He smiled down at me. ‘Wishful thinking, I know.’ He glanced behind me and his smile widened. ‘You didn’t tell me you were bringing John!’
He strode past me and I turned to see. It was John, in his Mountain uniform, his expression puzzled.
I quickly moved to stop David. ‘He may have amnesia. Let me talk to him first.’
I went to John and gazed into his eyes, putting one hand on his arm. He looked down at me without recognition. ‘John, it’s me, Emma. Do you know who I am?’
‘What am I doing here?’ he said.
I turned and called quietly to Simone. She was talking to Bridget about the function, oblivious that her father had entered. When she saw him, she rushed over to us. ‘Daddy!’
John still appeared confused. ‘Simone?’
‘Let’s take him over to the side and sort this out,’ Leo said, looking around to ensure we hadn’t attracted too much attention. A couple of people were watching with curiosity but hadn’t approached.
David put his hand on my shoulder and spoke in my ear. ‘Take him downstairs to the lobby level next to the harbour. All the shops there are closed and it’ll be deserted. I’ll cover for you.’
‘Thanks, David.’ I took John’s arm. ‘John, you need to come with us.’
John looked from me, to Simone, to Leo, then Michael, obviously made the decision and nodded.
We took him in the lift down to the small shopping mall under the Convention Centre. Floor-to-ceiling windows on one side looked onto an open area containing a large gilt statue of a bauhinia flower. A row of convenience stores, all closed for the evening, stood across from the glass. We found a bench and I sat next to John, with Simone on his other side. I took his hand. I wanted to give him a huge hug but was wary of scaring him away. Michael and Leo took up positions on either side of us, guarding.
Simone leaned on his shoulder. ‘It’s good to have you back, Daddy.’
‘Simone. Your name is Simone,’ he said. He looked at me, still confused. ‘Michelle?’
‘Oh, God,’ Simone said quietly.
‘No, it’s fine,’ I said. ‘I’m Emma, John.’
‘Emma?’ He looked up at Michael and Leo. ‘Lion? Tiger?’ He looked at me again. ‘Snake?’
‘Welcome to your family,’ I said with amusement. ‘The Turtles are still in the Northern Heavens.’
‘I don’t remember anything,’ he said, running his hand over his forehead. ‘My name is John?’
‘Your name is Xuan Wu,’ Simone said. ‘Emma calls you John.’
‘That’s not a very auspicious name — dark and war together,’ he said.
‘That’s your nature: dark and war.’ She threw her arms over his shoulders. ‘And you’re my father.’
He put his arms around her. ‘That I know. That’s something that will never change.’ He took a deep breath into her shoulder. ‘You’re my little girl.’
‘Daddy,’ she said, muffled by his jacket.
He pulled back. ‘I don’t remember anything! Why do I see them as big cats, and her as a snake? Why do you glow with stars and darkness and blue and gold? How come I can see the past and the future and the world around me clearer than just vision? Why do I want to drown everything in ice-cold water and bring death to all?’ His voice gained a frantic edge. ‘What am I?’
‘You’re a god,’ I said. ‘You’re the God of the North, and dark, and cold, and winter, and martial arts.’
‘If I’m a god then how come I don’t remember?’ he said, challenging me, his hands still protectively on Simone.
‘Do you trust me?’ I said.
‘You can trust her,’ Simone said.
He studied me for a long time, his arms still around Simone. His eyes roamed my face. Then he nodded once, sharply. ‘I can trust you.’
Simone exhaled with relief.
‘Then trust me that you don’t need the details right now of why you can’t remember. It’s a very long story. Just come home with us and we’ll fill you in.’
His eyes unfocused. ‘Something unbalanced is coming.’
‘He’s right, Emma,’ Simone said urgently. ‘Something very nasty is heading our way …’
Kitty Kwok, flanked by two big Chinese bodyguards, came around the corner and stopped in front of us. I rose to face her, standing protectively in front of John and Simone. Leo and Michael moved behind me, mirroring Kitty’s bodyguards behind her.
This is a good time to grab her and give her to the King, Leo said. Get this done and finished.
I nodded slightly. He was right. I summoned the Murasame but nothing happened; the sword didn’t come.
‘What have you done?’ I said.
‘Nothing. I just want to negotiate.’ She raised her hands. ‘I know what the King said. I want to offer you a deal.’
‘Nice to be taken seriously for a change,’ I said.
I didn’t look away from Kitty and heard rather than saw John move to stand behind me on the left. He touched me on the shoulder and said, I’m right behind you, but I don’t know enough. Speak for me.
I nodded.
‘I offer parley under terms of truce,’ Kitty said.
Well, that was the grabbing option blown out of the water. It would be dishonourable to attack her when she’d offered parley and waved a theoretical white flag.
‘Speak your mind,’ I said, using the formal words to close the deal.
She relaxed slightly and turned to pace in front of us. ‘You’ve vowed never to hurt a human, Emma. But you’ve agreed to give me to them. Would you betray your own kind and give a human to the demons?’
‘You forfeited all claim to humanity when you harmed innocent children to prolong your own life,’ I said.
‘I think that makes me particularly human,’ she said with humour. ‘Ask your Mr Chen here, he’ll tell you.’
‘Demons are often stunned by the depths of atrocity that humans are capable of,’ John said without emotion. ‘In the ways of cruelty, they often seek to learn from you.’
‘I’m one hundred per cent human,’ Kitty said. ‘Ask him, he’ll tell you. You can’t do anything to me, Emma. You can’t give me to them — that goes against everything both of you stand for. You keep humans safe from demons; you don’t hand them over for the demons to play with.’
I was silent at that. She was right. I pulled myself together. ‘Name your terms.’
‘You’ve agreed to give me to the King. He’s already paid for me. But if he’s destroyed, you don’t need to pay the price.’
‘The last thing we need right now is a civil war in Hell,’ I said. ‘He may be a two-faced bastard, but at least he doesn’t create demons that are self-aware, think they’re human and are programmed to turn — like the ones your friend the Death Mother is making. Such things are cruel beyond belief.’
‘Not my doing,’ Kitty said. ‘I’m only after Immortality; I don’t want to destroy anybody. I’ve never hurt your students. I’ve stayed quietly in my corner doing my stuff. It’s not my fault that I scare the living shit out of the King.’
‘You’re nice and humble now your little posse’s