Blue Dragon Part 26

'You're a turtle, you'll be able to see him once he's gone,' I said.

'No, I won't.' He didn't look away from the sea. 'It won't work like that. When he's gone, he won't be talking to anybody for a long time.'

I rose. 'Let's go and see him.'

Martin didn't move. 'I don't think that's a good idea.'

'Do I have precedence as his chosen?'

Martin eyed me expressionlessly for a moment, then nodded once sharply.

'Good. Come on then.' I held out my hand. 'Let's go and fix this up.' I smiled wryly. 'That's an order.'

'd.a.m.n.' Martin pushed from his knees and threw himself upright. 'I don't think even you can sort this one out, my Lady.'

'That was exactly the wrong thing to say,' Leo said as he rose to join us.

I grinned. 'A challenge.'

'She can't resist a challenge.'

'Let's get these two turtles together,' I said cheerfully, linking my arm in Martin's. 'And then Leo and I can go and work out which one of you is stupider.'

'That will take some working out, my Lady,' Leo said.

The three of us went into the business centre. John and Simone sat together in front of a computer playing a children's game. When Simone saw Martin she raced to him with her arms out. He lifted her to give her a hug, and she kissed him on the cheek again. The look of delight on his face was heartrending. Martin faced John, still holding Simone, who smiled happily with her arm thrown over his shoulder.

John stood and glowered. He didn't say a word. He scowled at me.

'You are coming for a walk with us right now,' I said.

John stood unmoving, stubborn and dismal.

'Don't make me grab you and bring you along,' I said.

His face became expressionless. 'You wouldn't,' he said.

'I would,' I said, moving closer to him.

He moved away. He raised his hands in defeat. 'All right, I'm coming.'

Martin carried Simone and the five of us went out to walk along the edge of the water. The sky had turned a paler shade of lilac and the breeze had freshened, but it was still warm enough for us to be comfortable. The islands off the coast were dark shadows against the purple sky.

'You will forgive your son right now and let him spend time with his sister,' I ordered John brusquely. 'You will apologise to your father sincerely,' I said to Martin, 'and then the pair of you are going swimming together right now right now.'

Martin stopped and his face went rigid with horror.

John's face just went rigid.

'Now.' I gestured. 'John, you first.'

Martin didn't let him do it first. He gently lowered Simone, then fell to his knees in front of his father. He touched his forehead to the gra.s.s. 'I most sincerely apologise for my mistaken behaviour, my Lord. Please forgive me.'

I sighed with relief. Martin raised his head to look at his father, waiting with quiet hope.

John stood with his face rigid for a long time. He glared sternly at Martin. He didn't move.

'I like him, Daddy,' Simone said. 'Please forgive him.'

Father and son watched each other without moving.

'You are forgiven,' John growled. 'Rise.'

'Neither of you will ever mention this again, okay?' I said. 'Now go and swim together, get to know each other again, and I'll see both both of you at breakfast tomorrow. Understood?' of you at breakfast tomorrow. Understood?'

Martin rose with a small smile. John still glowered at him. John was about five centimetres taller than Martin and had the edge on him in size; he was quite a lot bigger.

Martin turned towards the water and gestured to his father.

John glowered at me, then a small, fleeting smile lit up his face. He pulled off his black T-shirt and handed it to me. He turned to the water and they walked down to the sh.o.r.e together.

'Make sure he stays in human form,' I called to Martin as they walked away, and he gestured to rea.s.sure me without turning.

'How many gold coins do you have now, Emma?' Leo said.

'Before or after the ones I get from this?' I said.

'Thank you, Emma.' Simone's voice was very small. 'I like him a lot. Nearly as much as I like Leo.'

'I'm glad,' Leo said softly to the ocean.

'They're back,' Simone said as we sat on the balcony eating breakfast. It was another splendid day; the balcony was damp from the overnight rain, but the sun had already become hot.

The door opened and they entered. John went straight into his room; Martin came onto the balcony to sit with us.

'Tea?' I said.

'Western, please.'

I poured him some Ceylon tea and he nodded his thanks. He eyed the food spread out in front of us and selected a quarter of papaya. He picked up his spoon and attacked it with gusto.

'There's congee over on the side,' I said.

He nodded his thanks and returned to the papaya.

'Are you starving?' I said.

He glanced up at me, his eyes sparkling. 'Suddenly I am.'

John had taken a shower and changed his clothes. He came out onto the balcony towelling his long hair. He threw the towel over the back of one of the chairs, quickly tied his hair back, then went to the congee. He studied it suspiciously. 'Does this have meat in it?'

'No, that's mushrooms,' I said.

He ladled some into his bowl, grabbed a spoon, and plonked down at the table next to Martin. They didn't look at each other.

'All fixed?' I said. They both nodded, still without looking at each other. I leaned over the table. 'Tell me about your mother, Martin.'

Leo made a quiet sound next to me, but didn't say anything.

John and Martin glanced at each other. John dropped his spoon and leaned back, expressionless.

'Don't be ridiculous,' I said impatiently. 'I'm not jealous. This was a long time ago. I'd just like to know.'

They looked at each other again and this time they went still.

'Oh no, you don't,' I said loudly, hoping to block them from hearing each other. 'No secrets.'

Both of them looked down at their hands.

'G.o.d, you two are alike,' I said.

Leo chuckled.

Both of them glanced up at me. John gestured towards Martin.

'My mother is a turtle Shen,' Martin said.

'Where is she now?'

They glanced at each other again, both of them expressionless.

'Is she dead? Can you kill a Shen?'

Martin sighed. 'She has changed.'

John shifted slightly, but didn't speak.

'Tell me,' I said.

Martin leaned back and studied me. 'I think it would be best if I didn't go into too much detail about this,' he said, looking me straight in the eye.

John visibly relaxed.

Martin gestured towards John. 'One of my parents is him, the Xuan Wu Turtle Shen. I have had very little recent contact with...' He hesitated. 'With the other.'

'The Xuan Wu?' I said. Xuan Wu?' I said.

'Like the Bai Hu, the Qing Long. The Xuan Wu,' John said, 'it is the correct name for it.'

'It is a very strange creature,' Martin said softly.

'They're always saying that,' I said, looking at John, 'but I think that at its core it is just the same as everybody else.'

John looked down, then up into my eyes and smiled affectionately.

I raised my hands in defeat. 'All right, all right, whatever. I'll find out all about it eventually anyway.'

Martin smiled, his eyes sparkling.

'Will you come and help me after the Dark Lord is gone?'

'I would be delighted.'

'Is this okay with you?' I asked John.

John picked up his spoon and attacked the congee. 'Yes.'

'What about in the meantime?' I asked Martin. 'Do you want to stay with us? We could use your help right now.'

John glanced up from his congee. 'I've asked Martin to travel to the Celestial and help with things at that end. Since he has no trouble travelling backwards and forwards, he has agreed to help with the rebuilding of the Mountain and the administration of the Northern Heavens.'

Martin lit up with a huge, delighted grin. 'I am most honoured.'

'Can you carry me to the Mountain, Martin?' I said quickly. 'I haven't seen it yet. It's too far for our household Shen to take me.'

Martin's smile disappeared. 'I'm sorry, my Lady,' he said. 'I am also a very small Shen. Too far for me too. It's a very long way.'

'You will get there,' John said.

'Yes, you will,' Leo lisped.

We were all silent for a while. Martin finished his papaya and went to the side table for some congee. He came back with a bowl, nodded to his father and me, sat down and attacked it with similar gusto. Both of them appeared to be starving. It was a good sign; if Martin was similar to John in this way it meant that both of them were in a good mood.

'Are you finished talking about the boring stuff?' Simone demanded over her cereal.

'Yes we are, sweetheart,' John said.

'Good. I want to go out to the islands with you today, Ming Gui.' She turned to John. 'Can we go?'

John's eyes sparkled at her. 'Of course you can. I think that's a very good idea.'

Martin smiled at Leo. I turned and saw Leo's face. John saw it too.

'You all go,' John said. 'I'll stay here with Mercy.'

Leo and I sat on the beach waiting for them. The two of them had been under the water together for more than an hour.

'I wonder if he can do the same thing for you,' I said.