Jade War

The first was to his girlfriend to let her know that he couldn’t see her today, as he would be occupied with clan business. Lina took the news with aplomb. She was a kind and practical woman, beautiful in a simple way, robust and curvy in just the way Kehn liked, and most importantly, she was not a Green Bone. Being the Horn of No Peak consumed most of Kehn’s waking hours; he didn’t need jade in his bedroom as well. He’d seen how Tar’s relationships flamed out. Kehn had met his girlfriend through his sister, Wen. Lina was a teacher at Janloon City College and came from a large family; she had her own life and career and friends, and little nieces and nephews to keep her busy, so she wouldn’t be overly resentful that the Horn’s first priority was always the clan.

“Will you still be able to come to my grandma’s eightieth birthday party on Fifthday?” Lina asked him over the phone. “My parents would be delighted if the Horn made an appearance.”

Sometimes it amused Kehn that people now invited him to all sorts of events and considered his presence a sign of clan favor and prestige. As a child, he’d rarely been invited to anything, as no one wished to associate with the disreputable Maik name. The Maik family’s rise was something of a fairy tale within No Peak, spawning admiration and jealousy and an increasing number of social obligations. “Maybe,” he said noncommittally.

Kehn’s second call was to his brother.

Tar swore long and vociferously and then said, “We’d better tell him together.”

Kehn agreed; he was already thinking about how best to break the bad news to his boss. Hilo-jen expected to be told important things right away, but he also didn’t like to be informed of problems without hearing what was being done to solve them. Otherwise, he might step in and handle it himself. Although Kehn appreciated the Pillar’s continued involvement in the military side of the clan, it would be impossible to command as Horn if his own Fists kept going straight to Hilo-jen the way they used to. Over the past year, Kehn had begun making more of an effort, where possible, to keep the Pillar from the Horn’s job.

So later that afternoon, he started the conversation off on a positive note. “I finished assigning the new Fingers we got out of the Academy this year,” Kehn said. “Put most of them in the Docks and the Armpit, where the Mountain’s more likely to try something. Also Junko and the Forge, where we’re seeing trouble with smuggling and shine dealing. Handed out promotions too—about half of the big Academy class we took in last year went up to third or second rank.”

Hilo nodded and asked for details, but didn’t crack a smile. The Pillar had been morose ever since Kaul Sen’s funeral. Perhaps the old man’s passing bothered him more than he let on. Or maybe Kehn’s mention of the Academy graduates reminded the Pillar of his kid cousin Anden, whom he’d had to send away.

After they’d discussed business a while longer, Kehn and Tar shared a glance. Tar motioned for the waiter to refill their water glasses. Hilo ate the last crispy squid ball on the plate, then looked impatiently between the Maik brothers. “Stop acting like nervous schoolgirls and get around to it, then. What haven’t you told me?”

Kehn explained that the Kaul family gravesite had been robbed. He could usually keep calm and say things matter-of-factly even in bad situations, so it was better that he did the talking instead of Tar, even if the matter would likely fall to his brother to deal with in the end. As Kehn spoke, Hilo grew unnervingly still and quiet. The three of them were in a private booth in the Twice Lucky restaurant during the middle of a Firstday afternoon, so there was no one around to overhear, but Kehn could not help casting a glance around, in case there were other Green Bones in the dining room who might Perceive the Pillar’s jade aura flaring like a grease fire.

“I’ve posted people around Widow’s Park,” Kehn said. “We’re talking to anyone who knew the dead groundskeeper and getting the word out to our informers—not giving them details, but we’ll have them watching. Maybe someone in the Mountain is trying to lay claim to Lan-jen’s jade.”

“I can’t believe it was the Mountain,” Tar put in. “What kind of Green Bone would stoop so low? Or be so shoddy as to leave a body and discarded disguises almost in plain sight?” He palmed a few of the roasted nuts from the dish in the center of the table. “If the Mountain wants to start something with us again, there are a thousand other ways for them to do it. Ayt’s a cunning bitch, and who knows about Nau, but they wouldn’t touch a dead man’s jade.”

The Pillar still hadn’t uttered a word or moved. Kehn said, “Whoever the thieves are, if they try to move that amount of jade on the black market, we’ll know about it.”