by the fact that the mare has been covered by a demon. The mare is worthless.’
‘I have investigated this claim—something along the lines of a Celestial urban myth—that once a female animal has been impregnated by a demon, the demonic essence remains.’ I nodded to the demon secretary and she pulled out the folder containing the DNA samples. ‘I have scientific evidence that this is not true: the mare’s future offspring will not be contaminated in any way.’
Toi gave Miss Ling a triumphant look.
‘That’s as it may be, ma’am,’ Ling said, ‘but everybody still believes it, and my mare’s foals will no longer be as prized—or as valuable—as they once were.’
‘Madam,’ Toi said, ‘please, go to the stables and view the colt. It is exceptional. I do not dispute that itis the progeny of my stallion, but I do dispute that the foal is an abomination. The mother is quite capable of bearing many more fine foals, both pure animal and half-demon.’
I checked the notes in front of me. ‘You request ownership of the colt and have offered Miss Ling two jin of jade for it. She is asking for ten, which is the value of the mare and any future progeny she would have borne.’
Miss Ling spread her arms. ‘This mare is only seven years old, she had many more years of fruitfulness in her. This is a tragedy.’
‘If he paid the ten jin, would you give him the mare and the foal?’ I asked Miss Ling.
She nodded, sober. ‘That I would, ma’am.’
‘I would like to see this mare again and view the colt.’ I called towards the back of the courtroom: ‘Hey, Lily, do we have time this afternoon? What else do I have on?’
‘Only one more, scheduled for 2 pm, ma’am,’ Lily called back, to the shock and amusement of those present. ‘The closed hearing.’
‘Only one more? That’s a relief.’ I slithered down off my chair. ‘Get the demon driver to bring the car around, I want to have a look at these horses.’ I nodded to Lily. ‘Arrange the usual witness and note-taking rigmarole, will you?’
‘Sure thing, ma’am,’ Lily said, and went out to organise the details.
I saw Toi and Ling share a lightning-fast look and realised this whole thing was a setup. I stopped, nearly changing my mind about seeing the horses—but what the hell. Foals were cute. I raised my snout to them. ‘Want to come in my car?’
They bowed, formal again, and agreed. I sat in the front next to the driver, and Toi and Ling sat side by side in the back.
These two ever been an item? I asked the stone.
If the stone could sigh, it would have. Emma, with people who live this long, I think everybody’s been an item with everybody else at some stage. These are both dragons, and not related to each other; he’s spawn of Qing Long and she’s one of the daughters of the Dragon King. Of course they’ve ‘done it’.
I turned my head to see them. ‘I think I should just cut to the chase here. Do you want to give the foal to me or to Simone?’
Ling opened and closed her mouth a few times, then glanced at Toi, speechless.
‘I have no idea what you are talking about, ma’am,’ Toi said.
I rested my chin on the top of the car seat. ‘You two want to dispel this myth about demon essence ruining animals. You arranged for the stallion to “escape” and impregnate the mare. I’ve heard how fine this mare is, Miss Ling; the White Tiger has been trying to arrange for his own stallions to cover her—he’s jealous as all hell about her. You’re taking me to look at her so I fall in love with the foal and want to take him as my own—or as Simone’s private riding horse. If I take the foal, your mare will become even more prestigious and people will be forced to overcome their prejudice about demon essence contaminating livestock if they want to buy any further foals from her. Am I correct so far?’
Toi sat back, his face full of shock. ‘I’d heard how intelligent you are, ma’am, but this is exceptional.’
‘I
‘I have investigated this claim—something along the lines of a Celestial urban myth—that once a female animal has been impregnated by a demon, the demonic essence remains.’ I nodded to the demon secretary and she pulled out the folder containing the DNA samples. ‘I have scientific evidence that this is not true: the mare’s future offspring will not be contaminated in any way.’
Toi gave Miss Ling a triumphant look.
‘That’s as it may be, ma’am,’ Ling said, ‘but everybody still believes it, and my mare’s foals will no longer be as prized—or as valuable—as they once were.’
‘Madam,’ Toi said, ‘please, go to the stables and view the colt. It is exceptional. I do not dispute that itis the progeny of my stallion, but I do dispute that the foal is an abomination. The mother is quite capable of bearing many more fine foals, both pure animal and half-demon.’
I checked the notes in front of me. ‘You request ownership of the colt and have offered Miss Ling two jin of jade for it. She is asking for ten, which is the value of the mare and any future progeny she would have borne.’
Miss Ling spread her arms. ‘This mare is only seven years old, she had many more years of fruitfulness in her. This is a tragedy.’
‘If he paid the ten jin, would you give him the mare and the foal?’ I asked Miss Ling.
She nodded, sober. ‘That I would, ma’am.’
‘I would like to see this mare again and view the colt.’ I called towards the back of the courtroom: ‘Hey, Lily, do we have time this afternoon? What else do I have on?’
‘Only one more, scheduled for 2 pm, ma’am,’ Lily called back, to the shock and amusement of those present. ‘The closed hearing.’
‘Only one more? That’s a relief.’ I slithered down off my chair. ‘Get the demon driver to bring the car around, I want to have a look at these horses.’ I nodded to Lily. ‘Arrange the usual witness and note-taking rigmarole, will you?’
‘Sure thing, ma’am,’ Lily said, and went out to organise the details.
I saw Toi and Ling share a lightning-fast look and realised this whole thing was a setup. I stopped, nearly changing my mind about seeing the horses—but what the hell. Foals were cute. I raised my snout to them. ‘Want to come in my car?’
They bowed, formal again, and agreed. I sat in the front next to the driver, and Toi and Ling sat side by side in the back.
These two ever been an item? I asked the stone.
If the stone could sigh, it would have. Emma, with people who live this long, I think everybody’s been an item with everybody else at some stage. These are both dragons, and not related to each other; he’s spawn of Qing Long and she’s one of the daughters of the Dragon King. Of course they’ve ‘done it’.
I turned my head to see them. ‘I think I should just cut to the chase here. Do you want to give the foal to me or to Simone?’
Ling opened and closed her mouth a few times, then glanced at Toi, speechless.
‘I have no idea what you are talking about, ma’am,’ Toi said.
I rested my chin on the top of the car seat. ‘You two want to dispel this myth about demon essence ruining animals. You arranged for the stallion to “escape” and impregnate the mare. I’ve heard how fine this mare is, Miss Ling; the White Tiger has been trying to arrange for his own stallions to cover her—he’s jealous as all hell about her. You’re taking me to look at her so I fall in love with the foal and want to take him as my own—or as Simone’s private riding horse. If I take the foal, your mare will become even more prestigious and people will be forced to overcome their prejudice about demon essence contaminating livestock if they want to buy any further foals from her. Am I correct so far?’
Toi sat back, his face full of shock. ‘I’d heard how intelligent you are, ma’am, but this is exceptional.’
‘I
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