Black Jade (27 page)

I opened my mouth and closed it again.

He turned back to the assistant. ‘Put them under the counter under the name of Miss Kwok, and I will collect them later.'

‘I understand, sir,' she said, writing a note to attach to the bags. ‘I'll hold them for you.'

‘Miss Black,' the demon said, gesturing for me to go.

I clutched at the opportunity for some normal human interaction, not wanting to leave. ‘Thanks again,' I said to the assistant.

‘See you next term!' she said cheerfully as she placed the bags under the counter.

‘Miss Black. Now.' The guard was a threatening presence behind me as I walked to the door.

When we were through the door, I rounded on him. ‘What's the point of buying all that stuff if you won't let me give it to the kids? There's no need to clear it. You saw for yourself what I bought.'

He put his hand on my shoulder and the world disappeared. We landed in the living room, where the Demon King in his Kitty Kwok form was sitting with the children, who were all crying. Frankie sat in the King's lap with his face buried in her chest. The room reeked of burning plastic, but there was no smoke.

I ran to Little Jade and Richie to hold them but Little Jade pushed me away.

‘Why'd you break everything?' she said.

‘I didn't break anything,' I said, bewildered.

‘Look!' the King said, and pointed the remote control at the television.

A grainy black-and-white image of the living room appeared. It was night. I walked onto the screen, went up to the children's toy box and pulled out the dollhouse I'd been using to teach them about human lives. The image of me on the screen smashed it into pieces.

The children wailed louder.

I watched with horror as the copy of me took everything out of the toy box and destroyed it. She tore all the books apart, shredding them, then smashed every other toy. She broke all the pencils and crushed the crayons under her heel. She couldn't break the Lego, so she took it into the kitchen.

‘Why'd you do that?' Richie cried.

‘That was so mean,' Frankie said.

‘You went into the toy box and broke every single toy they own,' the Demon King said over the top of Frankie's head. ‘Then you melted the Lego on the stove. Why would you do such a thing?'

Frankie's sobs grew louder and she held him closer.

‘I didn't —' I started.

‘You did!' Frankie wailed. ‘We can see you!'

I opened and closed my mouth, lost for words. Eventually I managed to squeak out, ‘Why?'

‘You tell us!' Little Jade shouted, and ran out of the room into the bedroom. Her brother followed her.

BJ . . .

I'll talk to them when they let you touch them. What will you do about Frankie? I can't talk to him, he can't know I'm here.

There's nothing I can do.

‘Frankie, I'm sorry. I've just bought you books and videos,' I said.

He turned to see me. ‘What? What did you buy? Where are they?'

‘She's lying again,' the King said. ‘Look.' She gestured, and the Duke came in holding the shopping bags. ‘Look what I bought you, my darling. All these wonderful things for you.'

Frankie stopped crying and went to the bags to look through my purchases. ‘Ponies!' He held up a picture book of farm animals. ‘So many new things!'

‘Don't you dare damage any of these new gifts,' the King said to me. ‘You can teach the children without being mean to them. You're a monster!'

‘I won't be mean. I'll never be mean. I love them. I love Frankie,' I said.

‘You say that now, but we've all seen the video of you destroying the toys. You can't be trusted,' the King said. She crouched to speak
to Frankie as he went through the books. ‘Is this good enough? Do you need more?'

Frankie looked up at her, and a swift expression of fear swept across his face. ‘No, thank you, Mummy, this is more than I could ever want. I don't need more than this. Can I share them with my friends?'

‘Of course you can, my darling. And I'll make sure that Emma can't break anything again. I'll keep a guard on her room to stop her from doing it. I was silly to trust her. She's a mean person, not sweet and nice at all.'

Frankie glowered at me from under his long fringe. ‘Thanks, Mummy.'

‘A most productive day, I think,' the King said, rising. ‘Well done, Emma, you helped enormously. Next time think about how close you are growing to
my
son.' She bent and hugged Frankie. ‘I'll be back later to have dinner with you.'

‘Really?' he said, gazing up into her eyes with adoration.

She kissed him on the cheek. ‘This time, really, I will. I need to see what toys were broken so I can replace them.'

He kissed her back. ‘Thank you, Mummy. I love you very much.'

‘I love you too, sweetheart,' she said, rose and went out.

I fell to sit in a chair, dumbfounded, trying to work out a way to tell Frankie the truth. The Duke was standing next to the door, enjoying my discomfort. I shook my head and wiped my eyes. There was no way I could tell him when the evidence was right in front of him.

The Duke went out. I sidled to sit next to Frankie and he went rigid beside me.

When I reached for one of the books to read it to him, his little face screwed up. ‘Don't break them!'

I drew my hand back. ‘Okay, Frankie.'

‘Jade and Richie have no more toys to play with and it's all your fault,' he grumbled while he went through the contents of the bag. He raised the coloured pencils and looked at them with wonder. He tried to open the box and failed. I reached to help him and he snatched them away. ‘Don't touch anything!'

‘I'll open the box for you. I won't break them. I promise.'

He eyed me suspiciously.

‘I keep my promises,' I said. I dropped my voice. ‘We have a secret and I've never told anybody.'

He watched me for a long moment.

‘I promise,' I said.

He hesitated again, then handed the box to me. I smiled with relief and opened it. ‘There's drawing paper in there as well. How about we draw some animals?'

‘I want to see what's in the rest of the bags,' he said. He snapped his chin up. ‘Bring my friends in here, I want to show them.'

‘You don't order me around,' I said.

‘Mummy says that when I sit on the throne, everybody will have to do what I tell them. So start now,' he said.

‘Mummy's not teaching you right,' I muttered as I pulled myself to my feet to go and find Jade and Richie.

* * *

Later that evening, I tucked Frankie into bed. He'd started to forgive me, but the King was obviously holding back on replacing all the broken toys to make his point.

When I opened the book of farm animals, he took it from me. ‘I'll look at it myself. You go out.'

‘Are you sure?' I said. ‘I can read it to you.'

‘You'll break it. Go out. I'll read it myself for a little while.'

‘I won't break anything, I promise.'

He shook his head and turned away.

‘All right. I'll come back in five minutes and turn the light off.'

‘Go away and let me read!'

I gave up and went into the living room. The other children were already asleep — I'd saved the pleasure of putting Frankie to bed for last — and the house was quiet. The guard demon was a dark presence outside the front door.

I proceeded to put the toys away and heard a soft voice in Frankie's bedroom. I raised my head and listened; again a soft voice. I sent out my awareness and didn't sense anything. The realisation hit me: I didn't sense anything — not even Frankie. I rushed into his bedroom. He was sitting alone, reading his book.

He glanced up at me. ‘Let me read some more.'

I concentrated, sending my senses out, and everything seemed normal. He glowed like a small dark star in front of me.

‘Are you all right?' I asked him.

‘Go away, Emma,' he said, turning back to the book.

‘Was someone in here?' I dropped my voice. ‘Was the Lady here?'

‘Don't be silly,' he said loudly. ‘Nobody can come in.' He wiggled on the bed so he was turned away from me. ‘Leave me alone.' He turned back and glared at me. ‘And Mummy's watching you. If you break anything else you'll be in big trouble.' He waved the book at me. ‘Go. Away!'

‘Five more minutes until I turn your light out,' I said.

He didn't reply, making a show of studying the book, and I went out, defeated.

* * *

It was 11 pm before the kitchen was clean enough to satisfy the King's exacting standards. I curled up in my thin blanket on the kitchen floor and propped myself against the cupboards.

Okay, BJ,
I said.

Only you can see this,
she said.

The projection was like a small television screen in front of me. My mother was on the screen, but she wasn't in Persimmon Tree any more; the family had been moved to the Mountain's student barracks. The barracks were full of people — there were mattresses on the floor between the beds and in the aisles as well. The place held four times the number of people it had been designed for.

‘Okay, go,' Gold said. He was taking the recording.

‘The King brought Mandy and Jen back, love,' my mother said softly. ‘Jen's not talking to anyone, and there are no Immortal staff here to help her out. Andrew's looking after her, but he's as wrecked as she is. She's lost her husband and two of her sons. She's destroyed.'

I told her that Matthew's okay,
BJ said.

My mother continued. ‘Mandy's okay, I suppose. Mark isn't doing well — the whole demon thing is pushing him into flashbacks
again.' She smiled sadly. ‘We thought he'd finally recovered from it and it's all come out again. He can't sleep, and when he does he wakes up screaming, worse since David was taken.'

David was taken?
I asked BJ.

‘Your father and David were taken away, along with all able-bodied men and strong women,' my mother said. ‘Gold tells us that they haven't been hurt, they're just working on a project for the Demon . . .' She looked around. ‘For the Celestial Regent.'

The Western Palace is being rebuilt,
BJ said.

Jade's daughter, Jackie, came to my mother. She sat next to her on the bed and took her hand.

‘Lady Emma, I haven't heard from my mother. They took her . . .' She choked, then recovered. ‘They took her with the other Immortals. Lord Gold tells us that you're . . . you're in Hell. Have you seen my mother? You're there too. If you see her . . .' She turned away and wiped her eyes, then turned back to Gold. ‘Please tell her I love her, and I really miss her. I'm . . .' She lost her voice again. ‘I'm all alone.'

‘I'm here for you, love,' my mother said, and Jackie leaned her head on my mother's shoulder. My mother put her arm around her and squeezed her tight.

‘Guards are coming,' Gold said. ‘I have to go.'

‘Tell Emma that we love her, and that we're counting on her to free all of us,' my mother said. She spoke more quickly. ‘And find Simone!'

The little television screen disappeared.

So my father and David are being used as slave labour. My mother's looking after my sisters, who have broken down with good reason. Mark's broken as well, and Andrew's having night terrors,
I said.

None of this is your responsibility,
BJ said.

My family is destroyed, in pieces all over the Planes.
I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around them.
I failed them all.

Not your fault —

They are my family and my Retainers. All have suffered because I have failed.
I buried my head in my knees.
I will find a way to make this right.

I'm here with you,
BJ said.

I nodded into my knees.
Thanks, BJ. And thank your father.
I heaved a deep sigh.
Where the hell is Simone?

BJ didn't reply.

Frankie stood against the door frame in the kitchen, his chin up. I marked the frame level with the top of his head, and he turned to see it. ‘I'm taller than Richie!'

‘You grow so fast,' I said, studying the marks. ‘You've grown ten centimetres in two months.'

‘I grow faster than Jade and Richie,' Frankie said. ‘Mummy said it's because I'm better than them.'

Nobody is better than anybody else
, I said.
Being better comes from treating other people better — that's what's important.

He shook his head. ‘Talk to me out loud or Daddy will be angry.'

‘Okay.'

There was a squeal from the living room: Little Jade again. I stormed in and grabbed Edu by the scruff of her neck to pull her off the smaller girl.

‘Let me go!' Edu shouted, kicking me.

I held her tight and glared into her face. ‘We talked about you hitting people.'

She swung her little fist and punched me on the face, a stinging blow.

I shook her in reply. ‘Into your room for time out. Now!'

‘You can't make me!' she yelled. ‘I'll be
Empress
one day and then I'll skin you alive!'

I lifted her, took her to the bedroom she shared with the human children, pushed her inside and closed the door on her. She knew better than to come straight back out, but she kicked the door furiously, screaming and cursing me on the other side.

She suddenly went silent.

‘Mummy's here,' Frankie said.

The children scattered, hiding in the kitchen and bedrooms. Frankie stood in the middle of the living room to wait for the King. I held his shoulder and stood next to him.

The King opened the door in Kitty Kwok form. ‘Hello, Frankie darling.'

‘Mummy!' Frankie yelled, and raced to her.

She put her arms out and he threw himself into them, and they had a long embrace.

‘It's time for the rehearsal,' she said. ‘Are you ready?' He appeared confused. ‘What rehearsal?'

She glared at me. ‘You were supposed to be coaching him for the rehearsal.'

‘I don't know anything about any rehearsal,' I said.

Her expression darkened. ‘I told you at least three times that the rehearsal for Frankie's coronation would be today. You're so forgetful. I don't know why I have someone as stupid as you minding these children. I should find someone with half a brain.'

I shook my head. The King had never mentioned any rehearsal to me.

‘I want you to look after me all the time, Mummy!' Frankie shouted.

The King crouched to speak to him. ‘I want to be with you, my darling, but I have other things to do. Now.' She rose. ‘Emma, take Frankie's hand and don't let it go.' She clapped her hands with excitement. ‘You're going to
Heaven
, Frankie, and you'll see your new throne.'

‘Yay!' Frankie shouted with enthusiasm. ‘Come and hold my hand, Emma, I'm going to see my throne!'

The King gazed into my eyes as she put her hand on Frankie's shoulder. ‘Try anything and these three will suffer the consequences.'

‘I understand,' I said. ‘It's worth it for him to be in the sunshine. Can we take the other children as well?'

‘I already told you I can't. Why do you never listen to me?'

I opened my mouth to say, ‘No, you didn't,' but Hell disappeared from around me.

* * *

I put my hand on my thumping forehead and struggled to sit up and look around. I was in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, on the floor against the back wall, facing the rear of the dais. Voices were echoing through the room, booming through my head and making it hurt even more, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

The dais . . . John.

I struggled to my feet, leaning against the wall, and used it as a support as I worked my way to the corner of the room, then along the next wall until I could see what was happening on the dais. There were no chairs in the hall, and I wasn't capable of moving without help, so I just braced my back against the wall and watched. John wasn't on the dais; just the Demon King, Frankie and a small group of demon Dukes. A sound engineer sat with her equipment at the back of the room, and a park bench stood on the dais in place of the Jade Throne.

BJ, where's the Dark Lord?

He was removed a week ago and nobody knows where he is, Aunty Emma.

Before you do the info transfer . . . my family?

Everybody's okay.

I sagged with relief against the wall. The King was keeping his word.

‘Look who's up and around,' the King said to me. ‘Just in time to take Frankie home.' She turned to Frankie. ‘Don't worry if you don't remember what to do; I will help you.' She held her arms out to him. ‘Hop down and we'll take you home to your little friends.'

‘Can we go outside for a while, Mummy?' Frankie said as she helped him down off the bench. ‘I want to see the sky.'

‘Of course, darling,' she said with pleasure. ‘All my lovely children can see the sky now. Everybody adores me.' She took his hand and led him out of the hall.

I leaned against the wall and breathed, trying to regain my energy. Protecting Frankie on the trip to Heaven had wiped me out.

John?

No reply.

Simone?

Again no reply.

Dad says that neither of them have been heard from in a while,
BJ said.
I downloaded some pictures for you while you were unconscious.
She quickly flipped through the photos my family had sent, projecting them inside my head.
Everybody's okay.

My family look awful,
I said.
They're all so thin and pale.

It's taking a while to rebuild the food distribution network, and there are still many people without homes. The King has Dad working twenty-four hours a day on the logistics.

Put me through to your dad? I want to thank him.

Lady Emma,
Gold said.
Welcome back. Are you home for good? We need you here. Morale is very low and the Dark Lord has been taken away.

I'm here for a coronation rehearsal. I think they'll be heading back to Hell soon. BJ just told me what you're doing. Thanks for taking care of everyone.

We're rebuilding, but the corruption is hurting everybody.

Corruption?

Demons have been put in positions of power on the Celestial, and if you want anything done you have to bribe them. They're taking the pick of the resources — food and housing — and the ordinary residents of the Heavens are given what's left over. I'm doing my best but it's difficult. BJ tells me that my kids are okay. They're not too unhappy, are they?

The King hasn't hurt them, they're playmates for Frankie. They're doing well and I'm caring for them. They're missing you and Amy and the sunshine, but when Frankie's crowned they'll move up here and live in the Palace with him and you'll be able to see them.

One good thing to come out of this misery. We'll be able to see more of our kids, and you'll be able to see more of your family.

I hope so.

We're also hoping that when Frankie's crowned Emperor, he can stop them from eating us,
Gold said.

What?
I said, horrified.

People keep disappearing, whole families. They disappear during the night. The Demon King is having senior demons executed, but it hasn't stopped.

Dear Lord, be careful, Gold.

We are.

The King returned, holding Frankie's hand. ‘Emma, over here. Time for us to go home.'

‘When is the coronation?' I said as I staggered to them, the room spinning around me. I stopped and took a deep breath, then made it the rest of the way.

‘Hurry up! You are so slow,' she said. ‘I already told you: it's in a week. We're consulting a fung shui master to find a dynasty name for him. I think we may call him the Serpent Emperor. What do you think?'

I put my hand on Frankie's shoulder. ‘Serpents are wise healers. That's perfect.'

I came around on the couch in the living room of the little house.

‘About time,' the King said from a chair across the room.

The children were playing with their new Lego on the floor. As usual, Edu had created her own hoard of it in front of her.

The King came and bent over me with menace. ‘The coronation is in one week. Do you hear me?
Seven days.
'

‘I hear you,' I said.

‘It's traditional for the new Emperor to give a speech outlining his policies for the realm. You write it, I don't have time. Write the usual bull—' She looked back at the children. ‘— the usual stuff to keep everybody happy. About five minutes' worth. Frankie can parrot it when he's enthroned.'

‘What do you want me to write? What are your plans for the realm?'

‘Wealth and prosperity,' she said expansively. ‘For the right people, of course. My people. Everybody else can go to Hell.
And in many cases, that's exactly what will happen. So focus on economic growth, everyone having more money, employment for all, that sort of nonsense. Whatever politicians on the Earthly say when they're elected. Understand?'

I nodded.

‘Once Frankie's on the throne and settled, we won't need you any more. I'll reward you for your good service by letting you choose where you go. You can go to the Peach Garden as Dowager Mother, or you can become a Buddhist nun. You don't have to make the decision now. Let me know what you want after Frankie's reign is established.'

‘What's in the Peach Garden?' I said, aware that the Jade Empress spent most of her time there.

‘Peach trees,' the King snapped. ‘I don't know. Something to do with time. Sounds boring.' She straightened and turned to speak to Frankie. ‘I'm going now, my darling. Give me another hug.'

Frankie ran to her with his arms out.

She embraced him warmly, tousled his hair, and kissed the top of his head. ‘I love you.'

‘I love you too, Mummy. I hope I get it right on Wednesday.'

‘You will. You'll love your new house, and I can be close to you all the time.'

He held her closer. ‘Thank you, Mummy.'

‘I'm so glad one of you knows when to be grateful,' she said. ‘Now let me go, I have things I need to do.'

He released her and stepped back. ‘Goodbye, Mummy. I love you.'

She touched the side of his face. ‘I love you too.'

She went out.

* * *

Two days later the King brought Mr Li to fit us for robes for the coronation. He had a couple of demon staff to assist, and was sombre and businesslike as he measured Frankie.

‘Are the refugees who were in your factory all right?' I whispered as I held my arms out for him to measure.

‘They are now in the Western Heavens,' he replied in the same low tones. ‘They are assisting in the construction of the Demon King's . . . the Celestial Regent's new Summer Palace.'

‘And are you okay, Mr Li?'

He smiled wanly, but didn't reply.

He finished taking notes and returned to the Demon King. ‘Gold silk for the Prince?'

‘Yes. And for me.'

Mr Li stared at the King. ‘Imperial gold is reserved for the Emperor.'

‘We're rewriting the rules. The robe isn't to be Qing style; I want it more flowing and old-fashioned, like on the wuxia movies. Something to make him look glamorous and handsome.'

Mr Li bobbed his head. ‘And Miss Donahoe?'

‘Buddhist nun's robes. Brown. All brown. She must be as plain as possible. When she's done caring for Frankie she'll become a nun.'

I opened my mouth and closed it again. Being a Buddhist nun didn't sound so bad, but I wouldn't take the vows as long as there was any chance of me and John being together.

‘We'll shave her head just before the ceremony,' the King continued. ‘Nobody is to notice her at all.'

He watched me, obviously waiting for my reaction. I shrugged. Wouldn't be the first time I'd been bald, and the only real discomfort would be the stupid itching as my hair grew back. It was mid-summer and my head wouldn't be cold, so really no issue.

‘When can you have the samples?' the King asked Mr Li.

‘Tomorrow, my Lord. I will bring them for the young Emperor to try.'

‘Good,' the King said, and waved him away.

Mr Li smiled consolingly at me, then he and his assistants were teleported out by a couple of large Dukes.

‘How's that speech coming?' the King asked me.

‘Mostly done.'

‘Email me a copy and I'll take a look.'

‘I don't have email,' I said. ‘Give me a computer and I'll be able to send it.'

‘Oh, yeah. Give it to your guard to pass to me.' He knelt to speak to Frankie. ‘I have to go now, sweetie, but your mother will be by tomorrow to see your fancy new clothes.'

Frankie nodded. ‘Thank you, Uncle George.'

‘Be good for Emma,' the King said, and went out, followed by his Duke bodyguards.

* * *

Later that evening I was woken by soft voices. I opened my eyes and saw nothing. I opened my inner sight and still saw nothing. The whisper of a woman's voice echoed nearby, but it was difficult to place where it was coming from.

I rose and went into the living room. There were no moon or stars in Hell, just a blank grey sky on the other side of the house windows, so I turned on the light to see. I headed to Frankie's room to see if Kwan Yin was visiting him again.

Something slammed hard against the front door and I jumped back with alarm.

The door flew open and I stepped back again. A demon Prince, at least level ninety, stood in the doorway. He looked like a small fifty-year-old balding man with a wrinkled leathery face. The Duke that guarded the door was gone; the Prince had taken it down.