Bluff, the Dragon said.
You were warned, I said.
The Dragon bowed gracefully to me, making a point of bowing low.
You may state your case, I said to him.
This is extortion, the Dragon said. The leaves are not worth this amount. This criminal is still being held at your pleasure, maam, and he does not deserve to accrue wealth while paying for his crimes.
What does that mean held at her pleasure? Sang Shen said. I resent the implications of this slander!
It means that I have had you incarcerated to pay for your crimes, I said. Its an archaic English term. Hes been doing his homework, probably to try to ingratiate himself with me.
No more than this tree Shen has infiltrated your family and tried to ingratiate himself with your stepdaughter, the Dragon said.
That was unnecessary; he is family, I said. And so are you, East Wind. Let me summarise the case. Sang Shen wishes to charge a premium for his excellent leaves; and Qing Long says he doesnt have the right because hes a prisoner of the Court of the North.
This is true, the Dragon said.
My leaves are truly excellent, Sang Shen said.
Geez, that sounds so wrong, I said. Okay. Record my judgement.
Sang Shen and Qing Long exchanged venomous looks.
You two go and set a value for the leaves together. Sang Shen gets ten per cent of it, held in trust until his sentence is served. The rest is to be converted into Earthly currency and donated to Earthly charities as proceeds of a convicted criminal. No details of this case are to be discussed outside this courtroom.
Hell just inflate the price by ten! the Dragon protested.
Then refuse to pay, I said.
Ten per cent makes the sale of the leaves scarcely worth it, Sang Shen said.
Then refuse to sell, I said.
Both of them glared at me, furious. The Dragon waved one arm in disgust and turned away. This is not a fair result. You have made the product even more expensive. He stormed out without saluting and his attendants stared after him, dumbfounded.
How am I supposed to make a living with you taking the majority of my income? Sang Shen shouted, his brown face livid with rage.
Youre a convicted criminal by your own admission and you should not be earning a fortune while incarcerated, I said. Remember, Sang Shen, this agreement you made with the Dragon is confidential. I am warning you now: if anyone discovers that the Dragon is buying the leaves from you, I will hold you responsible and you will receive none of the income from your leaves.
He made some incoherent, spluttering noises, then stormed out as well.
Yue Guis face glowed with suppressed amusement as she came up to the bench. That was the most fun Ive had in a while. Well done, Emma, you thoroughly pissed off both of them. What a triumph.
Hes your son, Yue.
And its about time he grew up. She saluted me and turned to address the Dragons servants. Why are you still here? Follow your master.
One of the women stepped forward and bowed with her hands clasped in front of her. By your leave, maam, we have a favour to ask of the Dark Lady.
Come forward, I said.
The five of them walked towards me with tiny steps, delicate ladies-in-waiting. The lead attendant stopped next to Yue Gui and the others stood behind her.
My Lady, the lead woman said. My name is Purple Jade. She bowed again, obviously nervous, and looked back at the other women. We have a request for you. We wish to ask you this thing in confidence.
Dont be afraid, I said gently. Just ask.
We would prefer to speak to you alone, she said.
Yue Gui is Councillor of the Northern Heavens and one of my most trusted aides. She will keep this matter confidential. You may speak freely in front of her, I said.
Yue Gui bowed slightly. I thank you, maam, but if this matter is to remain confidential
No, stay. You can advise me if this turns into a Celestial matter, I said.
The Dragon is a harsh master! Purple Jade said, almost an explosion of emotion. She stopped, seemingly surprised at her own outburst. She pulled herself together. We would request that we be allowed to work for you, maam. Please, we wish to be freed from his service and to serve you instead.
The other women nodded, their eyes downcast in deference.
Are you demon servants? I said. I see you as humans, not demons, but if you are tamed demons then youre his possessions and I cant take you.
The woman glanced at Yue Gui. This matter really should be confidential, maam. It is between us, you and the Blue Dragon. We are human, not demon. We are third-generation servants of the Qing Long. Our mothers and grandmothers were servants.
Wait, I said sharply. Are you paid for your services? Youre not forced to work for him?
Purple Jade nodded, still nervous. We are paid, we are free to choose to work for him, maam. He pays extremely well. We would be happy to tell you the details of our arrangement with him, but not in front of the honoured councillor.
Phew, I said. For a moment I thought that asshole had human slaves. Would you like to return to the Earthly and live normal lives?
No! she said, eyes wide at the concept. We live long and illness-free lives here on the Celestial Plane. We do not wish to descend. She bowed lower, trembling. We just request that we be allowed to join your service instead of his. As his sovereign, you are within your rights to requisition us. She leaned in to whisper: You and you alone. Please, maam. We know a place we can go to discuss this in private.
Right, this is getting way too obvious. Summon the Blue Dragon, I said.
The women squeaked with dismay and stepped back. The Blue Dragon stormed into the room, strode up to my bench and quickly saluted. You summoned me, maam?
Check these servants of yours to see if theyre demon copies, please.
The Dragon turned his turquoise eyes on the women and they stopped pretending to be servants and straightened. The lead one raised her arms. Now!
The other four changed from women to fake water elementals, two metres tall and roughly human-shaped. One of them flew up and engulfed me in a sphere of water. I held my breath but knew I wouldnt last long. Then everything went black and suddenly I could breathe again. I tried to move but I was encased in something.
I have you, the stone said. Im strong to water. I think they forgot that Im here.
Can you lift me out of the water elemental?
Im doing as much as I can. These people had better find a way to destroy these elementals quickly, because I cant bring any more air from outside for you.
So thats a no and Im suffocating, I said.
Just relax. Theyre fighting them. Sang Shen came in as well, and hes helping. Yue Gui has called guards. Oh, good, shes lifting us
I felt the vibration as the stone hit the ground, and it split open in front of me. The Dragon had taken True Form and stood beside Sang Shen facing the four water elementals. The woman leading them had gone; probably already destroyed. Yue Gui changed to turtle form and stood on the other side of Sang Shen, who had summoned his spear and held it towards the elementals.
Can you talk? Turn and we will spare you, I said to the fake elementals.
They didnt reply, they just changed form to spheres, obviously planning to engulf us and drown us. One enclosed Sang Shen, who stood rigid inside it, his nut-brown face blank with concentration. The Dragon tried to take a bite out of one, but it oozed around his jaws and reformed over his head. Yue Gui was enclosed by the third, and the last one came for me.
I slithered back out of the way. I couldnt fight these in serpent form, there was nothing to hit.
Sang Shen loaded his spear with shen energy, making the tip glow blazing white, and the elemental exploded into a cloud of steam. The Dragon thrashed his head around, trying to free himself from the globe of water but unable to shake it off. Yue Guis turtle face was serene as she glowed white with shen energy and made her elemental explode. She concentrated and the elemental coming for me exploded as well.
Sang Shen thrust his shen-loaded spear into the sphere engulfing the Dragons head and water splashed everywhere as it disintegrated.
The guards ran into the room, but it was too late: the Shen had taken care of it. We all stood there panting and staring at each other.
The stone folded up and floated back into my crown. I need a nap. Hold my calls, please.
Sang Shen pulled the shen energy out of his spear, held it upright in front of him and pointed an accusing finger at the Dragon. They were yours!
They were demon copies, I said. More and more of them are showing up. Theyre almost undetectable. My stone was probably too worn out from changing form to record them. Your servants are probably dead, Qing Long.
Id like to know when that happened, Qing Long said with menace. Those girls were some of my best.
You walked out and left them here, Sang Shen said.
They can look after themselves, Qing Long said. He changed back to human form. Theres no way of detecting these copies?
My staff have been sharing the information on this for a while, I said. You have to run regular sweeps through your human staff to detect them; theyre not immediately recognisable as demon copies. Didnt you get the information?
The Dragon swiped one hand through the air. Im far too busy to read every memo that crosses my desk. I have staff for that.
Then I suggest you go back, find that memo, read it and check the staff who are supposed to pass that information on to you, I said.
The Dragons expression changed from angry to concerned and he disappeared.
They were trying to get you alone, Yue Gui said. They can only be destroyed with shen energy.
And I cant manipulate energy at all in this form, I said.
Are they everywhere?
No, they show up in groups whenever their masters planning something. First time Ive seen copies that can change to elementals though. Usually theyre copy humans that turn out to be demons.
Something new, Yue Gui said. Always a bad thing.
CHAPTER 7
After the Sang Shen and Blue Dragon hearing I headed out from the main administrative building to one of the smaller buildings skirting the large courtyard. The building was a row of rooms all opening onto the terrace overlooking the courtyard; it reminded me of an Australian motel all it needed was the cars parked out the front. The room at the far north end of the structure, closest to the residential part of the complex, was my office; and instead of bumping up the stairs, I gripped the balustrade and slithered up it.
Firebrand, the other administrator, and Lily were there already, going through the massive piles of documents related to the cases Id heard over the past three days, deciding which needed to go down to the Earthly for future reference and which didnt. There was a pile on the desk at least twenty centimetres tall.
Thats not the papers going down with me, is it? I said.
Lily and Firebrand shared a look, then both pointedly ignored me and continued shuffling through the transcripts.
Simone and Leo appeared at the door, Simone holding the handles of Leos wheelchair.
Ready to go yet? she said.
Its only three oclock, you havent finished school yet, I said. What are you doing back here?
Leo glared up at her. Youre ditching school to take us? You should go right back down there, missy.
Okay, Simone said, and disappeared. She reappeared a moment later. But it looks like youre ready to go and Im the only one who can take you.
I sighed with resignation. Okay, but just this once.
Sure thing, maam, she said. Just this once, until next time.
We landed outside my parents house in the Western Heavens. Simone guided Leos wheelchair to the front door, then pressed the doorbell. We heard footsteps and Simone grinned and yelled, Nanna! Pop! Were here!
My mother opened the door and hugged and kissed Simone, then crouched to kiss Leo on the cheek. Heres our beautiful girls and our handsome man. Weve been waiting for you.
My father came up behind her and Simone hugged and kissed him too. He held his hand out to shake Leos. Leo, mate, good to see you. He squeezed Simone around the waist. Hows my little girl?
Simone jiggled with excitement. I just got a new horse! Hes only a baby and he talks!
A talking horse, eh, my father said, bemused. Come inside and tell us all about it.
My mother reached one hand towards me. Come on, Emma, dont hang back. Youre part of this family too, so come on in.
I took the smallest serpent form I could and followed Leos chair inside.
So youre Immortal now, eh? my father said to Leo as he handed him a large mug of instant coffee. But youre still paraplegic. How does that work? I thought Immortals were like gods or something, all perfect.
Emma can tell you how it works, Leo said. She knows more about it than I do.
They remain in the form they were in at the moment they were Raised, I said. Thats why Johns hairs always coming out he was Raised straight after a big battle and his hair was a mess.
Why Chinese men particularly warriors choose to have long hair is completely beyond me, my father said, shaking his head. Its always coming out must be a damn nuisance.
You can ask John about that when he returns, I said with humour. Hed occasionally lose his temper about it and have something of a rant.
I cant imagine John losing his temper, he was the coolest man Ive ever met, my mother said.
Is, Nanna, Simone corrected her. Hes not a was, hes an is. Hes out there somewhere, and hes going to come back for us.
Sorry, sweetheart, my mother said, and patted her arm. You know what I mean.
Simone gave her a friendly squeeze. Yeah, Nanna, I know.
Everyone sat at the dining table, and I took a larger serpent form and rested my coils on the floor. My mother put a bowl of tea in front of me and I sipped it, enjoying the fine flavour of the Tigers best tea.