Free Heaven to Wudang by Kylie Chan

Heavens.’
    â€˜I don’t remember anything,’ he said, running his hand over his forehead. ‘My name is John?’
    â€˜Your name is Xuan Wu,’ Simone said. ‘Emma calls you John.’
    â€˜That’s not a very auspicious name — dark and war together,’ he said.
    â€˜That’s your nature: dark and war.’ She threw her arms over his shoulders. ‘And you’re my father.’
    He put his arms around her. ‘That I know. That’s something that will never change.’ He took a deep breath into her shoulder. ‘You’re my little girl.’
    â€˜Daddy,’ she said, muffled by his jacket.
    He pulled back. ‘I don’t remember anything! Why do I see them as big cats, and her as a snake? Why do you glow with stars and darkness and blue and gold? How come I can see the past and the future and the world around me clearer than just vision? Why do I want to drown everything in ice-cold water and bring death to all?’ His voice gained a frantic edge. ‘What am I?’
    â€˜You’re a god,’ I said. ‘You’re the God of the North, and dark, and cold, and winter, and martial arts.’
    â€˜If I’m a god then how come I don’t remember?’ he said, challenging me, his hands still protectively on Simone.
    â€˜Do you trust me?’ I said.
    â€˜You can trust her,’ Simone said.
    He studied me for a long time, his arms still around Simone. His eyes roamed my face. Then he nodded once, sharply. ‘I can trust you.’
    Simone exhaled with relief.
    â€˜Then trust me that you don’t need the details right now of why you can’t remember. It’s a very long story. Just come home with us and we’ll fill you in.’
    His eyes unfocused. ‘Something unbalanced is coming.’
    â€˜He’s right, Emma,’ Simone said urgently. ‘Something very nasty is heading our way …’
    Kitty Kwok, flanked by two big Chinese bodyguards, came around the corner and stopped in front of us. I rose to face her, standing protectively in front of John and Simone. Leo and Michael moved behind me, mirroring Kitty’s bodyguards behind her.
    This is a good time to grab her and give her to the King, Leo said. Get this done and finished.
    I nodded slightly. He was right. I summoned the Murasame but nothing happened; the sword didn’t come.
    â€˜What have you done?’ I said.
    â€˜Nothing. I just want to negotiate.’ She raised her hands. ‘I know what the King said. I want to offer you a deal.’
    â€˜Nice to be taken seriously for a change,’ I said.
    I didn’t look away from Kitty and heard rather than saw John move to stand behind me on the left. He touched me on the shoulder and said, I’m right behind you, but I don’t know enough. Speak for me.
    I nodded.
    â€˜I offer parley under terms of truce,’ Kitty said.
    Well, that was the grabbing option blown out of the water. It would be dishonourable to attack her when she’d offered parley and waved a theoretical white flag.
    â€˜Speak your mind,’ I said, using the formal words to close the deal.
    She relaxed slightly and turned to pace in front of us. ‘You’ve vowed never to hurt a human, Emma. But you’ve agreed to give me to them. Would you betray your own kind and give a human to the demons?’
    â€˜You forfeited all claim to humanity when you harmed innocent children to prolong your own life,’ I said.
    â€˜I think that makes me particularly human,’ she said with humour. ‘Ask your Mr Chen here, he’ll tell you.’
    â€˜Demons are often stunned by the depths of atrocity that humans are capable of,’ John said without emotion. ‘In the ways of cruelty, they often seek to learn from you.’
    â€˜I’m one hundred per cent human,’ Kitty said. ‘Ask him, he’ll tell you. You can’t do anything to me, Emma. You