooms,’ I said.
    ‘I don’t want to put you out,’ she said, concerned.
    ‘I would be honoured.’ I hesitated, but I had to know. ‘How bad is the Mountain?’
    ‘We all knew this was coming. It was inevitable. The Demon King led an enormous army of demons to attack the Mountain. The other three Winds and the Elite Guard of the Jade