Table of Contents
The Turtle raises its head above the water and watches the glittering coloured lights beneath the blazing stars of the Northern Heavens, wondering why it is there.
The Serpent chokes on the polluted water, drifting to the bottom amid the mud and oil, listening to the many engines moving overhead.
They cry. There is no answer.
CHAPTER 1
I was in my office, trying to ensure a fair allocation of funds from the increased Northern Heavens tax revenue, when the intercom on my desk buzzed.
‘There is someone here for you, ma’am,’ Yi Hao said. ‘She’s very upset and says she needs to see you right now.’
‘Who?’
‘Zara. She says she knows you.’
‘Send her in.’
Yi Hao opened the door and escorted a young Chinese woman in, then left, closing the door behind her. The woman was about twenty-five, with long, snow-white hair and matching brows and lashes, incongruous against her golden skin.
‘Sit, Zara,’ I said, gesturing towards one of the visitors’ chairs. ‘What’s the problem?’
Zara opened her mouth to talk, but didn’t make it very far, instead collapsing into great racking sobs. I went around the desk and put my hands on her shoulders to comfort her, and she leaned into me, still weeping. I pulled a tissue from the box on my desk and handed it to her, and she blew her nose loudly.
The rest of the stones are accusing her of being complicit in Lady Rhonda’s destruction, the stone in my ring said. After what happened to Gold, and the activities of Demon Prince Six, we even suspect our own of treachery. It is a sad situation. The Tiger’s Retainers have been interrogating her, that is why she is distraught.
I sat in the other visitors’ chair and put my arms around her, and she clutched me.
‘Let it out,’ I said. ‘I can wait.’
She continued to yank tissues out of the box, and eventually ran out of steam.
‘My stone told me what you’re going through,’ I said. ‘It must be very tough. You can stay here as long as you like, Zara, we can look after you.’
‘I am a possession of the Emperor of the West, I must return,’ Zara said in a soft Putonghua accent.
‘If you want to stay here, I can ask him to release you. All I have to do is say the word.’
She looked up at me, her eyes red and her face full of hope. ‘If you could shelter me until this blows over, please, I would appreciate it.’
‘Done,’ I said, then to the stone: ‘Tell the Tiger.’
‘Ma’am,’