Jade War

I’d been Ito’s accomplice in covering up the murder of an innocent man. Even if he was a Shotarian, he didn’t deserve to die and he didn’t deserve to have his body desecrated. His family had no remains to bury and he would’ve gone to the afterlife in pieces. And even though Ito was surely planning to kill me, he was a man who was in pain who had shown me kindness and given me my first job and livelihood to support my mother and my young wife. I murdered him in cold blood and disposed of his body as well. The gods knew. I think they understood why I did it, and so they weren’t too harsh. So I’ve been fortunate in my life in most ways. Except one.

Sana and I could not have children for many years. When finally we succeeded, we had only daughters. We went to the temple to beg the gods for the favor of a son who would carry the family’s jade, but it was only after ten years of trying that we finally had Coru. He’s a good son, but he is frivolous. I did my best to raise him as a true Green Bone, but he has a childish heart. He wants only to get along with everyone and play around. He’s my only son, the one who will carry the family’s jade when Sana and I are gone. I love him, but he is also my punishment, for the sins I committed as a young man.

* * *

Dauk stood up from his chair. “I will do what you ask. I will put Rohn Toro at your disposal to help No Peak to kill this man, this smuggler Zapunyo. And for that, I ask you to give up my son. I’ve been indulgent of him, but he needs to stop fooling around with men and take his responsibilities seriously. He’s the only Green Bone out of all four of my children, as undeserving and ignorant as he might be of what it truly means to wear jade and how important it is to our family’s identity. He’s not green enough for the old country, but that doesn’t matter; he can still have a good Espenian life, a career that puts that expensive law degree to use, children someday, if the gods are kind to us. He’s not for you. You are sure to return to Janloon eventually, but his place is here.”

Anden struggled at first to find a response. “That’s Cory’s decision,” he said.

“I’m not talking to him now. I’m talking to you. It’s as much your choice as it is his. You come here asking me to commit a crime to help your family, so it’s only right that I ask you for something in return. Give up my son, and I will bend my principles, to help you and your family in this thing that you want. That’s the only way I’m willing to cross this line for you.”

Anden looked at Dauk, a man he’d dismissed when he first met him but had grown to respect, a leader of his community and a shrewd man, truly a Pillar in his own way and own right, a person that Anden now felt deeply indebted to. In that moment, Anden hated him.

He stood up. “You called me a man who means every word he says. I don’t want to say anything I’ll regret, which is why I’m not saying anything to you right now, Dauk-jen.”

Dauk stood up and walked Anden to the door. “You’re wise for your age, my friend.”

* * *

It was late the following evening by the time Anden mustered up the courage to call Cory at the house that he shared with three other law students. To his surprise, it answered on the first ring and an excited female voice said, “What is it now? Just come over already!”

Anden, startled, asked to talk to Cory, and the woman said, “Oh, Seer’s balls, I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else. Just a minute.” She left the phone off the hook, yelling distantly, “Cory! It’s for you!” Anden waited. He could hear a great deal of background chatter and then a huge cheer as if a crowd was watching a sports event on television. At last, Cory’s voice came on the line. “Hey, islander!” he exclaimed. “How’s everything back in P-Mass?”

Anden had a hard time speaking. “I miss you,” he said.

“I miss you too. Midterms start next week, but I’ll try to come back for a visit the weekend after that. You’re still free to gang about, right?”

“That’s why I’m calling,” Anden said. “I’m going to be busy for a while.”

“At work?”

“Sort of,” Anden said. “Family things.”

“You mean clan things.” Cory paused to say something in Espenian to someone else in the house before coming back on the line. “All right, well, you can spare at least one evening, right?”

Anden’s palms were sweating. He had no idea how to do this. He forced the words out. “I don’t think we can get together this time, Cory. You’re busy with school and I’m going to be busy too. I think… maybe it would be best if we didn’t see each other for a while.”

There was a long, uncomprehending pause on the other end, and then a sound like Cory picking up the phone and walking—the background noise from the distant sports game grew fainter. “What’s this about, crumb?” Cory demanded in a whisper. “Are you… breaking up with me?” Anden couldn’t answer; his throat felt entirely closed up.