Kylie Chan - Red Phoenix

‘So?’ John said, glancing at Leo in the rear-view mirror.

I turned to see Leo. He lifted his arms in front of his chest, then dropped them, still crossed, in front of him.

‘Some of my best friends are snakes,’ John said mildly.

Leo stared out the window and didn’t say anything.

‘When we return I will accept your resignation,’ John said. ‘Feel free to pack your belongings and leave.’ Simone shrieked with horror. I went rigid with shock. ‘No!’

Leo stiffened and dropped his arms. He put his huge hands on his knees and leaned forward. His voice was ferocious. ‘No way ! I am not leaving you! You try to fire me, I’ll camp out at the front door until you take me back in. I am your Retainer and I have vowed to serve you and Simone…’ He hesitated, then plunged on. ‘Until the day I die and there is nothing you can do about it !’

‘Please don’t fire Leo, Daddy,’ Simone said, her voice small. ‘I love him.’

‘Who have you vowed to serve, Leo?’ John said. ‘If you cannot keep your word, you are not worthy to be a Retainer.’

Leo leaned back, his hands still on his knees. He stared out the window.

‘Please don’t do this to him, John,’ I said quietly. Leo studied me, his face expressionless. ‘I understand exactly how you feel, Leo, I’d feel the same way if I were you. I’m horrified myself. I do know I’d never hurt any of you, regardless of what I am. But I understand.’ I knew what I had to do. ‘When we’re home, I’ll formally release you. You can continue to serve the Dark Lord and Simone. You won’t have to have anything to do with me any more if you don’t want to. You can stay with Simone while I’m near, if it makes you feel better. Believe me,’ I looked him right in the eyes, ‘I understand.’

Leo stared out the window again. I turned back to the front.

‘You are entirely undeserving,’ John growled. ‘You do not trust me.’ He gestured with one hand towards me without looking away from the road. ‘This is my Lady. I know her. She may have hidden depths, but she is still her .’ His voice became ice-cold. ‘I cannot begin to describe my disappointment. You let your prejudice overcome you. Five minutes ago you were overjoyed at the prospect of giving your life for her.’

He glanced in the rear-view mirror. ‘Simone.’

Simone’s voice was very small. ‘Yes, Daddy?’

‘Are you frightened of Emma?’

‘Yes, Daddy,’ Simone whispered.

My heart twisted.

‘Do you think she’ll hurt you?’

Simone hesitated. Then, ‘No, she won’t hurt me,’ she said confidently. ‘She’s Emma. ’

‘Then why are you frightened of her?’

‘Because she’s scary,’ Simone said. ‘Like your Celestial Form. I’m scared of that too.’ Simone turned to Leo. I couldn’t see her, she was directly behind me. ‘Emma won’t hurt us, she loves us.’

I turned to Leo again. His face was still expressionless.

‘Here we are,’ John said. ‘Let’s go up and have a look at the Snake Lady.’

‘Please don’t call me that,’ I said quietly as I stepped out of the car.

Kwan Yin and the Tiger were waiting for us in the living room.

‘I want to check on my parents before we do anything,’ I said.

‘That may not be a good idea,’ John said. ‘You scared them half to death. I think your mother nearly had a heart attack. Gold has her sedated.’

‘I want to make sure they’re okay.’

‘I’ll go with you,’ Ms Kwan said. ‘You may need me.’

‘Thanks.’

I tapped on the door to my room and sidled in with Ms Kwan’s reassuring presence behind me. I tiptoed through my little living room into the bedroom. My mother lay on the bed, staring wide-eyed and unblinking at the ceiling. My father sat beside her, holding her hand. Gold sat on the other side next to the wall. He gave me a brief smile, and I returned it.

My father rose and backed against the window. ‘Get out.’

‘Dad, it’s me. Emma. I’m sorry I scared you.’

‘Get out !’ my father hissed. ‘You’ve done enough damage.’ He looked from me to my mother. ‘I don’t know where the real Emma is, but as soon as Barbara comes around we’re out of here.’ He glared at Gold. ‘I don’t know where my daughter is, but I’ll find her. I’ll have the police onto you people and we’ll find her and get her out of here.’

‘Oh God,’ I moaned. I put my head in my hands, then looked up at my father desperately. ‘I’m Emma.’

‘Get away from us.’

Ms Kwan glided around me and carefully approached my father as if he were a frightened animal. He stayed completely still and glowered at her.

‘Give me your hand,’ she said, holding her hand out.

He glared at her without moving. Then he relented and took her hand. His eyes widened and his face went slack. He stared at Ms Kwan in wonder.

‘Emma,’ Ms Kwan said as if from a great distance, ‘come and hold my other hand.’

I did as she said. Her power moved through me and I felt both her and my father. We were joined.

‘Brendan Donahoe,’ Ms Kwan said gently, ‘this is your daughter, Emma. She is unique. She has loved and shared with a creature that is unlike any creature in existence. It has changed her.’

I could sense my father’s wonder and Ms Kwan’s gentle assurance.

‘She is still your daughter,’ Ms Kwan said. ‘Look.’ She showed him how much I loved him and my mother. She showed him my true feelings for my family. ‘Now. See.’ She showed him my feelings for Xuan Wu and Simone. Then she showed me to him: all the way through.

‘Oh my god,’ my father said softly. I felt his comprehension.

‘Thank you,’ I whispered.

Ms Kwan nodded, smiled sadly, and released us. My father looked at me with awe. ‘Emma.’

I fell into his arms and gave him a huge hug. He squeezed me tight and pressed his face into my hair.

‘We will have to ask this lady to do the same thing for your mum when she comes around,’ my father said. ‘That was incredible.’

‘This lady is Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy,’ I said. ‘She is the most wonderful person I have ever met.’ I turned to thank Ms Kwan but she had already gone.

Come back to the living room, Emma, we want to have a look at you, Ms Kwan said into my ear.

‘Let me know when my mother comes around, Gold,’ I said without releasing my father. ‘I’ll ask Ms Kwan to come back.’

‘My Lady,’ Gold said.

I pulled away from my father. ‘I have to go, Dad, they want to look inside me. None of us has ever seen that snake,’ I winced, ‘thing before, and they want to do some tests on me.’

‘Why were you a snake, Emma?’ he said.

‘I don’t know, Dad. All I know is that I’ll never hurt any of you.’ I ran my hands through my hair. ‘Xuan Wu is part snake. That may be why it’s coming out in me.’

‘ Part snake?’

‘I’ll tell you all about it later. Like Ms Kwan said, he’s unlike anything else in existence.’

My mother’s face was still blank. ‘Let me know when she comes out of it,’ I said, and left.

In the living room, John was giving Leo orders. ‘A bowl of water. A table knife. A cigarette lighter. If we don’t have one in the apartment, then run down to the Seven Eleven and buy one. I’ll need a piece of wood with some leaves still on it—go down the drive and find me a small branch. Must be from a large tree. I’ll also need a rock. Not concrete, a natural rock. About the size of a fist would be good.’ He paused. ‘A ceramic bowl, a large one. And some newspaper. That’s all.’