Blue Dragon (13 page)

J
ohn knew what Leo and I were doing when we went for a walk along the edge of the water after dinner. He scowled, and took Simone to the play centre. The computers in the business centre next to the playroom had broadband, so he could check his email while Simone was playing.

We headed down the stairs to the edge of the water. The shoreline was mostly rocks, but there was a small strip of sand. There was a park bench on the grass facing the water. Leo and I sat companionably together and waited. The sun was setting over the water, with a spectacular tropical flame of colours. It was still very warm, but the breeze had cooled slightly.

Martin appeared in human form and waded out of the water towards us, his long hair hanging loose over his shoulders. He stopped and concentrated, dried himself, and added a green cotton jacket to the green pants. Leo made room and he sat between us.

All three of us quietly watched the sea.

‘Are you as good as your dad, Martin?’ I said, coming straight to the point.

‘Nobody’s as good as the Dark Lord,’ Martin said. ‘I can take up to level fifty with my bare hands, though.
Weapons, I can take nearly anything. Energy, the same. I think I’ll be useful to you once he’s gone.’

Leo shifted slightly. ‘Good.’

Martin smiled at Leo.

‘What did you do?’ I said.

Martin turned back to the sea and sighed. ‘I did a really stupid thing.’ He didn’t elaborate.

‘Seems to run in the family,’ Leo said, his voice a low rumble.

Martin leaned back and threw his arm over the back of the bench. ‘Really stupid.’ He shook his head. ‘I didn’t tell my father all there was to know about myself, even though I was living in his house. He arranged a marriage for me.’ He smiled sadly. ‘I went along. I pretended to be happy about it. She was a lovely girl,’ he added, full of remorse. ‘Half dragon. It was an excellent match. I was genuinely fond of her. But,’ his voice went very soft, ‘my partner at the time drank too much the night of the wedding. He’d agreed to the marriage; it was a good thing all round. But he lost control and it all came out. He railed against the situation loudly to everyone present.’

‘Oh my God,’ I said. ‘That’s awful.’

‘My father was furious,’ Martin said. ‘He hadn’t known about me, about my partner, about anything. He didn’t care about that, but he was absolutely devastated that I hadn’t told him, and had gone along with a sham marriage purely to please him. I was shamed, he was shamed, she was shamed, both houses were shamed. None of us could hold up our heads in public. We were all a laughing stock.’

‘I think you misjudged him, Martin,’ Leo lisped. ‘If you had told him in the first place, none of that would have happened.’

Martin laughed quietly. ‘That’s what he said. That I didn’t trust him enough to tell him. I suppose…’ He
leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees as he looked out at the sea. ‘I suppose he was right.’

‘How long ago was this?’ I said.

‘About six hundred years,’ he said.

‘And he has hardly spoken a word to you since?’

Martin shook his head, looking down at his hands. ‘Nope.’

‘Well then,’ I said crisply, ‘I think it’s about time you two made up.’

Both Leo and Martin stared at me.

‘How many people remember what happened after such a long time?’ I said.

‘Three.’ Martin smiled gently. ‘Me, my father and the girl.’

‘What about your partner?’

‘Moved on a long time ago.’

‘You have nobody?’

Martin shook his head. He glanced up at me. ‘It would be good to be able to talk to my father again.’ He sighed and turned back to the sea. ‘I miss him. And very soon, he will be gone.’

‘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.’

‘Damn.’ 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
.’

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 grass. ‘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
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 shore together.

‘Make sure he stays in human form,’ I called to
Martin as they walked away, and he gestured to reassure 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.

‘God, 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.

‘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.

Leo stretched his dark legs out in front of him. ‘He can’t. He’s too small.’ He watched the water. ‘Apparently only the most powerful ones can do it.’

I slapped the sand with my palm. ‘Damn!’

Leo smiled. ‘You just like having me around so that you can take out all your frustrations on me.’

‘God, you are such a
bastard
!’ I shouted, and pushed him over.

He shot to his feet, scooped me up, ran into the water and dropped me in. I was laughing so much that I choked on the water and he had to thump me on the back when I reappeared.

T
he next day we spent the morning beside the pool, and the afternoon in the suite, resting. I wrote some emails to my family using the dial-up on my laptop. Gold had set up a network in the Western Palace as well and linked my family to the internet. My family weren’t finding the palace boring; in fact, the Tiger had arranged some trips down to the Earthly Plane for them. They’d stayed in his posh hotel in Paris for a week, being escorted by a group of his burly sons through all the best tourist spots and dining in the finest restaurants—until they’d complained that they didn’t like the food. Much too fancy for everybody except Jennifer and Leonard, who were having a ball. They were giving me a hard time about visiting them, as well. They wanted to show me what they were doing in the palace.

At about three o’clock Simone had a nap and I pulled out a paperback and made myself comfortable on the balcony. There was a knock on the door and Leo shot out of his room. He hesitated at the door, then nodded: John had told him to answer it.

It was the Tiger, Rhonda and Michael. Together.

‘Hi!’ I said, delighted to see them. ‘Come on in. What are you doing here?’

‘Holiday,’ the Tiger said. ‘Family time. And Ah Wu has asked to see Michael.’

‘What for?’ I said, glancing at Michael.

‘No idea,’ the Tiger said with a shrug.

‘Hi, Rhonda,’ I said.

Rhonda was obviously embarrassed. She was blushing. ‘Hi,’ she said.

‘Sit,’ I said, gesturing towards the couches in the living room. Leo nodded and returned to his room without a word.

‘What’s up with him?’ the Tiger said.

‘Just tired,’ I said, and didn’t elaborate.

John and Ms Kwan appeared from the master bedroom. The Tiger and Michael both saluted them, falling to one knee for good measure. I watched them, bemused, wondering what was up.

John and Ms Kwan sat on one of the couches. Both the Tiger and Michael gestured for me to sit on the other one, next to Rhonda. It was a competition. And both of them were fully aware of it and playing the game anyway.

The Tiger gestured and a cane chair materialised behind him. He seated himself. ‘Xuan Tian.’ He saluted Ms Kwan. ‘My Lady.’ He nodded to me. ‘Lady Emma.’

‘Ah Bai,’ John said. ‘Just Michael would have been sufficient.’

Michael didn’t have anywhere to sit, so he fell to the floor next to his father and sat cross-legged, completely unfazed. He shook his hands in front of his face. ‘Lord Xuan. Lady Kwan Yin. Lady Emma.’

All three of us nodded back. Everybody could see it now.

‘The Dragon has been bullshitting about this place for a long time now, and I wanted to see if it’s just hot air,’ the Tiger said. ‘I regret coming though; the blue bastard keeps trying to sell me a condo.’

‘You are enjoying every minute of it and you know it,’ Rhonda said, glaring at him. ‘And the only reason you won’t buy property here is because it’s in the East and you wouldn’t be caught dead owning anything this far east of Centre.’

John and I shared a look. The Tiger was silenced.

‘Why’d you want Michael, Ah Wu?’ the Tiger said.

‘I have a few more days here and I want to do some training,’ John said. ‘Put Emma and Simone through their paces. Carrying, ordering, flying, things like that. Michael can do it too.’

Michael glanced at John sharply. John ignored him.

‘Don’t know how much the boy is capable of, Ah Wu,’ the Tiger said. ‘He has some talent, but I’ve yet to see him do anything very interesting.’

John still didn’t look at Michael. Michael was hard pressed to control his face. Rhonda didn’t miss it, but her own expression didn’t shift.

‘Are you staying here?’ I said.

The Tiger and Rhonda both nodded. ‘Got a two-bedroom suite on the other end of the resort,’ the Tiger said. He leaned forward over his knees to speak intensely to John. ‘The Dragon claims to have put in blood seals, Ah Wu.’

‘Michael, leave us,’ John said. ‘I wish to speak to your father privately about this.’

‘I will retire,’ Ms Kwan said, and returned to her room without another word.

Michael rose as well. ‘You want me to go back to our room? Mom? Dad?’

‘Anywhere in the resort is okay, except the bar,’ the Tiger said without turning away from John.

‘There’s a games room and business centre downstairs with broadband,’ I said. ‘The pool is very good as well.’

Michael shook his hands in front of his face. ‘By your leave.’

I had a sudden inspiration. ‘Leo!’ I yelled.

Leo’s door opened. ‘My Lady?’

‘Show Michael around? Maybe take him downstairs and do some hand-to-hand? He could probably use the practice. You up to it?’

‘Just wait, I’ll put a shirt on,’ Leo said.

‘Good idea, Emma,’ John said.

After Leo and Michael had gone out, John and the Tiger went grim. ‘Emma and Rhonda, could you leave us?’ John said.

Neither Rhonda nor I moved.

‘Waste of time, Ah Wu,’ the Tiger said.

‘I want to know,’ I said.

‘Me too,’ Rhonda said.

‘I always knew he was a complete bastard, but this is way past the boundary of acceptable,’ the Tiger said. ‘It’s one thing to encourage Celestials to stay here, but
blood seals…
’

‘Have you asked him about the source of the blood?’ I said.

‘He claims he bought it,’ John said. ‘He claims not to have harmed a single human.’

‘Oh, and sticking big needles in them isn’t harming them?’ the Tiger growled. ‘He’s taking advantage of you, Ah Wu. Don’t let him get away with it.’

‘He will keep,’ John said.

‘But he’s given us an awful lot of help this trip, John, you have to admit,’ I said.

‘Is there some rule about harming humans?’ Rhonda said.

‘More a matter of honour than a rule,’ John said. ‘Humans are weak. It is simply not honourable to harm them, particularly when they are defenceless. And
besides, the Earthly is their plane. We are Celestials. This is their world, not ours.’

‘You talk as if neither of us is human,’ I said softly. ‘I’m not sure how I feel about that.’

‘Both of you are already more than human,’ the Tiger said. ‘Both of you are much, much more. I know for sure that Rhonda is well and truly Worthy.’

Rhonda blushed furiously.

‘How’s Louise?’ I said, and instantly regretted it.

The Tiger and Rhonda both stiffened. The Tiger scowled. ‘She had a girl, number two hundred and forty. Both mother and child are doing well. She says to say hello, and to come and see her soon.’

‘Maybe when my life has returned to something slightly less interesting,’ I said, and smiled at Rhonda.

She smiled back. ‘Never going to happen,’ she said. ‘You will be cursed with an interesting life, I think.’

‘So what will you do, Ah Wu?’ the Tiger said, changing the subject.

‘Take this under advisement,’ John said. ‘In the past it was unthinkable; blood seals were only achievable through injury. Now, with modern technology, it is possible to harvest blood without harming the donors.’

‘You’re not actually saying this is
okay
?’ I said.

‘Blood seals are impregnable,’ John said matter-of-factly. ‘Not even the Lady can pass through them unassisted. Not a single demon can enter this complex without a suitable escort. The Dragon does have a point.’

‘Trust a yin creature to say something like that,’ the Tiger said. ‘The use of blood is unthinkable. Not even that red-headed bastard would do something like this.’

Rhonda stared at John, wide-eyed.

‘I don’t believe him myself sometimes,’ I said.

‘You are altogether too damn yin right now,’ the Tiger said. ‘Hurry up and get that goddamn Serpent back.’

I put my head in my hands.

‘Sorry,’ the Tiger said softly.

‘If you have nothing else you wish to discuss,’ John said, rising, ‘I have things I need to do. You are dismissed.’ He bowed to Rhonda. ‘Lady. Please join us for dinner this evening.’

He went into his room without saying another word. Ms Kwan emerged from her own room, nodded to us, and followed him, closing the door behind her.

‘How long are you staying?’ I said.

‘Just a couple of days,’ the Tiger said, then smiled affectionately at Rhonda.

‘Go out to the islands, they’re fabulous,’ I said. ‘Oh, Simone’s started to breathe water.’

‘She is more impressive all the time,’ the Tiger said. ‘Where is she?’

‘Asleep,’ I said with amusement. ‘Worn out. You’ll see her at dinner. You’ll come?’

‘Sure,’ the Tiger said, and rose. ‘Let’s go and have a look around and see if we can find that son of ours. I’d like to see him sparring with the Lion, that should be good.’

‘You’re not having him back, you know,’ I said as I saw them to the door.

The Tiger grinned. ‘Not even if I promoted him?’

I stopped dead. ‘How…Promoted? You wouldn’t.’

‘What if he were my Number One?’ the Tiger said. ‘Would you still hold on to him?’

‘You can’t promote him to Number One, he’s not Immortal,’ I said as I opened the door for them. ‘So don’t try that stuff with me.’

The Tiger shook his hands in front of his face. ‘My Lady.’

Rhonda took my hand and kissed me on the cheek. ‘Look after yourself, Emma.’

I kissed her back. ‘You too, Rhonda.’ I squeezed her hand, then released it. ‘See you at dinner.’

At the end of the eleventh day, John and I sat on the balcony overlooking the water and shared a pot of tea. Simone was asleep, exhausted as usual. Michael was busy in the business centre, chatting with his friends over the net. Leo had disappeared, probably taking a solitary stroll along the waterfront.

Frogs sounded in the garden pond below us, and crickets chirped all around. The night was a blaze of stars; the clear air seeming to magnify their brilliance. We couldn’t see the ocean or the islands, but the small waves hissed as they washed against the beach below us. Smoke rose lazily from the mosquito coil inside the decorative ceramic frog next to the balcony rail.

‘You still have two more days,’ I said. ‘Relax. Enjoy the time.’

‘I intend to,’ John said, pouring more tea. ‘But there is something else I want to do as well.’

‘No work,’ I said.

‘Work for you. The Dragon has an executive development centre here. Team building, focus groups, things like that.’

‘I don’t think our team needs much building,’ I said wryly.

‘No, you are quite correct. But the facilities can be used to teach some advanced techniques. As I said, I never did get you flying.’

The door to the suite opened and I stiffened.

‘Leo,’ John said softly, and I relaxed.

‘Alone?’

John hesitated, concentrating. ‘No.’

‘Martin?’

John’s voice was very soft. ‘Yes.’

‘Good.’ The door to Leo’s room opened and closed. ‘I’m pleased for him. Can you get Jade in to catch?’

John laughed quietly.

I realised, and joined him. ‘That was unintentional.’

‘I’m sure it was. Jade’s busy doing the taxes. I’ll get the Dragon to catch.’

Both of us laughed quietly together. John poured more tea.

Lightning flashed across the ocean on the horizon. The sound of the thunder echoed deeply across the water.

‘There is an enormous storm out there,’ John said. ‘It will hit us in about half an hour. The rain will be torrential.’

‘Let’s just stay here and enjoy the remaining time we have then.’

He didn’t reply.

The executive development centre was mostly outdoors. There was a military-type obstacle course, artificial rock walls for climbing and abseiling, and a large open area used for corporate paintball tournaments. It was perfect.

‘Revise the wall-running first,’ John said, gesturing towards the rock walls. ‘Show Michael. He could probably learn the skill as well.’ He turned to Qing Long. ‘Could you take True Form about four, five metres long?’

Qing Long eyed John with disdain. ‘The smallest I can manage is about ten metres. I am an extremely large Shen, you know that. Take it or leave it.’

John’s face went rigid and he looked the Dragon right in the eye. The Dragon went completely still. Then he smiled, bowed slightly, and changed into True Form of about five metres long. His Dragon form was glittering turquoise and silver with scales that rattled with a metallic sound as he moved. He thrashed his tail with its enormous silver fin and wiggled his head from side to side.

‘Close enough,’ John said.

‘Come and watch, Michael,’ I said. ‘This requires a lot of concentration.’

‘You know what you have to do?’ John said.

‘Yeah,’ Michael said. ‘It sounds hard.’

‘If the energy gets away from you, be sure to drop it,’ John said. He gestured for the Dragon to position himself underneath me.

I readied myself and studied the wall appraisingly. ‘Ready, Dragon?’

‘My Lady,’ the Dragon said.

I ran to the wall, took three strides up it, and lifted myself from the inside using the energy centres. I had it. I ran all the way to the top of the wall, about ten metres. I grabbed the top and jumped to stand on it. It was difficult to balance; the wall was a thin layer of what appeared to be fibreglass over a metal frame, only about a centimetre thick. I turned and looked down.

Try something,
John said into my ear.
Jump off. Use the centres again, this time in the opposite direction, to slow your fall.

‘What if I lose it?’ I shouted down.

Call,
John said.
The Dragon will catch you.

‘If I come down too fast, catch me,’ I called to the Dragon.

My Lady,
the Dragon said, his voice hissing in my ear.

I hesitated. This would be even more difficult; I would have to be very careful. It was much easier to move the centres when I was already going in the same direction.

I concentrated. I wanted to let myself simply fall off the wall, but it was at a slight angle and I might hit it on the way down. I had to leap clear of it.

I jumped. I tried to ignore the sensation of falling, and instead concentrated on the energy centres. All
three, moving in the opposite direction, smoothly. Smoothly, upwards.