Free Hell to Heaven by Kylie Chan

I’m beautiful?’
    I lowered my head even further so my nose was level with his. ‘I think you’re the most beautiful little horse I’ve ever seen.’
    ‘Aww, gee.’ He dropped his head and turned away. He skittered back to his mother, butted her belly a few times with his nose, and began to suck noisily, his tail going round like a propeller.
    ‘He may not need gelding if he gets the right training and the hormones don’t fill him full ofattitude,’ Toi said. ‘We’ll just have to see how he goes. If by six months he’s attacking people on sight and mounting everything he can, you can make the decision then.’
    ‘He’s a total sweetheart,’ I said.
    ‘So, would you like to take him as your own and give Simone the next one?’ Mr Toi said. ‘We’ll have the mare covered by a natural horse that’s the right mix of quality and temperament to give Princess Simone a saddle horse that’s smart, reliable and has enough talent to do anything she likes with it.’
    ‘She may want this little guy,’ I said. ‘I’m not too fussed either way. Let’s see what happens after she’s taken a look at him.’
    Ling and Toi both stood formally with their hands in front of them and bowed their heads to me.
    ‘Ma’am, you have done a great thing here. With both you and Simone riding horses that are half-brothers from this mare we will finally be able to destroy this prejudice that exists about half-demon animals,’ Toi said.
    ‘I can’t believe anybody would be prejudiced against something as exceptional as this foal,’ I said as we made our way to the main house.
    ‘He is exceptional, ma’am,’ Ling agreed. ‘It is very unusual for a half-demon horse to talk.’ She nodded to the demon servant that opened the door for her. ‘Most half-demon horses are small, weak and dull. But Mr Toi’s stallion is different, and I hope all his progeny turn out to be as exceptional as this little one.’
    ‘Where did the demon stallion come from?’ I said.
    ‘He just turned up,’ Toi said.
    We sat on the rosewood couches in the living room and a demon servant brought tea. Miss Ling poured.
    ‘I was demon-hunting in the mountains of Fukien when I came across this stallion,’ Toi continued. ‘He was injured, and appeared to have been pierced by some sort of lance several times. I tamed him and brought him here. He’s been a fine, intelligent and brave steed for me and is now my preferred mount when demon-hunting. He is completely fearless.’
    ‘He talks too?’ I said.
    ‘That he does, ma’am,’ Toi said.
    Miss Ling shrugged. ‘We took a gamble that Mr Toi’s stallion would sire something special. This is his first covering and the results are beyond expectation.’
    ‘Our plan worked out far better than we could have hoped,’ Toi said, and he and Ling shared a smile.
    ‘If the Dark Lord were still ruler here, would you have discussed your plans with him from the start?’ I said.
    They both paused for a moment, thinking, then Miss Ling nodded. ‘Probably. He is always straightforward in his dealings and works hard to overcome prejudice in all its forms.’
    ‘But because I’m a woman, you felt you needed to play this charade?’ I said.
    They both appeared concerned and I rushed to reassure them. ‘Don’t worry, I’m not upset about this. I just want you guys to feel that you can approach me the same way you could approach John…Xuan Wu. I want to build a good relationship with the citizens of the North.’
    ‘It was more that you are from the Earthly, ma’am, and Earthly politics usually involve manipulation instead of honest dealing,’ Toi said. ‘You are not resident on the Celestial and not an Immortal. People on the Earthly are usually out for themselves first, working to promote their own interests.’
    ‘Well, I’m not like that,’ I said. ‘I work for the good of the citizens of the Heavens first. I don’t feel I’m doing a terribly good job, but hopefully by the time Xuan Wu