Some observers, particularly those aligned with the Mountain, muttered that the Pillar of No Peak was growing soft, pandering to the sentiment of jadeless reformists because he kept too many close advisors who were not typical Green Bones, or not Green Bones at all. Others praised the clan for being in touch with current social concerns and setting an example of philanthropic leadership.
Anden knew the truth. His cousin did all these things for Ru. All of Ru’s social causes, the arguments he used to make to his father about the good the clan could do, the things he’d wanted Hilo to care about that his father had humored or ignored—they had taken on a different meaning. Now they were deeds Hilo could do for Ru that he had not done during Ru’s short life, that would’ve made Ru proud of his clan and happy to be a Kaul—the only way left for Hilo to prove he still loved his son.
“Uncle Anden.” Maik Cam came up to Anden, perhaps noticing him mulling his plastic cup of hoji too seriously. Kehn’s son was proudly sporting a new jade ring and three new beads on a platinum chain—understated and professional, a good look for a young lawyer. He’d won his latest spoils in a recent duel against a disgruntled member of the Mountain clan who’d not taken well to the filing of a trademark infringement case. Cam had all the famous greenness of his father’s family but his scholastic leanings came from his mother, Lina, a teacher. He touched his forehead in casual salute and said, “Thanks again for overseeing my duel. I really appreciate it.”
“You’re fast with the blade,” Anden complimented him. “I’m glad you won. I’d much rather be patching up your opponent than you.”
Under new laws, cleanbladed duels required the presence of at least two witnesses, one from each side, along with someone with emergency medical training. As the most prominent Green Bone physician in the No Peak clan, Anden’s schedule was peppered with requests to attend contests. That was not the only change to dueling custom. A twenty-four-hour waiting period was now required between the issuing of the challenge and the fight itself. Only Green Bones were allowed to duel using moon blades or talon knives, and there were limits as to how much jade a combatant could take from an opponent who conceded defeat.
Previous attempts to place restrictions on the tradition of cleanbladed dueling had always failed. The shocking difference this time was that Kaul Hilo had publicly supported reform. He even went so far as to admit that some of the many duels he’d fought in his life had not been strictly necessary. Green Bones, he said, could gain combat experience and earn jade with less injury and death, and jadeless citizens should be encouraged to try to solve disputes in other ways. His own son, Hilo declared, might be alive today if he’d not felt the need to duel, or if the duel had been delayed or better controlled.
The Pillar’s astonishing shift in position had caused fierce debate in the Green Bone community, but even the traditionalist Koben family couldn’t argue against it without seeming ridiculous, as Hilo had fought more duels and won more jade in his life than any of them. The Pillar wielded his will toward the issue with the same amiable, dangerous persuasiveness with which he ran the clan, so what he wished for happened quickly.
Cam grinned. “The other fellow could’ve beaten me if he wasn’t so exhausted from dealing with our lawsuit,” he said, managing to be both polite and cleverly self-aggrandizing at the same time. Cam was burly and broad-shouldered, as tall as his father had been, but unlike Kehn, he had a quick smile and sense of humor. “Where’s Jirhu?” he asked Anden. “Is he not here tonight?”
“No,” Anden said. “This is . . .” He glanced around at the gathering. “A bit too much of a clan occasion for his liking.” He and Jirhuya had come to a long-standing compromise. Anden’s boyfriend came to Kaul family gatherings, where he got along with everyone despite being a little more reserved than usual, but he avoided large No Peak clan functions. Jirhu faithfully wore a ring of bluffer’s jade on his right thumb and did not hide their relationship, and he was accepted by the Kauls because of his importance to Anden, but he was not associated with No Peak in any other way.
Over time, Anden had come to appreciate what had initially seemed to him to be Jirhu’s unreasonable concerns about the optics of patronage. In fact, he was thankful his boyfriend’s career and daily concerns had nothing to do with the world of Green Bones. Jirhu was a refuge from the clan. He listened to Anden’s troubles and encouraged him but never pressed for details or demanded explanations about clan affairs. In return, Anden didn’t pressure Jirhuya to interact with No Peak beyond what he was comfortable with, not even picking up the phone to solve a simple problem through a Kaul family contact rather than accomplishing it some harder way on his own.