They both grinned broadly. ‘Yes!’
‘Even if you did want this, even if you were talented enough to be accepted, I can’t do this to your mothers,’ I said. ‘I can’t guarantee any Disciple’s safety, guys. You’d be in danger. We all know the risk, and I can’t do that to them.’
‘What if they gave their permission?’ Mark said eagerly.
‘They won’t do that in a million years,’ I said. ‘Guys, you won’t be safe.’
‘We won’t leave until you let us come here,’ Andrew said.
I rose and leaned on the desk. ‘And I’m saying that we won’t take you. You might as well go now, because it’s not going to happen.’
I went to the door and opened it, then nodded to the Horseman. ‘Take them home, please. We’re done here.’ I turned back to the boys. ‘I’ll see you guys on the weekend.’
The Horseman came in and saluted me. ‘Ma’am.’
‘At least say you’ll think about it!’ Andrew said.
‘I’ll talk to your mothers about it. If they say it’s okay, then I’ll take you,’ I said.
Mark punched the air. ‘Yes!’
The Horseman touched each of the boys and they all disappeared.
I returned to my desk and called my mother.
‘Hello, darling, anything happen?’ she said. ‘You only call me when there’s an emergency.’
‘Mark and Andrew were just in here, wanting to join Wudang,’ I said.
‘Oh, that’s nice. Did you let them?’
‘I can’t let them!’ I said. ‘They wouldn’t be safe.’
‘They’d be safe there with you, wouldn’t they? I mean, that Mountain place is called the Stronghold of Heaven. It’s supposed to be the safest place anywhere.’
‘Not until John is back, Mum. And remember what happened eleven years ago? The Demon King broke in here and burned the place to the ground.’
‘But that was just property damage, wasn’t it? None of his students were killed or anything?’
I sighed with feeling. ‘Three hundred human Disciples died. It was covered up. Not one of Heaven’s greatest triumphs.’
She was silent on the other end of the line.
‘We can’t guarantee anyone’s safety, not even with John here,’ I said. ‘Accidents happen. And I won’t put the boys at risk.’
‘I’ll talk to Amanda and Jen,’ she said. ‘I think you should too.’
‘Don’t worry, I will. I just wanted to check with you first, find out where they are.’
‘Jen’s on a shopping trip down on the Earthly, and Amanda’s at home,’ my mother said. ‘She’s going to be so cross when she finds out Mark went up to visit you! They’re supposed to be living normal lives.’
‘She’s doubly going to kill him then.’
‘I think you’re right.’
Mid-afternoon Yi Hao came into my office with a cup of fresh coffee for me. She put the mug on my desk and stood on the other side of it, fidgeting.
‘What?’ I said.
‘That man is here again.’
‘Show him in!’
She opened the door and stood next to it without speaking.
‘Come on in,’ I called to Er Lang, who was waiting outside.
As soon as Er Lang was in my office, Yi Hao made a snorting sound of disgust, went out and slammed the door behind her.
Er Lang fell to one knee. ‘My Lady First Heavenly General.’
‘My Lord Er Lang. Please rise.’
He remained on one knee, head bowed.
‘Oh no, here we go again,’ I moaned, and took a sip of the coffee. ‘The answer is no. The answer will always be no. Now get the hell up off the floor and you’d better have something worthwhile to bother me about.’
He didn’t get up, he just stayed on one knee. ‘This humble servant respectfully requests of you, most Honoured One, that he be permitted to take his own life and spend a protracted time in the Hell of Trees Full of Swords.’
I made my voice more brisk. ‘Up off the floor now, and get into one of these chairs and talk to me.’
He rose sheepishly and sat, carefully keeping his eyes down in a show of humility.
‘All right, be like that,’ I said. ‘For the last time: no, you can’t go off and kill yourself. I need you to help me out in the Celestial Palace.’
He shook his hands in front of his face. ‘I deserve to suffer.’
I rose and walked around the desk. ‘Stone, are any of the pagodas free?’
‘All of them are free.’
I gestured impatiently to Er Lang. ‘Come with me.’
I went out of the office and told Yi Hao: ‘I’m taking Er Lang up to one of the pagodas for a talk. If anyone needs me, tell them to talk to the stone.’
‘Ma’am,’ Yi Hao said, glaring at Er Lang.
Outside the office, I put my hand out. ‘You’ll have to carry me. I’ll show you the way.’
He lifted me without a word and, as we flew, I guided him to one of the pagodas that sat just below the top of the highest peaks on Wudang Mountain. We landed gently at the edge of the steep drop and sat at the table inside.
‘Tea, my Lady?’ he said, and I nodded. A pot of Sow Mei appeared with a pair of cups.
I turned to view the Wudang complex spread a hundred metres below us. Its black roofs shone in the Celestial sunlight, and the black wall around the entire complex was clearly visible. The central area, with its huge paved court, was a mass of movement: a class was being held there. The halls on either side were visible higher on the mountainside, as well as the glowing Golden Temple above. The rest of the buildings clung in the folds between the peaks. The sound of drums and the shouts of the disciples echoed through the mountain tops.
I turned back to Er Lang. His young-looking face was full of misery.
‘Please allow me to be punished in the Hell of Trees Full of Swords,’ he said.
‘For the last time, no.’
‘Why not?’
‘It wouldn’t achieve anything!’ I snapped, and he jumped.
‘Don’t you want to have your vengeance on me?’
‘No!’ I poured the tea, sloshing it into my cup. ‘Revenge is the most pointless thing ever. I don’t want to see you suffer. What I want is to work alongside you to protect the Celestial Plane.’
‘You are too merciful.’
‘No, I’m not.’ I raised my teacup and waved it at him. ‘You want to go to Hell and suffer horribly because that will make you feel a whole lot better — like you’ve atoned. Well, I won’t let you. You stay here, and you help me out. I don’t want to see you hurt, Er Lang, I just want to work with you. Let’s get past this and move on already!’
‘The Jade Emperor refuses to punish me as well,’ he said, miserable.
‘You know as well as I do that something’s coming. There’s a threat hanging over our heads, and the Dark Lord is still incapacitated. We need to be at full