Read Online Blue Dragon by Kylie Chan - Free Book Online Page A

He smiled at me, heaved a huge sigh, turned his head away and closed his eyes.
    ‘Because I really like having him around,’ I said.
    Gold shot upright to sit and cast around the room.
    ‘Rest,’ the stone said. ‘I’ll handle it.’
    ‘What?’ I said.
    ‘I am in big trouble,’ Gold said softly, and fell back onto the pillow.
    ‘You’ll be fine,’ the stone said. ‘Rest.’
    ‘Am I in Lady Emma’s bed?’ Gold said.
    ‘Yep, quite a coup,’ I said. ‘Something to tell your friends. Rest now. Whatever the problem is, we can handle it.’
    ‘Go quietly into the living room, Emma,’ the stone said, very softly. ‘Let’s not wake it up just yet.’
    As I entered the living room, John was kneeling in front of Amanda and smiling kindly at her.
    ‘Hello, Amanda,’ he said, very gently. ‘My name is John Chen and I’m the one that’s promised to marry Emma. I’m a Shen, a spirit. The closest word you have in English is “god”. Please stay very still. It is vitally important that you don’t move or speak.’
    Amanda’s eyes went wide, but she didn’t move. Little David sat quietly on her lap.
    ‘Is Amanda a Shen? Or something like me?’ I whispered as I approached them.
    ‘No,’ John said, without turning away from Amanda. ‘Where did she get her pendant, Alan?’
    ‘I gave it to her,’ Alan said. ‘I found it in an antique shop. It was ridiculously cheap for such a large opal, so I thought it must be a fake or something. But it looked good so I bought it for her anyway.’
    ‘Her opal is a Shen?’ I whispered.
    John nodded without turning away from Amanda. ‘Southern Shen.’
    ‘It will be beyond pissed when it wakes up and finds that we’ve moved it so far from its Centre,’ the stone in my ring said softly.
    ‘Can you take it back without waking it?’ I said.
    ‘Nope,’ the stone said. ‘And I know this one too. It has a temper to rival yours, my Lady.’
    John concentrated and Leo came out from the hallway.
    ‘Don’t move, Amanda,’ John said quickly when he saw her reaction. ‘This is Leo, our guard. He can take your boys and care for them while we sort this out.’
    Amanda shook her head without speaking.
    ‘Let him, Mandy,’ I whispered. ‘He’s great with kids, he looks after John’s daughter, Simone. They’ll be safe with him.’
    ‘Alan, I think it would be a good idea if you were to go too,’ John said.
    Alan hesitated. ‘Will the boys be safe with him?’
    ‘Perfectly,’ Leo lisped. ‘I swear I will guard them with my life. They can come into Simone’s room, she has a lot of toys. They’ll be fine.’
    ‘He’s right, Alan,’ I said.
    ‘Brendan?’ Alan said.
    ‘Leo’s good,’ my father said. My mother nodded.
    ‘If the boys will be safe with him, then I’m staying here with Amanda,’ Alan said firmly. ‘Is it okay with you if he takes the boys, Mandy?’
    Okay , Amanda mouthed silently.
    ‘Boys, go with the big man, he’ll look after you,’ Alan said.
    David looked as if he was about to cry and Mark’s little face screwed up with terror.
    The Tiger concentrated and their faces went blank. They both rose and placidly took Leo’s hands, allowing him to lead them down the hall towards Simone’s room.
    ‘All suggestions welcome, stone,’ John said, still crouched in front of Amanda.
    ‘We don’t have a choice, we’ll have to wake the damn thing,’ the stone said. ‘Everybody move back, I’ll do it. Don’t move, Miss Amanda, I’ll handle this.’
    The ring drifted off my finger and floated in front of Amanda. She watched it with wonder.
    ‘Lord Xuan, Lady Emma, back you go,’ the stone said.
    ‘Brendan, Barbara, you’d be safer with the children and Leo,’ John said as both he and I rose and moved back.
    ‘We’re staying here with Amanda,’ my father said. My mother nodded silently.
    ‘I’m waking it up,’ the stone said.
    Nothing happened.
    ‘Hi, Opal,’ the stone said softly. ‘Sorry about this. Didn’t know you