I thought hard at him.
Nothing, he said, sounding disappointed.
I shrugged. Not surprising. The snakes probably hiding right now.
Ah Yat appeared with the cornflakes and placed the breakfast things on the table in front of my parents.
Thanks, my father said and poured the cereal. How old are you, John?
I have no idea, John said.
You look about forty or forty-five, my mother said.
Yeah, I said. Far too old for me.
Im probably in the region of four to four and a half thousand years old, John said amiably. I have no recollection of being born. I dont know exactly when I gained consciousness. I joined with the Serpent about three and a half thousand years ago.
My parents stared at him, speechless.
About three thousand years ago the human form was Raised and I was promoted to Dark Emperor, John said, almost to himself. Celestial General. That sort of thing.
And you still havent grown up, I said. Tea, Ceylon. Toast with peanut butter, please, Ah Yat.
Ah Yat disappeared again.
Must have run out of peanut butter, I said. Dont know why all the demons like it so much. Remind me later to ask her for a shopping listwe can order in bulk on the internet, have it delivered, and she can stop flitting around like that. People at the supermarket will notice.
She probably changes her form if she has to go twice in a row, John said.
Eat, I said, gesturing towards my parents. Youll get used to it.
Why black? my mother said. You only wear black. Everything. And Tiger the other nighthe called you a Black Turtle. What was that about?
You know the Suzy Wong reference? I said, and she nodded. Well, Black Turtle is Cantonese street slang for pimp. The turtle in general is renowned for its I grinned at John, behaviour, and there are a lot of nasty insults surrounding it. Its not a good idea to say the word anywhere near anybody.
Ah Yat appeared with a jar of peanut butter in her hand. She put it on the table in front of me.
Did you pay for that? I said.
Ah Yat didnt reply; she just turned and busied herself at the sink.
You dishonour us, Ah Yat, I said. Later, you will go back there, pick up one of these, pay for it and put it back on the shelf, and that is an order.
Im a turtle egg, John said.
Ah Yat silently collapsed over the sink.
See? I said. He just called himself a motherless bastard.
Well, I am, John said mildly. I have no idea as to my origins or heritage. I just am.
Ah Yat disappeared.
Damn. I wish youd stop doing that, I said. Itll take ages for her to pull herself together and come back. I turned to my parents. What would you like to do today? Would you like to see the Academy? Some kung fu? The students would love to show you.
Anything you like will be fine with us, Emma, my mother said weakly.
Anything you like will be fine with us, Emma, my mother said weakly.
Sunday, Emma, John said.
Oh yeah, I forgot, I said. Ill find Simone and let Leo go. He should have said something.
Go, John said.
Leo and Simone were working with the sword together. Simone was using my weapon.
Can you make it sing, Simone? I said.
Watch this. Simone put the sword out in front of her and stilled. The sword made a pure resounding note of indescribable beauty. Simone ran it through a gentle scale, each note making the air vibrate in harmony. The sound stopped and she relaxed.
Leo and I stared at her with awe.
That was wonderful, I said. How come it sounds so splendid for you?
I used shen, Simone said, not chi.
Does Mr Chen know you can do that? Leo said.
Simone smiled and shook her head.
We need to let Leo have his day off, Simone, I said. Im still having breakfast with my mum and dad. Want to sit with us?
Sure, Simone said. I forgot, Leo, sorry. You go.
Leo saluted us both and went out without saying a word.
Can you do shen work apart from that, Simone? I said as we went down the hall together.
No. Just that. I did it by accident the first time. It sounds really pretty.
We went into the kitchen together.
Hello, Mrs Donahoe, Mr Donahoe, Simone said.
Hello, dear, my mother said. Are you okay after last night? You werent too scared?
John grabbed his teapot and cup, nodded to my parents, and rose.
Wait! I said quickly, and he stopped in the doorway. Did you know that Simone can make the sword sing with shen?
John glanced sharply at Simone, then returned to the table and put down the pot and cup. He pulled Simone to sit in his lap.
You put shen into Emmas sword? he said.
It sounds really pretty when you use shen, Daddy, Simone said. Much nicer than when you use chi.
Dont try to use ching, youre too little, John said sternly.
Dont be silly, Daddy, Simone said. Of course not.
My parents silently watched the exchange, bewildered.
Good, he said gently. Can you hold out your hands for me and put some shen into them?
Is that okay to do?
It should be all right while Im holding you.
Simone held her hands out and concentrated. A ball of pure silvery-white shen energy appeared above her outstretched palms.
My mother gasped quietly.
How much do you have, do you think? he said.
I dont know. Theres still a lot inside me.
Put it back, sweetheart.
The shen disappeared.
Is she already Immortal, John? I said. You said only Immortals can work with shen.
John put his hand on Simones forehead and concentrated. No.
Well then, why can she do that?
He smiled gently. Because she is who she is. Same as you. He rested his chin on the top of her head. Dont do that too much, sweetheart, it can be dangerous. Dont do it unless Im watching you.
Okay, Daddy, Simone said. Wheres Ah Yat? Im hungry.
Youre always hungry when youre working with energy, I said.
Ah Yat appeared. Yes, my Princess?
Can I have some ramen, please, Ah Yat?
Ah Yat bowed slightly. My Lady.
I have work to do. Ill leave you to it, John said. When you want to go out, call me. Ill take you. There may be strays. He nodded to my parents. Brendan, Barbara. He rose and gently slid Simone onto the chair. Dont do shen work unless Im with you.
What about the sword?
That too.
Okay, Daddy. Simone hopped off the chair and went to the fridge to find some apple juice.
Emma, I need to talk to you, John said silently. Come with me into my office.
Ill be right back, I said to my parents. I glanced at my tea. Ill never finish this.
Bring it with you.
Good idea.
My parents stared at me as if I was completely crazy.
I am completely crazy, I said. Id have to be to put up with this.
Too true.
Enough! I picked up my teacup and went out with John. Simone watched us go, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Daddy just likes annoying you sometimes, she said silently.
I will make a rule about this if you two dont stop it, I said fiercely.
Whats going on? my father said.
You explain to them, Simone, I said. Since youre so clever.
I stopped at the doorway and watched. Simone concentrated on my parents over the top of her apple juice. They both jumped as if stung.
John sat behind his desk and I took one of the visitors chairs. The desk was in an even worse mess than usual, probably a result of the end-of-year budgeting and the recruitment of the new novices.
I wish I had time to go through this room properly, I said. When my parents have left, Ill spend a whole day in here sorting this lot out. Even the Sanskrit.
Go right ahead. He leaned forward over the desk. What Simone just did is exceptional.
I thought so, I said. Shes not even on the Celestial Plane.
Only the very few of the very largest of us can do that. He leaned back and retied his hair. And shes not even Immortal yet.
You mean she may end up more powerful than you? I find that difficult to believe.
I dont think so. But she will certainly outshine many on the Plane. Emma, listen carefully.
Im listening.
Stone.
My Lord, the stone in my ring said.
Record this.
Very good, my Lord.
Emma, Im just having the stone record this so that you dont need to remember all of it. You and the stone can pass the instructions on to the Masters. Here goes. He leaned his elbows on the desk. After Im gone, I want Simone to learn travel, advanced energy weapons, summoning, and yin.
Yin? the stone said.
Record. Do not comment, John said. I want her to learn level three binding. Up to level ninety taming. Shen; all aspects of shen work. If I have not returned by the time she is twenty years old, then ching as well. I want her to have Dark Heavens immediately both myself and Leo are gone. And when she is fourteen years old, Gold is to bring down Seven Stars for her.
When shes only fourteen? I said softly.
Yes. Unfortunately, nobody else besides me knows how to make it shine, so Ill tell you now, just in case.
Ive never seen it shine, I said.
I wish you could, John said, looking me straight in the eye. Right now I cant do it; I need to be near full strength and in Celestial Form. It is a sight to see. Hopefully you can pass the information on to Simone, and she will be able to make the sword resonate. He glanced at the stone. Record this carefully.
I really am most profoundly honoured, my Lord, the stone said softly. Are you sure you want to tell me this?
I really am most profoundly honoured, my Lord, the stone said softly. Are you sure you want to tell me this?
I think when Simone is about fourteen she will take some sort of Celestial Form, John said. Based on what she did this morning, it is quite possible. He dropped his head and grimaced. I wont see it.
What about a True Form? I said.
He smiled and shrugged. No idea. I like to think she will be a Serpent, as you are. He obviously had a sudden thought. Stop recording, stone.
My Lord, the stone said.
Emma, he said, studying me intensely, you never named your own sword. Why not?
I just felt it was too pretentious.
Its easier to refer to the weapon by name, you know. Immortals can call weapons to them when the weapons have names.
I sighed. I know. I just didnt feel right about it. Its just my weapon, nothing special. Same as me, nothing special.
He made a soft sound of amusement but didnt rise to it. Did it occur to you that the blade may already have a name?
No, not at all, I said. I never really thought about it too much, it was just my weapon. But I think I should give it to Simone now. It sings much more sweetly for her.