by Jenn Stark
This was all moving way too fast. I lifted my hands to protest, but the second woman stepped forward. “Please, we can talk inside,” she said, her words clipped. “There is much to tell you and much for you to understand.”
“This is General Som,” Jiao said, her serene face etched with pride. “She is one of our strongest generals and came from her base in Cambodia to ensure our safety immediately after Madam Soo’s death. She can explain much of your new role, Madam Wilde.”
General Som didn’t look like she’d relish that opportunity, but she nodded and turned on her heel, leading us into the house.
Brody held up a hand, frowning. “Cambodia?” he asked Jiao. “So your operation here isn’t solely Chinese.”
I’d suspected this, since I’d already encountered previous warriors for Soo who were decidedly Japanese, but I still focused on Jiao as she turned to him. “Not at all, Detective Rooks,” she said. “Madam Soo built her House on steel and strength, wherever she could find it. You will find members of the House of Swords in every corner of the world. And that’s exactly how Madam Soo preferred it.”
She sailed through the door.
Reluctantly, I entered as well, still convinced that it bore nothing even close to resembling a place where I could live. Nikki clearly did not harbor the same reservations. She gave a considering “hmph” at every new room, muttering about needing a tape measure. Brody, for his part, kept his hand at his waist, though this part of the big house was empty and silent, its high ceilings and enormous windows flooding the rooms with light.
We ended up in a drawing room that looked over a swooping canopy of trees, with more pools and pathways peeking through the breaks. “The home is situated on twenty-seven acres,” General Som said. “It is equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance. You will know if you are being approached, even by air.”
Jiao motioned for us to sit. Sealed water bottles in miniature ice buckets rested on trays beside each of the chairs, and while the palatial house was startling enough, the miniature ice buckets took me over the top. Jiao bowed to me, her expression serene.
“We regret not reacting sooner in Tel Aviv. It was difficult to track your actions, to know precisely when you left Hippos and where you were heading.” She tilted her head. “Your companion—we are still unsure what happened to him, exactly. We did, of course, dispose of his clothing.”
“His clothing,” Brody said flatly, but I waved him off.
“Simon. He’s fine.” I leaned in, swiveling my gaze to both women. “Can you please explain what’s happening here?”
“First, I must return these to you.” Jiao moved to a small table in the center of the room, upon which sat an ornate box I’d seen before. I stiffened, and General Som’s gaze also riveted on her. “I left that in my hotel safe at the Palazzo.”
“And I stole it,” Som interrupted, without hesitation. “It was not a safe location.”
Jiao’s smile was gentler. “Madam Soo long ago advised us that the pendants are meant to be worn at all times—ideally as a pair. We took the liberty to assist you in this regard.”
She moved toward me and offered up the chain. The two jade pendants belonging to Annika Soo and her mother had been set into a necklace of intricate metal ropes, the discs linked by a series of silver chains, binding the two together.
“That’s, um…very nice,” I said.
Jiao nodded. “A local jeweler recommended to me by multiple sources.” Nikki and I exchanged a look, but Jiao kept going. “While you are the head of the House of Swords, it is to your advantage to wear the pendants.”
Not wanting to push the point, I bent forward as she settled the chain over my head. The silver rims fashioned to hold the disks kept the worst of their effect from my skin, but I could still feel the competing sensations of heat and cold arcing along my collarbone. I glanced to Som and gave the general a steady smile, and the woman seemed satisfied, finally.
“You are Soo’s named successor,” Som said, nodding once. “It is good you are here.”
“Ah—thanks.” I turned to Jiao. “Okay, that’s done. Now what?”
“It is a complex question that you ask, yet we will start with what is simple.” Jiao settled herself into a chair and folded her hands on her lap. She crossed her feet at the ankles, a movement so quietly elegant that even Nikki straightened.
“At Madam Soo’s decree, you have been named head of the House of Swords. This is not merely a ceremonial role. You are expected to be a master of swordplay, as she was—” She held up a hand at my obvious shock. “She was aware you do not fight with the blade but with your gun. That will be rectified.”
“Not anytime soon,” I said. “That’s a nonstarter. You need to know that.”
“We are bringing in a master trainer to assess your abilities and provide you with the most likely path to perform your duties honorably,” General Som said. With that proclamation, neither of them apparently considered my deficient fighting skills an issue.
Jiao continued blithely, “In addition, you will be the administrative head of the House.”
I blinked. “Administration? Like paperwork?”
“You will have an entire staff at your disposal, of course.” She nodded, but this still didn’t sound anywhere close to being a good idea. My idea of bill collection usually involved a gun.
Jiao’s soft voice drew me back. “The House of Swords is an organization that has existed in loose form for over five hundred years, most of that time based in Shanghai,” she said. “That location no longer serves, however. The Waldorf Astoria Hotel sustained significant damage in an attack immediately after Madam Soo’s death. The entire top floor was demolished.”
“What?” Nikki barked as my own eyes widened. “Who bombed it?”
“They are calling the damage the result of faulty wiring, and the hotel is closing for renovations. Due to a longstanding arrangement between the Soo family and the building’s owners, the repairs will be covered and expedited to ensure minimal loss from tourism. It is not a concern.”
I forced my tone to stay steady, but seriously—a bomb? “Did any of her people die?”
“Not in that event, no.” Jiao’s attention flicked to me, and her smile deepened slightly. “Madam Soo anticipated the unrest her death might cause and long ago put in place instructions for the transfer of power. Even though she had not chosen a successor until you. Your existence will stay the internal chaos that often comes with such transitions, and allow us to guard against usurpers.”
Usurpers. The word slithered through me, setting me on edge.
“She’s not—married? No family?” I flapped my hand, suddenly feeling the weight of the pendants around my neck. “What would’ve happened if she hadn’t hired me for that job?”
“She has no children, by choice. The leadership of the House of Swords is an honor that should be conferred, not inherited, in her opinion. There are several worthy generals in her hierarchy who anticipated receiving it.” She nodded to General Som, whose face betrayed no emotion.
“Right,” Nikki drawled, directing her question to General Som. “And how are they taking the news?”
“This is an honorable house. We will pledge ourselves to Madam Soo’s preferred successor after the Test of Swords,” General Som said matter-of-factly. “If Madam Wilde demonstrates her capacity to fight, we will follow her. If she does not, and we best her in battle, we will take up the challenge of leadership among ourselves. Either way, the House remains protected.”
I considered that. “Or, you know, I could simply hand it off to one of you general people right at the start, or to all of you if that’s better, and you could go ahead and fight it out,” I said. “Because that’s what you know how to do. Fight. With really sharp swords.”
I’d expected General Som to jump on that idea. Instead, her expression darkened. “No. You must submit to the Test of Swords and meet the generals who challenge you in single combat. There is no other way. To reject the hono
r bestowed on you out of hand by Madam Soo would damage the House,” she said. “It will not be tolerated.”
Oh-kayyyy.
“You mean she can’t say no to this?” Brody spoke, but both he and Nikki bristled, while I sat back in surprise. “She didn’t ask Soo to give her that role.”
“But she accepted it.” Jiao’s words were only about two percent question, but there was that two percent. I lifted a hand to my head, unsurprised there was a sheen of sweat on my brow. I hadn’t really, technically accepted Soo’s offer. But Jiao continued. “She accepted the pendants of the House of Swords.”
Okay, that I definitely had done. “She was dying,” I protested as Brody swung back to me, his gaze equal parts anger and anger. “She asked me to run her house. I didn’t say yes, not exactly.” I looked at Jiao, my words firmer. “But you’re right, I did take the pendants”
“That was a necklace, for God’s sake—” Brody continued, but Nikki’s strident voice overtook him.
“What is the honorable exit clause in all this?” she asked, leaning forward until her elbows rested on her knees. “Because I’ve gotta tell you, Sara’s not going to become Jackie Chan overnight, I don’t care who you get in here to train her. So what does she have to do?”
I put aside my indignation, misplaced as it was, and focused on Jiao. She was looking at Nikki, but her words filled the room with their finality. “Madam Wilde must agree to do battle with the enemy of the House of Swords. The generals will attend that battle and step in when she falls.”
“When she falls?” Nikki protested. “That doesn’t seem reasonable.”
Jiao inclined her head. “It is part of the Test of Swords. A very old tradition, and one that Madam Soo herself proudly maintained.”
“Well, she could sword fight,” Nikki groused. “So there’s that.”
I lifted my own hand to cut off Jiao’s reply. “This fight—it has to be swords? It’s stated that way, specifically?”
Jiao nodded, while General Som simply stared at me, silent and fierce. “Swords must be brought to bear,” Jiao said.
“And nothing else? Like, a sword and say—an Uzi?”
Jiao frowned. “I do not know the specific wording. It is possible that something begun with a blade might be ended with a gun or a fist—”
“Or a bomb,” Nikki put in dryly. “Or maybe an act of God.”
Jiao folded her hands. “We will do the research.”
Something about this still seemed off, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. “What else, then? Let’s say I hold on to Annika’s commission. Who else is after me?”
Jiao’s expression didn’t change, but her gaze held mine. “The position is fraught with danger.”
“Okay, so everyone.” I grimaced. “And who’s helping me?”
To my surprise, General Som spoke. “Ordinarily, the generals would be committed to your protection,” she said. “But first they must confirm your right to assume the role.”
Like that was going to happen. “Uh-huh. And that leaves…?”
“Your guards and staff.” Jiao spoke up. Which sounded good, until one considered that she’d chucked a knife at me not ten hours earlier. “We will stand watch over you wherever you are in the world. And, of course, your Ace will serve as your personal bodyguard.”
“Hold the phones.” Nikki perked up, swinging her gaze to me. “You get a personal bodyguard? Is he hot?”
“Who’s Ace?” I asked.
Jiao shook her head. “It is not a who but a what. The House structure has changed several times over the centuries, it’s true. However, one practice that has stood the test of time for all the Houses is the concept of Aces: Unconnected mercenaries who can cycle through any or all of the Houses without betraying them to the general public, with the specific purpose of fighting for the highest bidder. The House of Swords has its current Ace, but you may draw from any of the Houses should your needs demand.”
“Her needs definitely demand,” Nikki said.
I was intrigued too, though for what I suspected was a very different reason. “So, where is he—or she? Here in Las Vegas?”
“The Ace assigned to the House of Swords was known only to Madam Soo. They aren’t a personal bodyguard, they’re a mercenary for hire, tapped only when needed—but one who is entrusted with the House secrets. We have not been able to contact the Ace of Swords directly since her passing, though we have reached out. There was no response. After that, we chose from the list of Madam Soo’s more conventional hires.”
“Right,” I said. “And Nigel Friedman was on that second list, I take it. The conventional run-of-the-mill mercenary killers.”
“He was the closest to Israel at the time as well.” Jiao inclined her head. “I’m afraid I have no way to contact the Aces directly. We put out a request to a private server and offer up the details of the assignment. Whatever Ace is closest and can do the job, responds.”
“Holy Mother in Chains,” Nikki breathed. “It’s Mercenary Tinder.”
I grimaced, considering my options. My House Ace hadn’t responded when called, which wasn’t a good sign. But I at least could contact these people if and when I needed them.
“Okay,” I breathed out. “So what’s next? You clearly knew you wouldn’t be stuck long in the precinct house, Jiao.”
“Which is an entirely different conversation,” Brody blustered.
“One I look forward to having, Detective Rooks.” Jiao’s words were ever so slightly inflected, and I watched with raised brows as Brody colored. I wasn’t sure which of them would win in a throw down, but it would be a hell of a fight to watch. Then she turned to me. “But you are correct. We were prepared for your return, whenever you chose to leave Paris.”
“Girl, you can’t keep going to Paris and leaving me behind.” Nikki pushed out her lip. “Maybe I can become one of these Aces people. I bet they get to go to Paris.”
“And, as General Som has indicated, we have arranged for a trainer to assess your abilities with the blade,” Jiao continued smoothly. “If you are fit and able, we could do it now. His assessment will go a long way toward helping you determine your best course of action.”
“Fine,” I said. I was exhausted and jet-lagged, but if I had to pick up an actual honest-to-God sword and fight someone in the future—I should get this over with. “It’s not going to get any better from here, so he might as well see me at my worst.”
After some argument, Nikki and Brody remained with the general in the sitting room, and Jiao walked with me deeper into the house. “Madam Soo custom-built the sword-practicing facility in the base of all her houses,” she said. “It was a particular passion of hers.”
Of course it was. “How long did you work with her?”
“I knew Madam Soo her entire life,” she said. “I was her grandmother’s cousin, though I retired from service when Madam Soo’s mother died. When Madam Soo came to reclaim her rightful place, she asked me to return.” Jiao straightened, her eyes flaring brightly. “I did so with honor.”
“I’m very sorry for your loss, then,” I said, but the fierce expression that had taken hold of Jiao’s face fled just as quickly as it had arrived. Nevertheless…something about it tripped my trigger, and not in a good way.
Jiao accepted my condolences with a small nod. “That we all might die as honorably as she did would be the greatest grace of all.”
Before I could argue the logic of that, she stopped at a large dark-paneled door.
“Master Kunh Lee will assess your abilities today,” Jiao said. “You will learn much of what you are capable of within these walls.”
“Great.” As I turned, Jiao reached out and grabbed my arm.
“Madam Soo was a woman quick to decision and slow to regret. She would not have regretted choosing you, no matter what you learn here. Do all that you must, but know that she chose with her heart.” Jiao shook her head. “I cannot say whether or not she chose wisely. Only you will be able to determine th
at. But know I will support your decision, whatever you do.”
“Ah, thanks,” I said, but Jiao was already turning away.
I watched her pace back down the long hallway in her sensible pumps, and still couldn’t put my finger on what troubled me about her. If she was Annika’s great-aunt, shouldn’t she care more that the next head of the House of Swords was someone, oh, I don’t know, capable of picking up a sword? Shouldn’t she be wanting the position for herself, instead of doing all she could to ensure I landed the role? If that was even what she was doing?
I shook my head, squaring my shoulders as I pushed through the door to the workout room. Consoling myself as I entered the enormous space, complete with a rubberized floor and an honest-to-God water fountain flowing down one of the walls, I considered: how bad could it be?
There are certain questions one should never pose to the universe.
The guru hired by the House of Swords was an Asian Chuck Norris with way more confidence. A thin, wiry man of about five feet five, Kunh Lee wore a gi the way I wore yoga pants and a tank top. With a gesture and a grunt, he instructed I change into similar footless pajamas.
Then we fought.
The first battle was with fists, a flurry of movement I quickly recognized as a trick to tire me more than defeat me. It worked, however, though at least I felt at home with this style of battle. Kunh’s face remained fiercely focused as we grappled. He never gave me any quarter, though I channeled every street-fighting technique I’d ever tried into fighting back—if only to prove to myself that Soo had not chosen completely foolishly.
When he stood back, I was so surprised, I fell to my knees, my lungs bellowing and my heart jackhammering out of control.
My respite was short-lived, however. Rods came next, and I was less successful here. I wasn’t used to hammering on someone with a thin baseball bat, though I could see this too was an assessment of how I might handle the sword. I was beaten to a pulp by the time this second battle finished. As Kunh handed me a sword, I grimaced.
