White Tiger

by Kylie Chan

  ‘I thought you might like to come for lunch with Jade, Gold and me,’ he said, ‘but looking at you I think I might skip it.’

  ‘Go away, Daddy,’ Simone moaned. She crossed her arms on the table in front of her and rested her head onto them.

  ‘Maybe next time, Mr Chen,’ I said. The headache was getting worse.

  Leo didn’t say anything; he just glowered into his coffee.

  Mr Chen snorted with amusement. ‘I think I’ll leave you three at home next time I go to Paris.’ He threw himself upright and went back down the hall.

  My head shot up as I realised what he’d said. ‘Jade and Gold?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Leo said. ‘That’s Jade and Gold. They’re his lieutenants or something. On the Mountain.’ He nodded towards Monica to indicate that he couldn’t say more.

  ‘Gold’s nice, but Jade doesn’t like me,’ Simone said into her arms.

  ‘That’s not true and you know it, sweetheart,’ Leo said. ‘Jade loves you.’

  ‘Geez,’ I said, ‘I’ve seen them going in and out for months and I didn’t even know they were anything different.’

  ‘Stay away from them,’ Leo said. ‘Particularly Jade.’

  ‘I have been. I’m not completely stupid.’

  Leo looked as if he wanted to snap back something nasty, then dropped it as a waste of effort.

  Mr Chen came down the hall. He had changed into a smart dark business suit with a black shirt and tie. He grinned at us through the kitchen door, but didn’t say anything. Jade and Gold followed him out of the apartment.

  ‘Black shirt again,’ Leo said to his coffee. ‘One day I’m going to pull all of them out of his closet and throw them in the trash.’

  ‘Does he have any other ties besides black?’ I said.

  ‘Of course,’ Leo said. ‘But he won’t wear them.’

  Simone fell asleep on her arms and I had to wake her. She whined, pulled herself into my lap and started to cry into my shoulder. I tried to explain about the time difference but she wouldn’t listen. It was going to be a wonderful day.

  I checked the bedside clock: 3 a.m. It was 7 p.m. London time and I was starving. I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.

  Eventually I gave up and pulled on an old pair of shorts and a T-shirt. I tied my hair roughly out of the way and went out to find something to eat.

  The light in the kitchen was already on. Leo sat at the table wearing shorts and a ratty T-shirt. He had a huge mug of coffee and looked as miserable as I felt. He grimaced as I went in.

  ‘You’re mad drinking coffee this time of night,’ I said.

  ‘Decaf.’

  I nodded and sat across from him. ‘I’ve never had jet lag before.’

  ‘Marvellous feeling, isn’t it?’ ‘I’m starving.’

  ‘Me too,’ he said. ‘And there’s absolutely nothing to eat in this kitchen. Monica only buys one day’s worth of food when she goes to the market. You know how Chinese are about fresh food.’

  ‘Yeah. Any ramen? Instant noodles?’

  Leo grimaced. ‘Nope. Simone ate them all.’

  ‘Any biscuits left in the tin?’

  ‘Biscuits? Oh, cookies. Nope.’ He straightened. ‘Want to share a pizza? The pizza place is still open, we can get one delivered.’

  ‘I want ham and pineapple.’ Simone yawned in the doorway, then climbed into Leo’s lap.

  Simone fell asleep with her head on Leo’s chest. Leo’s head dropped onto the top of Simone’s, and he began to snore lightly. I sipped my tea.

  The intercom buzzed in the hallway and I answered

  it.

  ‘Pizza man,’ the security guard said. ‘Send him up,’ I said, and returned to my tea. The doorbell rang and I opened the door. The teenaged pizza guy was on the other side of the gate with the boxes. I opened the gate and he handed me the pizza and the docket. I checked the docket. ‘Wait here.’

  He grinned and nodded. His pimply face had a sheen of moisture; the pizza uniform had long sleeves and he was obviously suffering from the heat. ‘Toilet?’ he said in very accented English with a goofy grin.

  I gestured down the hallway. ‘Sure. Come on in.’

  I took the boxes into the kitchen and put them on the table, waking Simone and Leo. Simone crawled out of Leo’s lap and sat in another chair.

  I flipped through my wallet, looking for a hundred-dollar bill.

  Simone shrieked. I spun to see her; the pizza guy had come into the kitchen and grabbed her. He hoisted her into his arms and carried her out of the apartment into the lift lobby. He stopped and looked around, searching for the stairwell.

  Leo was slow to react, but once he moved he was like lightning. He charged into the lobby. I followed him.

  The pizza guy pulled a knife from the back of his pants and held it at Simone’s throat. Simone watched us from under his arm, wide-eyed and silent.

  Leo hesitated, his fists clenching.

  I turned to run and get Mr Chen, but I was too slow.

  Mr Chen charged down the hallway so fast he was a black and tan blur. He was bare-chested, in black pyjama pants. He shouldered me into the living room, grabbed the sword from the wall, ripped it from its scabbard, elbowed Leo out of the way so hard he nearly knocked him over, then spun and took the demon’s head off.

  The demon dissolved into black streamers and Simone fell onto the floor.

  Mr Chen dropped his sword, crouched over her and touched her hair. ‘Are you okay, sweetheart? Are you hurt?’

  ‘I’m okay, Daddy,’ she said, then picked herself up and threw her little arms around his neck. ‘I’m not hurt.’ She leaned her forehead on his bare chest and burst into tears.

  He flicked back his long braid, then gracefully rose, still holding Simone. He buried his face in her hair and squeezed his eyes shut. He turned and carried her down the hall, then stopped and turned back to where Leo and I stood frozen.

  ‘Don’t open the boxes. Don’t eat the pizza. Take the boxes downstairs and put them in the trash immediately.’ He dropped his voice and spoke with chilling calmness. ‘I will deal with you two in the morning.’ He went into his room, still carrying Simone.

  Leo silently collected the boxes and carried them to the lift lobby. He pushed the button for the lift, the doors opened, and he went in.

  I sat on the floor, stunned. My brain just wasn’t working at all.

  The lift doors opened and I cringed away. But it was only Leo. He picked up the sword from where it lay on the floor of the entry hall and took it into the kitchen to rinse it off. He dried it on a towel. Then he put it into its scabbard and clipped it onto the wall. He closed the apartment door.

  Then he sat next to me and put his arm around my shoulders. We stayed there on the floor of the living room in silence for a long time.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  I tried to be cheerful the next morning as I played with Simone, but I was losing the battle. She didn’t seem to notice and played happily with her modelling clay.

  She was the one who brought the subject up. ‘I was hungry. And we couldn’t eat the pizza.’

  ‘I know,’ I said. ‘I shouldn’t have let him in.’ ‘You didn’t know he was a demon, Emma, it wasn’t your fault,’ she said. ‘We’d be okay anyway. Leo’s killed lots of demons for me—he’s really good.’ ‘Really? Lots?’

  She nodded and returned to the clay. She made a wobbly pony and waved it around, delighted.

  Leo poked his nose in and gestured for me to follow him. Monica was behind him. She stayed to mind Simone, while Leo led me to the training room.

  The mats were soft under my feet. He gestured for us to kneel on the floor facing the mirrors.

  I knelt, then curled up over my knees. ‘That monster nearly had Simone and it was all my fault.’

  ‘You didn’t know, Emma.’

  ‘I should have,’ I whispered, and then we both stiffened. We heard Mr Chen coming down the corridor towards us.

  He wore a black silk robe with h
is hair in a long braid. He stopped in front of us with his back to the mirrors. His face was like thunder; his dark eyes blazed with fury. He stood silently for a while, then he spoke. His voice was soft and icy. ‘You let a demon in, right through my front door.’

  Neither Leo nor I moved.

  He was chillingly calm. ‘You let a demon leave a trail right into my house. You let a demon take…’ his voice changed slightly ‘…Simone, and nearly let it have her.’

  Leo sagged over his knees.

  ‘You have broken every seal on this house. I built those seals over many years, and they will never be the same again.’

  He was silent for a while, watching us.

  ‘Give me one good reason why I should not dismiss both of you immediately.’

  ‘You can’t fire me because I quit,’ Leo said without looking up. ‘I can’t do this any more. I keep failing you.’

  ‘You resign your station?’

  Leo dropped his head. ‘I resign.’

  Mr Chen took a step forward and stood over Leo. ‘You are aware of your fate if you leave my household.’

  Leo hesitated, then nodded once, sharply, without looking up.

  Mr Chen turned away. ‘I accept your resignation.’ Leo dropped his forehead onto the floor. Mr Chen turned his blazing eyes to me. ‘Miss Donahoe?’

  Leo broke in. ‘She didn’t know, my Lord, don’t blame her.’

  ‘No, I should’ve known better, Leo.’ I looked up at Mr Chen. ‘But you can’t fire Leo—please don’t fire him. He loves her. It was my fault. Don’t send him away.’

  ‘You are not dismissed, Miss Donahoe. You didn’t know. But Leo knew the consequences of inviting a demon into my house.’

  ‘Don’t fire him!’ I cried.

  He turned away. ‘I haven’t fired him, he has resigned.’

  My voice broke and I struggled to control it. ‘Don’t send him away. You know how much he loves Simone. And she loves him. You can’t send him away, it will break her heart.’

  ‘I know.’ Mr Chen took a few steps and stood over Leo. ‘Tell Simone, pack your belongings and leave.’

  Leo’s head shot up. ‘No.’

  ‘You can’t do this,’ I whispered. ‘He’s the best man for the job. Nobody else would be as dedicated as he is.’

  Mr Chen didn’t appear to hear me. ‘Tell Simone. Go.’

  Leo shook his head. ‘Please don’t make me tell her.’

  Mr Chen sighed. ‘If you want to go, then you must be the one to tell her. I won’t.’ His voice softened. ‘Emma’s right. If you were to go, it would break her heart.’

  Leo gazed up at Mr Chen. ‘Will you fire me if I don’t resign?’

  Mr Chen smiled grimly. ‘Of course not. You are the best man for the job.’ He backed away slightly to see both of us. ‘Leo, you are the most talented student I have had in nearly fifty years. Better even than Li. He would have had the edge over you in speed because of his small size, but in all other aspects you are his superior.’

  Leo watched Mr Chen silently for a while, then dropped his head. ‘I withdraw my resignation. This will not happen again.’

  ‘It had better not,’ Mr Chen said. ‘This is done and finished. It will not be mentioned again. Return to your duties.’ He started towards the door.

  ‘Wait!’ I said. Mr Chen stopped.

  I pulled myself to my feet. ‘I didn’t know about letting demons in. I didn’t know how to help defend Simone.’ I spoke more fiercely. ‘You have to tell me what I need to know! Stop keeping me in the dark. Teach me. Teach me about the demons. Teach me martial arts. I want to help!’

  Mr Chen watched me silently for a while, then glanced at Leo.

  Leo rose as well. ‘It’s a good idea, my Lord. Teach her.’

  I walked up to Mr Chen and glared into his face. ‘Teach me!’

  His expression softened slightly. Then his face hardened and he turned away. ‘No.’ He stalked out.

  I rounded on Leo. ‘Why not? Is it because I’m a woman?’

  Leo smiled slightly. ‘Of course not.’ He went out the door and looked down the hallway after Mr Chen. ‘Leave it with me. I’ll talk to him. Be patient—it may take a while.’

  ‘Whatever,’ I said.

  He smiled. ‘You know what you said about being crazy?’

  ‘Yeah, I’m a complete nutcase.’

  ‘You’re not the only one,’ he said, and headed after Mr Chen.

  Life settled into its usual routine, but with some slight differences now we were back from Paris and I was in on the Big Secret. More people came and went, and although some of them appeared to be perfectly normal Chinese, others were remarkable.

  Mr Chen occasionally pulled all-nighters playing mah jong very loudly with a variety of unsavoury characters that Leo assured me were Chinese demigods. Sometimes the games would go for more than two nights straight and Leo would go into Intense Disapproval Mode, sulking and glowering around the house for hours.

  Jade’s dislike for me seemed to intensify, if that were possible. She went from cold to glacial.

  The students who came to learn from Mr Chen were now given permission to talk to me, and their stories were fascinating.

  A pair of teenage Chinese boys arrived shortly after we returned from Paris. I quizzed them during Simone’s violin lesson. Their names were Zhou and Ling.

  ‘Your English is wonderful,’ I said. ‘Where did you learn?’

  Both of them grinned. ‘Nowhere,’ Ling said. ‘Neither of us can speak English.’

  I waved one hand at them. ‘But…but…’

  Their grins didn’t shift. ‘Living in the Dark Lord’s household gives you certain privileges. You can understand any language while you’re here.’

  ‘But I can’t understand much Cantonese out on the street,’ I said.

  ‘Only in the household,’ Zhou said.

  ‘Did he bring you in from China then? Are you both from China?’

  ‘Both of us are from China. I’m from Fujian, Ling is from Shanghai,’ Zhou said.

  ‘What happens with the light? Sometimes there’s a bright light in the training room. Is that him or you?’

  They shared a look. ‘We can’t talk about that, sorry,’ Ling said. ‘Orders.’

  I nodded, understanding. I didn’t want to get them into trouble.

  Both of them stiffened and their eyes glazed over, then they snapped back and their smiles returned.

  ‘Talk to you later,’ Ling said. They dropped their plates into the sink and went out.

  I left Simone in the music room for her piano lesson and wandered down the hall. The door to the training room was open.

  ‘Emma,’ Mr Chen said from inside.

  I went to the door and poked my nose in. He stood in the middle of the room, holding the sword from the entry hall. ‘Come in.’

  I went inside.

  ‘I’m not going to close the training room door any more,’ Mr Chen said. ‘I much prefer it open. But don’t come in unless invited—you could be injured.’

  ‘Sure,’ I said. ‘Why is it better open?’

  ‘I can hear what’s going on outside.’

  ‘You know what’s going on anyway,’ I said. ‘You know exactly who’s coming and going.’

  ‘That uses my energy, and I’ve been told by a certain Lady in White that if I do it too much I’ll be in serious trouble.’

  I giggled. ‘I don’t think she’s capable of being cross with anybody.’

  He moved through the first few steps of a graceful sword set and I watched with awe. ‘It’s worse than cross,’ he said. ‘She becomes sad, like a suffering mother. It’s painful to see.’

  ‘I believe it,’ I said.

  He spun and swung the sword through a perfect horizontal arc. The blade sliced through the air with a clearly audible sound. ‘That’s all, Emma, thank you.’

  I hesitated.

  He stopped with the sword above his head. ‘What?’ I shrugged. ‘I just like to watch you.’ He shook hi
s head and looked away. ‘Not from inside. Out.’

  I went out, but remained quietly next to the doorway, watching him. He didn’t seem to notice.

  Leo came up the hall in black track pants and a white T-shirt. ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘Watching,’ I said. ‘Why don’t you wear a black uniform like the students?’

  ‘They don’t have one to fit me and I couldn’t be bothered getting one made,’ Leo said.

  He moved to go inside and I stopped him with my hand on his arm.

  ‘Talk to him about teaching me,’ I whispered.

  He bent to speak in my ear. ‘I have been. I’ll get there. Leave it with me.’

  He patted my arm, then went inside and fell to one knee, saluting Mr Chen.

  Mr Chen moved to the weapons rack and handed Leo a long staff. Leo moved through a graceful set while Mr Chen watched, occasionally correcting him. After five minutes Mr Chen handed Leo a different staff; this one had a long blade on the end, like a very broad sword.

  They worked slowly through a set of moves together a few times; Leo with the staff, Mr Chen with the sword.

  Then they ramped up to full blurring speed. The sound of clashing steel echoed through the apartment.

  Monica charged out of Mr Chen’s room, rushed down the hall and scurried into the kitchen.

  I checked my watch. Time to collect Simone.

  Mr Chen and Leo fell silent while I saw the piano teacher out, then the sound of ringing steel echoed again. I took Simone into the kitchen for a snack.

  Monica was cowering at the kitchen table with her head in her hands.

  Simone patted her shoulder. ‘Don’t worry, Monica, they never get hurt.’

  Monica shook her head without saying anything.

  It was quiet when I took Simone back down the hall. We stopped at the training room door. Mr Chen sat cross-legged, alone, in the middle of the mats. His hands were cupped in his lap and his face was rigid with concentration, his eyes closed.