22
E ven though it was early Spring, the weather on the Great Barrier Reef was mild, warm and still suitable for swimming—a pleasant change from Japan’s late summer heat. Simone was halfway through her research, and after six weeks of taking samples on the reef, she would return to Japan and take samples from the turtles in Asia.
The waveless ocean was almost completely transparent, making the reef they floated over clearly visible two metres below the boat. The research station cut costs by combining the research activities with the tourist excursions, so there were twelve tourists on the big launch as well as the skipper and two deck hands to assist her.
While the tourists snorkelled on the reef, Simone and one of the experienced deckhands, Ron, cruised the reef in a small inflatable boat seeking turtles. He was an Australian local in his forties, had helped many of the researchers find their way around the station, and she’d appreciated his assistance. She grabbed the net when she saw a really big leatherback—at least a metre long—floating on the surface. She stood with the large hoop-shaped net, scooped it around the turtle, and released the net from the frame to catch the turtle, which flapped its flippers in protest when it felt the constraint.
Simone dropped the hoop onto the sloshing deck of the boat, grabbed the rope holding the turtle net, and secured it to the boat. Ron had done this with her before, and knew what to do, so he slowly eased the inflatable back to the large tourism launch, which was big enough to hold twenty people. There was a ladder and an examination table at the rear of the boat, and they went alongside, secured the inflatable to the launch, and Simone climbed up the ladder holding the rope.
‘I need a hand, please,’ Simone shouted to the tourists resting on the boat as Ron climbed up beside her.
The skipper and some of the tourists joined her at the side of the launch to help her tow the net containing the thrashing turtle towards the boat. A few of the tourists who were in the water snorkelling over the reef rushed to climb aboard and assist, talking excitedly about the turtle and commenting on its size.
The leatherback hit the side of the boat with an audible smack and Simone winced.
‘Now, carefully lift it up the ramp and make sure we don’t snag any of its flippers,’ Simone said, gasping with feigned effort, as a couple more of the tourists joined her to help. ‘If it catches on the side, we could injure it.’
‘Carefully,’ Ron said, and they lifted the turtle up the makeshift ramp she’d attached to the boat, and onto the examination shelf.
Simone nearly shrieked with horror when the turtle glared at her from the inside of the net, and she realised that it was a Shen.
She glanced around at the humans, then spoke telepathically to it.
I am so sorry—
Xuan Si Min Simone, yes? the turtle asked, sounding like a teenaged girl with a New Zealand accent.
Simone struggled to free the turtle from the net. I’ll get you out of there immediately, I am so sorry—
No, the turtle said. They can’t know. Do everything you would do as if I was a natural turtle.
But that involves a tag! And a blood draw!
The turtle raised her rear flipper, showing that she had a bright yellow tag attached to it already. That MacPherson woman from University of Queensland would not stop chasing me until she had me tagged. Apparently, I’m one of the largest leatherbacks in the region. The turtle’s voice filled with amusement. Buy me dinner at Airlie Beach or Port Douglas later and you can have your blood.
Simone had the net unravelled from the turtle, and the tourists and boat crew made loud sounds of appreciation.
‘It’s so big the boat’s leaning in the water!’ Ron said.
‘How old would it be?’ one of the tourists asked before grabbing her son’s hand. ‘No touching. See that beak? It could take your fingers off.’
Yum yum children fingers, the turtle said, and Simone hissed with laughter.
‘A turtle this big would be well over eighty years old,’ Simone said.
Humph, the turtle said. Four hundred and seventy-seven.
Your honoured name, ma’am? Simone asked as she prepared the syringe for the blood draw.
My name in these waters is Te Anahera Hurinuri.
Pleasure to meet you.
You as well. I am glad I found you, Venus said you would be here.
Simone hesitated, holding the syringe, and spoke out loud. ‘What?’
‘What what?’ Ron asked.
You were sent to find me? Simone asked.
Imagine my surprise when this hottie comes floating down in this gorgeous purple gown, glowing and everything, to give me an Edict from the higher-ups. I’ve lived in New Zealand for a hundred years and stayed very quiet during the Demon War, but if I’d known you were here, I’d have said hello—and thank you—anyway. Apparently, you will receive a summons soon, and Venus has briefed me. Do everything as if I was a natural turtle, then we will swap places. I will handle the rest of the cruise disguised as you. Don’t worry, I will keep the natural turtles away until you return, it’s the least I can do after all you’ve done for us—Celestial and Earthly turtles alike.
Simone’s shoulders sagged as she prepared the syringe. I thought he would allow me to finish my research before he grabbed me to serve him.
You could have delayed swearing allegiance until your research was finished? We all know how important it is ...
Simone hesitated with the syringe over the big vein on the turtle’s front flipper. Now that the demon essence is cleared from me, I have access to Primal Yin, just as my father does. I pledged allegiance to the Jade Emperor to protect the world from this power. There was a risk that I could summon it in nightmares and destroy everything around me ... by accident.
Simone slipped the needle into the vein and drew the blood. The tourists made soft sounds of wonder, and one rushed away to sit at the other side of the boat.
Oh, Te Anahera said. I understand. Your father is the most divine and powerful of us all, and you his daughter. When you return from your mission, I will lead some natural turtles to you to assist with your efforts.
Thank you, I would appreciate your help. The summons hit Simone and she winced. I just received it.
The Heavens speed you on your way and help you to return safely, Princess, Te Anahera said. On three?
Just a sec, I need to measure you and record your tag number before we can release you.
She pushed the blood into the vial and placed it into the cooler, then turned to Ron. ‘Can you help me measure it, Ron?’
‘Sure thing, Simone,’ Ron said, and passed her the tape measure. ‘What a fucking monster, eh?’
‘She’s beautiful,’ Simone said, and smiled again when the turtle winked at her.
*
S imone landed at the entrance to the Celestial Palace, and the gates opened to allow her to enter the Square of Running Water.
‘Audience Hall Two,’ she said, and stepped forward, arriving outside the Jade Emperor’s own residence at the end of the long, high-walled corridor that was supposed to provide it with extra security but had failed miserably when the demons won the war. She’d expected to arrive at the audience hall, but the Jade Emperor had given her access to his own house—a substantial message of trust.
The Door Gods stood on either side of the entrance to the residence, one black-skinned and one red-skinned and both with goatees, holding their halberds crossed in front of the door.
Simone hesitated. ‘Uhh ...’
The Door Gods snapped the halberds back so that she could enter, and the door opened by itself.
‘Good job killing us, Princess,’ General Wei on the left said. ‘Stunning display of skill.’
‘Welcome back, Simone,’ General Qin said, and nodded to her. ‘The Heavens are much safer with you on our side. We appreciate your sacrifice.’
‘We’ve all wanted to do that to him for ages ,’ General Wei said quietly as she approached them. ‘And you did it three times? Living the dream, Simone.’
‘Assholes,’ she growled, making both of them smile broadly, and stalked past them into the JE’s residence.
It was a standard square courtyard building with a small pond in the open central area.
‘In here, Simone,’ the Jade Emperor said from the back of the house.
She turned right into the living room, which was decorated in traditional style with carved rosewood couches, set with gold silk pillows, a Ming-style coffee table, and a set of shelves with priceless ceramic vases on it. A few paintings of birds and flowers—made of semi-precious stones—adorned the walls, and there was a small sculpture of a peach tree, also made of semi-precious gems, on the coffee table.
It looked like something out of the China Arts and Crafts store’s high-end flagship in Pacific Place, then her perception shifted, and she understood—the store was duplicating the Celestial style. Someone at the store was obviously a citizen of both Planes. She went past the dining room with its ten-seater round table, complete with lazy Susan, and into the kitchen.
The Jade Emperor was in the kitchen, wearing a simple black silk robe over pants and his long grey hair tied up with a wooden spike.
‘Simone, good, you’re here,’ he said, and took the kettle off the stove. A Palace fairy watched him with an expression of restrained concern.
The Jade Emperor waved at Simone. ‘Sit, sit. Oolong? I have a mandarin oolong.’ He raised the dried mandarin stuffed with pu’er tea, which would infuse the tea with a citrus flavour when it brewed.
‘Just green tea, if I could,’ Simone said, sitting at the dining table. ‘Dragon Well?’
The mandarin in his hand changed to a foil tea packet and he tipped it into the two gaiwan—individual tea bowls with lids. ‘Good choice.’ He brought the tea and sat, and the gaiwan and a pair of cups floated with him. He left the tea on the table to brew, and steepled his hands in front of him. ‘The Throne Michael requests that you attend him to make a decision that only you are qualified to make.’
She studied him suspiciously. ‘What decision?’
‘Whether to pass the Throne to Hades. He is desperate to leave the Throne but is unsure whether this is the correct path.’
‘What is the correct path?’
He tilted the lid of his gaiwan to hold back the tea leaves, placed his index finger in the indentation on the top, and used it to pour the tea into Simone’s cup and then his own. ‘I don’t know, Princess, that is outside my dominion. Whatever decision you make over there has the same consequences for us here in the East.’
‘What about the consequences for me or Michael?’
‘Same.’
‘I don’t have enough information! Is Hades leading a demon rebellion, or is he a legit Celestial with a tame demon army, like my dad?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Was Hades working with the European Demon King? Are they allied? If we give him the Throne, will he allow the demons to take the Heavens over again?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Does Michael know?’
‘As long as there are still demons in his Heavens, he is heavily restricted. No.’
‘What about your old friend ,’ she emphasised the meaningful term. ‘Semias? What does he say?’
‘Semias has stopped responding to my messages. Michael may have ordered him to back off so you will travel there and assist him.’
‘Why is Michael so desperate to leave the Throne?’ she asked. ‘He was happy to sacrifice himself, the selfless idiot.’
‘He can tell you that when you arrive there. Go to the city of Trier in Germany—on the Moselle River, near the border with Luxembourg—and touch the font on the highest floor of the ancient Black Gate. That’s the portal. You will be transported to the European Heavens, and thence hear their cases and make the decision.’
She sipped the tea, not tasting it. ‘I’m not wise or informed enough to do it.’
‘Which is precisely why you’re the ideal person. You are also the only remaining citizen of those Heavens.’
‘Emma—’
‘Emma renounced her citizenship when she swore allegiance to the Asian Heavens and took her position in our Heavenly administration. You’re the only one.’
‘Meredith—’
‘ You , Simone. You swore allegiance to me, the individual, not me, the Celestial. You have dual citizenship.’
‘You suggested simple words yourself!’
He waved his teacup with an ironic expression.
‘And if I ...’ She wanted to say ‘refuse’ and couldn’t. ‘Damn you!’ She slammed the teacup on the table and rose to leave.
‘One more thing,’ he said.
‘There always is,’ she growled.
‘For you, it has been nine months since you left there. For him it has been—’
‘Forty days,’ she said. ‘He’ll still be grieving his lovely wife.’
‘No,’ he said. ‘Now that the Throne is occupied, it is able to reassert its control over time – but Michael’s control is not precise. Right now, time is moving faster there than it is here. He has been there for four years.’
‘He’s been there by himself fighting demons for four years ?’
He nodded. ‘Go with my blessings, Princess. I’m sure the decision you make will be the right one.’
*
S imone stopped above the city of Trier and pulled out her phone. The ancient gate she was seeking was halfway between the river and the hills, the location of the lowest crystal in the Heavens. She flew down to land next to it, ignored by everybody. The gate had two semi-circular towers with a pair of archways beneath them, and she went inside and up the stairs to the top floor. She passed some tourists, and found the half-broken font, looking like a dry fountain, in one of the towers.
Hades was standing at the arched windows, viewing the city. He was in the same form as when he’d regained his identity in Hell: muscular, tall and bronzed with short black hair and wearing a stylish suit. He turned and smiled at her.
‘I can’t come up with you,’ he said. ‘So if you’ll allow me, I will make my case here.’
‘Where’s Persephone?’ Simone asked.
‘She’s there helping him.’
Simone crossed her arms in front of her chest. ‘Okay, go for it. Convince me.’
Hades planted himself in front of Simone and put his hands on his hips. ‘The boy is suffering where he is, and he doesn’t belong in this part of the world. He’s not completely in tune with the Throne, and that’s causing him untold physical and mental anguish.’
That was the truth. She let Hades continue.
‘He doesn’t have the age or experience to take full control of it. He can’t even control the flow of time there effectively.’ He turned and paced from one side of the tower to the other. ‘Release him from his torment. He’s grieved enough, and ...’ He stopped and turned to face her. ‘You two deserve happiness together. I know what it’s like to be parted from your own true love, and I don’t want to see you two suffering as we have.’ He paced again. ‘I am older, wiser, stronger, and this is my throne by birthright now that all my siblings are dead.’ He stopped again, faced her, and crossed his arms over his chest, mirroring her posture in an obvious body-language challenge. ‘So free that poor young man and take him home with you, so you two can be happy together.’
Half of this was lies—particularly about the throne being his birthright, which was interesting, but Simone gave him rope to see where he was going with it. The bit about Michael suffering, and Hades being a better choice by his own estimation, was unfortunately the truth.
‘What about the demons?’ she asked
He uncrossed his arms and shrugged. ‘What about them?’
‘Will you remove them from the Heavens?’
‘I won’t need to,’ he said, full of confidence and telling the truth. ‘I will be able to control them when I take the throne—something Michael doesn’t have the power to do. They will become my army and obey me. Once I have the throne, I can retake our Heavens immediately, and the Earthly will know greater peace and prosperity than it ever has.’
She nodded and waved for him to continue, and he spoke with more confidence, obviously thinking that he was convincing her. He was right; her own father had an army of tame demons in the Heavens, and they were the greatest weapon the Celestial possessed.
‘I have always been the mightiest fighter of the three of us,’ he continued. ‘I look forward to hearing from your chief ... leader?’
‘Emperor,’ she said.
He nodded. ‘Fitting. It will be refreshing to speak to someone at my level, and I look forward to liaising with him to control the demon threat throughout the world. So, what do you say?’ He approached her and smiled kindly. ‘The boy’s had his period of grieving and you two can finally be together. Go and rescue him.’
‘I can tell when you’re lying, you know,’ she said casually. ‘You’re undermining your own case by doing it.’
‘Only on minor details? I may have exaggerated slightly.’ He scowled. ‘That doesn’t change anything. You need to free Michael so I can take his place.’
‘You said you can control the demons. Did you allow them into the Heavens so that you could make them your army?’
‘I never allowed them into the Heavens. I do not have that ability.’
This was the truth, but she had a flash of understanding.
‘Did Persephone?’
‘I can control them.’ He strode backwards and forwards again. ‘Michael is suffering horribly on the Throne. His mind is too small to contain the power, and there’s a good chance—’
She interrupted him. ‘Changing the subject. When did she let them in, and why aren’t you in control up there? Tell me the whole story. The truth. Did you ask Persephone to open the portal, or did she let the demons in for reasons of her own?’
‘All right. The truth.’ He sagged and lost his impressive demeanour, and sat on one of the arched openings, looking defeated. ‘We were approached by the demons in the early sixties, and they asked us to let them into the Heavens. We made a blood pact—that if we allowed them in, they had to permit me to enter as well. I thought they weren’t aware that once I was on the throne, I would be able to control anything in the realm, including them.’
Finally, the truth. ‘Sixty years ago?’
He nodded. ‘About that. Give or take a couple of years. I don’t know how they broke the blood pact. It should have been impossible. When I realised what we had done, I considered suicide and joining my brethren. Penny begged me not to, so I decided that I should atone instead. I drank the water of the River Lethe and lived an ordinary, miserable, human life. Persephone felt just as guilty and did the same.’
This was just before Simone’s father had done his reconnaissance in Europe, and been unable to enter their Heavens, so the timeline fitted. The demons had been in those Heavens for ages preparing for world domination, and this asshole and his girlfriend had helped them get there. Hades didn’t plan to remove them; he thought he could go up there and use them as a tame army, just as her father did. He spoke the truth about his motives, as well.
‘Are you planning to extend your influence once you have this army?’ she asked.
‘Absolutely not.’
Again, the truth. He might conceivably have the raw power to control the demons, so she had a difficult decision to make.
‘You are so stupid it hurts,’ she said, took a step forward and placed her hand on the font.