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as a motherless bastard?’
    Gold made a quiet choking sound.
    ‘Both!’
    ‘Oh, all right.’ He leaned back, slipped his glasses on and gave it up. ‘But only for Simone. And I will definitely do it when I come back and she’s old enough to understand.’
    ‘You will be the one to explain it to her then. Which are you anyway? Turtle or tortoise?’
    Gold sounded like he was strangling.
    ‘Same thing, same essence,’ John said without looking up. ‘Turtle in water, tortoise on land. The Tiger is the essence of all the great cats.’
    ‘And the Phoenix is bird essence. I understand. What about the Dragon?’
    ‘Essence of arrogant bastard.’ John gestured with one hand. ‘Gold.’
    Gold flipped frantically through his notes. ‘Where were we?’
    ‘Staff for Turtle’s Folly,’ John said. ‘Emma’s right. Overseas or local domestic helpers are out of the question—they’d find out too much about us. I’ll send some of the Masters out demon-hunting and see what they come up with. Should be okay to put newly tamed low-level demons in there with so many senior Disciples and the Masters to keep an eye on them.’
    ‘Very good, my Lord,’ Gold said, taking notes.
    ‘We need to buy a couple of buses to carry the students between Wan Chai and the Valley,’ I said.
    ‘Easily done, my Lady.’ Gold looked up and shrugged. ‘I have nothing else to do.’
    ‘I’ll talk to the Masters about a demon-hunting expedition,’ John said. ‘And I’ll need to put that calligraphy in a safe place so you won’t find it and destroy it before I come back.’
    ‘The Disciples will be out of the building and back on the Mountain by the time you come back,’ I said. ‘There won’t be any place to put it.’
    John took his glasses off and put them in their case. ‘I’ll find somewhere.’

CHAPTER FOUR
    A bout ten o’clock Saturday morning I put the finishing touches to the first draft of my assignment and set it to print in John’s office. I jumped when he spoke into my ear.
    I’m going to call you on your mobile. Ready? I put my hand on the phone and picked it up when it rang. ‘Yeah?’
    ‘Do you have time to come down to Hennessy Road with Leo and Simone? There’s something we all need to do together.’
    ‘Sure. I need a break from this anyway. Give us twenty minutes.’
    ‘You’ll need longer than that, I have the car. Gold will drive it up for you. Leo can bring you down.’
    ‘Okay.’ I hesitated, then changed my mind about mentioning the transport situation. Maybe when Simone started school. ‘See you soon.’
    ‘You forgot to put your hands on the wheel again,’ Leo said as Gold pulled up in the car.
    Gold just grinned and disappeared.
    At Hennessy Road, Leo and I took Simone up to the large training room on the fifth floor. Mirrors coveredone of the long walls, and vertical blinds shaded the windows on the short wall. John and Gold were waiting for us.
    The room was prepared for demon training. The Academy’s demon jar sat in the corner, full of large black beads. Black hand towels were stacked neatly on shelves under the windows.
    ‘Simone, go with Gold to the top-floor conference room and wait for us there,’ John said.
    ‘Okay, Daddy.’ Simone took Gold’s hand to leave the room.
    ‘Now.’ John linked his hands behind his back. ‘Have either of you warmed up?’
    Leo and I shared a look, then turned back to John and shook our heads.
    ‘Good. You are to do this cold, without any preparation. We’ll start at level ten.’ John pulled a black bead out of the jar and threw it onto the floor under the mirrors. ‘Leo.’
    The demon grew into human form: a Chinese man in his early twenties, wearing jeans and a plain T-shirt.
    Leo moved to the middle of the room, faced the demon and readied himself. He nodded without looking away.
    The demon threw itself at Leo. He ducked under it, turned, twisted, and threw it over his shoulder onto its back. He rammed his fist through its face and it