Read Online Blue Dragon by Kylie Chan - Free Book Online

temporary?’
    ‘They’re fine,’ the Tiger said as he placed Amanda onto the couch next to the boys. ‘It was quite a long way and it is a very stressful experience for humans to travel like this.’
    ‘It’ll be similar for you when you’re taken to the palace,’ I said to my mother. ‘But don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt.’
    My parents hovered, concerned.
    ‘They will be fine,’ the Dragon said. ‘Phoenix, let’s go and get the others.’ He disappeared.
    ‘My Lord, my Lady,’ Zhu Que said, bowing slightly and saluting. ‘By your leave.’
    ‘Go,’ I said, nodding to her. She disappeared as well.
    Alan came around first. He sat up and rubbed his hands over his face. Then he saw Amanda and the boys, still unconscious, and staggered to them.
    ‘Don’t worry, they’re okay,’ I said, putting my hand on his shoulder to reassure him. ‘They’ll wake up soon.’
    Alan glanced up at me. Then he saw John and the Tiger. He looked around carefully. ‘We’re really in Hong Kong?’
    ‘Really,’ I said. ‘It’s all true.’
    Amanda stirred and moaned. Alan, my parents and myself all crouched around her. John and the Tiger stood behind us.
    Amanda opened her eyes and saw us. She cast around, confused, then saw the boys and with a small cry of pain struggled to sit up to check on them.
    ‘They’re fine, Amanda,’ I said softly. ‘They’re really okay. You’re all okay.’
    ‘Something was chasing us,’ Alan said. ‘The young man defended us, and then the people carrying us brought us here.’
    Gold appeared in True Form at the other side of the room with the bags. He didn’t take human form; his stone fell out of the air and landed on the carpet.
    ‘He’s injured,’ the stone in my ring said. ‘Quickly.’
    I raced to Gold. ‘Can I pick him up?’
    ‘Yes,’ the stone said. ‘Pick him up with both hands. Let’s see.’
    I gently lifted Gold and examined him, but couldn’t see anything inside him. I didn’t risk turning my Internal Eye on him, but his energy level felt like that of an ordinary stone. He didn’t feel special at all.
    ‘He’s okay,’ the stone said. ‘Just exhausted. Put him on one of the beds. He’ll take human form when he’s strong enough, and he can rest.’
    ‘Stay here, everybody,’ I said. ‘I’ll pop him on my bed, he’ll be fine.’
    ‘Is that Gold?’ my mother said. ‘You said he was a stone.’
    ‘Yes, it’s Gold,’ I said.
    ‘Wait.’ John came to put his hand on Gold.
    ‘Is he okay?’ my mother said.
    ‘Emma’s correct,’ John said. ‘Drained. He’ll be okay. He must have used energy to defend himself. Lay him down, he’ll be fine in about four hours.’
    ‘Can you feed him energy?’ I asked the Tiger.
    ‘Nope,’ the Tiger said. ‘He’s a stone. Completely different type of Shen. The chi is the same, but our natures are incompatible.’
    ‘Can I feed him?’ I said.
    Both John and the Tiger snorted with amusement.
    ‘Not a good idea, I think,’ John said. ‘He’d find that more embarrassing than coming around in your bed.’
    ‘Hop in with him,’ the Tiger suggested. ‘Freak him out when he wakes up.’
    ‘You’re worse than Leo,’ I said, and turned away to take Gold to my room.
    ‘Emma,’ John said, and I turned back. ‘Gold will be very weak when he comes around and probably won’t be able to conjure the clothes. Cover the stone.’
    I shrugged. ‘Okay.’
    When I was in the spare room where I was staying I laid Gold gently on the bed, roughly where his chest would be, and pulled a light sheet over him.
    ‘Is he all right like that?’ I said.
    ‘Yes,’ the stone in my ring said.
    I hesitated, watching him. He had nearly given his life for my family.
    ‘I’ll really miss him when he’s freed,’ I said.
    Gold transformed into his human form, lying on his side under the sheet. He turned onto his back and looked at the ceiling, puzzled.
    ‘Why?’ the stone said.
    I knelt next to Gold and took his hand.