Heaven to Wudang. Kylie Chan
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‘Voicemail.’
‘They’ve taken them,’ Simone said.
‘We can’t be sure of that. They may have tried to find another way into Wudang,’ I said. ‘They were determined.’
Jen thumped the table, then rose and paced the terrace. ‘You are non-stop trouble, you know that, Emma Donahoe? You cause nothing but difficulty for this family.’
‘That’s not fair, Jen,’ my mother said.
I raised a hand to stop her. ‘She’s right, Mum. I’ve caused the family nothing but strife since I met John.’
Simone made a small gasping sound of pain and disappeared.
‘Where’d she go?’ my father said.
‘Probably to look for the boys. She’ll feel as responsible as I do.’ I tapped the stone. ‘Wake up.’
‘I’m awake, I’m hooked into the network,’ the stone said. ‘Opal says that Amanda’s son isn’t answering his phone. Hold.’
My father leaned on the table to speak to me, the burning steaks behind him forgotten. ‘Who’s taken them?’
I shook my head.
‘Tell us,’ Jennifer said. ‘Don’t try to keep it a secret from us.’
‘There’s a chance the Death Mother may have abducted them,’ I said. ‘She knows we’re after her and she wants to stop us before we get there. She tried to assassinate us last night; Michael and a couple of our human friends were shot.’
My father thumped the table. ‘Someone tried to kill you and you didn’t bother to tell us?’
‘There’s always someone trying to kill me.’
My mother put her hand over her mouth and turned away.
‘Where’s John?’ my father said. ‘Can’t he protect you?’
‘He’s a turtle in the heart of Wudang Mountain, and no,’ I said. ‘He may come to defend me if my life’s in danger, but then again he may not.’
Simone reappeared. ‘I have no idea where they are.’
‘Opal’s looking, also has no idea,’ the stone said. ‘They seem to have just disappeared.’
‘What about the Horseman who was looking after them?’ I said. ‘Ask the Tiger.’
The Tiger knocked on the door and came in without being invited. ‘They ditched the guard, they were very clever about it. He’s close on committing suicide over it. Don’t worry, we’ll find them. This is an insult to the House of the West — not being able to defend our own. It will not go unavenged.’
Jen leaned on the table, holding her stomach. The Tiger went to her and guided her to a chair. ‘Take it easy. You’re in no condition to be under stress. Don’t worry, we’ll find them.’
‘What condition?’ I said, alarmed.
‘I’m pregnant,’ Jennifer said.
‘Congratulations,’ I said.
‘You and my son must marry, it’s the honourable thing to do,’ the Tiger said.
‘Not while my son is missing.’ Jennifer glanced at me. ‘We have to tell Leonard; he has a right to know as well.’
‘Stone?’
‘Done,’ the stone said. ‘Leonard requests entry to the Western Heavens to join the search.’
‘There isn’t much he can do here,’ the Tiger said.
‘Let him come. It’ll be better than him staying at home worrying,’ Jennifer said. She leaned her forehead on her hand.
‘You okay to see him?’ I said.
She nodded into her hand. ‘It’s been a few years since the divorce now, Emma. We’re still friends.’
‘Tiger?’ I said.
The Tiger nodded. ‘Ma’am.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Now what? We have absolutely no leads on where they went.’
Jennifer’s phone rang and she jumped, then answered it. ‘Hello?’ She listened for a while, then burst into tears. ‘You have no idea how worried we were. Where were you?’ She didn’t wait for a reply. ‘I don’t care what you were doing, you get yourself home now! Then you’re grounded for a month, young man. We thought you’d been taken by … by …’ She took a deep breath and shook her head. ‘Is Mark with you? He went home too? I’ll be there shortly. Don’t you go anywhere, I want to have a serious talk with you.’
She snapped the phone shut and grabbed some napkins from the table to wipe her face. ‘They’re home. They’re all home. He says he wanted to show Mark the Celestial Plane since Mark isn’t allowed up here.’ She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. ‘They’re okay.’ She rose. ‘I have to go see him. And give him a big hug.’
I got up too and embraced her. ‘Go tell him what an idiot he is for giving all of us such a scare, and never to do it again. And congratulations again on the little one.’
She nodded and left.
The Tiger’s face was grim. ‘I have to go talk to their guard. I have no idea what the fuck that idiot was thinking.’ He disappeared.
My father sighed loudly and tipped the burnt meat into the garbage. ‘I’ll find something else to cook. Won’t be a minute.’ He left the plate on the table and went inside.
My mother buttered a slice of bread and pushed the plate across to share it with Simone. ‘The Tiger gave us some giraffe steaks once. Your father popped them on the barbecue and they were absolutely horrible. We’re sticking to good old beef and lamb now.’
Simone wrinkled her nose. ‘Lamb is too strong.’
I gave her a friendly push. ‘You’re such a Chinese kid sometimes.’
She shrugged. ‘Lamb is yuck.’
My father returned with a plate of sausages. ‘This is it, I’m afraid.’
‘Whatever,’ Simone said. ‘I’m starving.’
Michael and Clarissa came and visited me the next morning, and I waved them into my office. Since returning to the Celestial, Michael had gained muscle mass from spending time practising the Arts, and he’d grown his hair out into a short ponytail. Clarissa looked much the same as she always had: a slender Chinese girl with a sweet smile and shoulder-length hair cut to frame her face.
‘The Mountain is very beautiful,’ she said. ‘Michael told me about the attack, but you’d hardly know it ever happened.’
‘Thank you,’ I said. ‘We’ve worked hard to bring it back to what it was.’ I turned to Michael. ‘I hear you’ve been promoted. Congratulations.’
Michael shook his head. ‘I’ve been given a lower number, that’s all. He had to move fifty of us up because of the fifty that died when the elementals attacked the ski lodge. It doesn’t mean much, particularly when everybody calls me by name anyway.’
‘Apparently it’s a huge honour,’ Clarissa said, glancing sideways at him with obvious pride. ‘He’s not even thirty years old and already lower than two hundred. It’s unheard of. Some say he’ll be given a double-digit number even before he attains Immortality.’
Michael gestured dismissively. ‘Means nothing. I am here because of the promotion, though. I want to ask you something.’
‘Ask away,’ I said.
‘Dad’s offered us space in the barracks in the West, as is fitting for a high-ranking son. But what I’d really like to do, if I’m going to full-time it on the Celestial, is to be here …’ His voice petered out.