He kneels, swaying, blood dripping from a broken nose, chipped teeth, one eye swollen shut. I raise my staff and snarl my rage. One blow and I’m free.
‘Behave.’
The voice I most fear rasps across the bridge, wrapped in Celestial command. I swallow, lock my knees, in case they give way without my permission, and look towards the source.
My grandmother stands at the end of the bridge, blocking my escape. Her handmaidens gather to watch, tittering behind their water sleeves. From Niang Niang’s smug expression, she expects me to submit to that voice. I would laugh if she didn’t make my insides curdle with fear.
‘Get out,’ I spit at the man.
I look up at my grandmother, her golden skin unnaturally smooth in the morning light. A shimmering kumquat orange gown only adds to her resplendent aura. She opens her mouth to command me.
‘That voice has no effect on me, Grandmother. Don’t bother.’ I’m glad my voice sounds even. I might have had a chance to escape if it was just her, but with the rest of the court there to give chase, I can’t be sure I can outrun them all. I glance briefly at the water – could I jump in? My mind recoils and my insides quiver at the thought.
‘Come here,’ she says, eyes flashing.
The layers of her command itch at my spine. But I have almost a century of practice trying to throw off the King of Hell’s command voice. Niang Niang is nowhere near as powerful.
I recite Horsey’s mantra –Effort makes the mind– and lift my chin to meet my grandmother’s gaze. Curling my lips upwards to expose my gums, my fangs slide out with a wet pop. Her yin flares green. She cannot hide her disgust and it makes me smile wider just so I can show more fang.
‘No, Grandmother. I don’t think I will.’
Twenty-Six
Yoohoo
‘Insolent child. You will come here and kneel to me. You are in the Hulijing Court. You are under my laws.’
I think fast, trying to find a way out of this mess. The water glistens under the sun, as if beckoning me. I ignore it and try bureaucracy instead.
‘Well, actually, Venerable Matriarch, I am not. I am a ward of Hell. For me to submit your laws, Lord Lei should have granted you a talisman for my passage’ – I flick imaginary dust from my sleeve, sending a silent thanks to Horsey and his snoringly boring lessons on Tian’s administrative rules – ‘Ordinance 832, Article 52. And since I was brought here against my will, the coda of my home realm applies. I do not have to submit to you.’
Her handmaids whisper behind her.
‘I will not stand for such insult in my own court.’
‘Ah, but you’re doing such a good job of standing, Grandmother, especially given your age.’
Her face twists, no longer beautiful, but wretched and blotchy. And then she stamps her foot. Her flare of temper boosts my confidence. I would dearly love to laugh at her petty display, but I hold tight to my mahjong face. I follow my instincts, unsettling her in the best way I know how. Provoke and insult. In the disorder, surely an escape route will present itself. I crane my neck to look behind her at her handmaids. I find the face from my memories. Still exactly the same after all these years.
‘Aiya, Lady Wen! Is that you?’ I smile brightly and wave. She stills, a wariness in her posture.
‘Wah!’ I continue, pretending not to notice her less than warm response. ‘It’s beensolong. Oh, my. That powder is doing you no favours. Makes all your wrinkles’ – I pat the air around my eyes, then gesture at the lines between my nose and the corner of my lips – ‘really noticeable.’ I drag my gaze blatantly to her chest. ‘You really should get better support, my dear.’ I mime pushing up my ta-tas, and stage whisper over the bridge, ‘They’re looking saggy. Like steamed eggplant.’ I tsk and shake my head.
Lady Wen goes red, and the glare she throws me should really set me ablaze. I am tickled and wish Mr Lee could see this. My momentary glee turns despondent as I remember myself, and remember my priorities. Get out of here and back to Mr Lee.
Lady Wen turns on her heel and huffs off. She’s even easier to wind up than Gigi. To think I used to be terrified of her. I call after her, ‘Wonderful to see you! You are as stomach curdling and as devoid of charm as I remember.’
‘How dare you insult my handmaids,’ my grandmother snarls.
Her anger makes me smile. ‘Well, she did try to kill me.’
‘Why couldn’t you just die?’
‘Aw, there’s nothing like a family reunion. So loving.’ My tone is caustic. She’s not paying careful attention to me now, in her rage. I search for opportunities, gaps between her handmaids. They are clustered too close together, fanning out around the end of the bridge.
‘You think you know so much—’
‘Lord Ma did educate me, and he is incredibly thorough—’ I glance behind me wishing there was another way to the far edges of the lake.
