“That shameless kin killer Jio Somu has about two-thirds of Six Hands Unity behind him with the Mountain’s support, but the other third and many of their top Lantern Men have come over to us, begging for help and vengeance,” Iyn said, shortly after dawn. The Fist’s short, spiky hair was disheveled and her aura was bright with adrenaline and new jade. Shae had heard rumors that Tar’s fiancée was being considered for promotion to First Fist, which would make her the first woman to achieve such a high rank on the military side of the clan. “The bad news is that the Mountain moved into place before we even got here and they have the local barukan gangs on their side. So they were able to get ahead of us and are still holding on to control of most of Six Hands Unity’s former territory.”
“We can’t win a street war for local businesses,” Woon said, pacing near the foot of Shae’s bed. “Based on what we know, the most important thing is that we take control of Lukang’s port and go after the barukan who move jade for the Mountain.”
“That’s what we’ve been doing,” Iyn replied with some surliness. Fists did not take well to being told what to do by suits on the business side. “The harbor district is where most of the fighting’s concentrated. Juen-jen’s ordered another fifteen Green Bones down from Janloon, but any more and we risk leaving our important territories up there undefended. We’ll be lucky just to keep what we currently have in Lukang, unless there’s something else the Weather Man’s office can think of?” She arched an eyebrow at Shae and Woon before stalking out again.
_______
Shae was discharged from the hospital after twenty-four hours and arrived back home in Janloon at one o’clock in the morning. Woon opened the front door of her house, then came back to the car and lifted her out carefully. The pain in Shae’s leg had lessened, but she felt weak, and bleary from painkillers. She put her arms around Woon’s neck and her head against his shoulder as he carried her inside. It was the closest she’d been to him in months, and the familiar, steadfast hum of his jade aura and the solidity of his body comforted her. When he settled her on the sofa in the living room, she let go of him reluctantly and felt cold as soon as she did so.
Woon brought pillows and a blanket down from her bedroom and placed them under her head and her wounded leg to make her more comfortable. Until she could climb stairs again, she would be better off sleeping on the main level, where she could more easily get to the kitchen and the bathroom. He sat down on the floor beside the sofa and laid his elbow and head down next to her on the cushions, exhausted after two days of little sleep. Shae reached out tentatively and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Again.”
Woon placed his hand over hers. With a sigh, he turned his head and brought her hand up to his cheek, pressing his face against her palm. Her fingers trembled against his skin. Despite all that had happened in the past thirty-six hours, an ache of want arose in her, so intense it seemed a physical thing, a hook through her navel. The tenor of Woon’s jade aura deepened and he looked at her with a helpless question in his eyes. When she pulled him closer, he gave in with no resistance.
They kissed, and kept kissing. Shae’s vision blurred; she forgot her injury and her fatigue. Woon’s mouth moved with slow, deep neediness. Rising up on his knees, he leaned over her, supporting her under the head with one arm. His other hand touched her throat, then her chest. Shae arched toward him. Still kissing her, he undid the top buttons of her shirt. Almost fearfully it seemed, as if wading into certain danger, he began touching her breasts over her bra, closing his eyes as he brushed warm fingers over the hardened nipples straining against fabric.
With a groan, Woon drew his hands and mouth away and sank back down next to her, dropping his forehead to the sofa cushions. Shae hung on to him for a second, then let go.
“It’s no use,” he murmured, his voice muffled beside her. “I can’t help that I’m in love with you.”
Shae sagged against the sofa and reached for his hand. “I have no right to ask you for anything. I won’t.”
Hilo walked into the house. Shae and Woon had not been paying attention to anything besides each other and failed to Perceive the Pillar’s approach before he was standing in the entrance of the living room with an impassive glare.
Woon got to his feet hastily and blinked a few times before bringing his hands up to his forehead in salute. “Kaul-jen.” He cleared his throat.