The Way of the Tigress 1-4

by Jade Lee - The Way of the Tigress 1-4

"You love completely." She smiled. "I feel the same way, Ken Jin. You quiet the frustration in my heart; you give me a sense of direction and purpose." She grinned. "You give me Heaven."

  He shook his head. "We gained it together. Because we worked for it."

  "We worked together as one."

  She understood. And now, with her, he did as well. "We will get married," he said firmly.

  "You will not dedicate yourself to the Emperor?"

  "We will find a way to survive." There would be many difficulties. They had nothing. But for the first time ever, he felt powerful. He was a whole man, and the energy that flooded his body gave him what he needed to face the future.

  He straightened to his feet, pulling her up with him. "Come. We will begin our new life today." He grinned. "I already have an idea—"

  "Yes!" bellowed a voice from the hallway. "Yes, today a new life begins."

  They turned as one to face Gao Jin. Then Ken Jin dashed to the side to grab a tunic for Charlotte. It felt like blasphemy to cover her nakedness while the beauty of Heaven clung to her skin, but he would not have his brother defile her with his gaze. She pulled the garment on quickly, but not before his brother entered. Ken Jin felt his fists clench in fury at the sneer that crossed on his brother's fleshy face.

  "We are not dressed," he said stiffly. "Please wait outside while we—"

  "Don't be ridiculous, brother," Gao Jin said with a cackle. "Do you not recall that we share all things equally? As you enjoyed my wedding night, I shall enjoy that which you are now abandoning."

  Ken Jin felt hot fury boil in his blood. And because Charlotte was with him, the power not only churned in his chest, but extended to his hands and feet as well. "Can you not see what has happened here, brother?" he asked. He kept his voice low, the threat implicit.

  His brother laughed through his nose, and the sound was bestial. "All can see, Ken Jin. It is—"

  "We went to Heaven's antechamber last night. We danced in the Hall of a Thousand Swinging Lanterns."

  Gao Jin's eyes narrowed, and he released a girlish giggle. "Of course you did. And I don't blame you. A man's last night should be enjoyed." He reached out to stroke Charlotte, but she jerked away. She needn't have worried; Ken Jin had already pushed between them, using his body to block his brother's movements.

  "I will not go to the Forbidden City, Gao Jin." He reached for the easiest explanation, one his brother could understand. "We are close to becoming Immortals. I will not throw that away."

  His brother's giggles faded, and his mouth drew into a pout. "You disappoint me. I had thought you stronger than this." He sighed. "But you have never been consistent in anything but trickery."

  Ken Jin reared back, pain at his brother's continued hatred searing through him. The pain was sharp enough to bring tears to his eyes, and yet it... it replaced the numbness that had surrounded him for years. It was a good pain.

  "I am the trickster?" he asked, his voice gaining strength as he reclaimed the part of his spirit that he'd given to his brother. "I did not sneak into a cart to steal my brother's treat."

  "It was not a treat! I went to the surgeons!"

  Ken Jin shrugged. "And you would be whole now if you had not tried to trick me."

  Gao Jin reared forward, his fists poised to strike. Ken Jin did not even flinch. He knew he was faster than his brother. So he continued to speak, his voice growing stronger with each word. "I did not pretend my brother sired my wife's bastard. I did not take your money and your love to clothe and feed a boy who has been raised to hate you."

  "And I cannot father a son on my own because of you!" Gao Jin screamed.

  Ken Jin nodded, acknowledging the truth. "That crime is mine to bear. Yours are the crimes you have committed since." He took a deep breath, and when he released it, he knew he had reclaimed all that was lost to this bitter brother. "I have no more obligations to you, my brother." He straightened. "You are disowned."

  Gao Jin reared back, fear mixing with hatred in every quivering inch of his body. But Ken Jin knew he could not weaken in purpose. He would have to do it all. Turning his back on his brother, he grabbed his rolled pack. He and Charlotte would leave without again looking upon Gao Jin's face. Then it would be done, and he would be free. Happiness began to bubble inside his heart.

  "No!" Charlotte screamed.

  Pain exploded in his head, and he knew no more.

  * * *

  Charlotte launched herself at Gao Jin. Finally, she could vent her feelings on this despicable man. She'd seen him raise his fist, knew exactly what he intended, but had been too far away to prevent it. The blow had landed with a sickening thud at the base of Ken Jin's skull.

  She attacked. Throwing herself forward, Charlotte dragged the eunuch off Ken Jin, who was already crumpling to the floor. Then she hit, she kicked, she even bit and tore with her nails. And Gao Jin went down under her assault. He was strong, but like Ken Jin, he'd been unprepared.

  She avoided most of his blows and kept him too off balance to put much strength into those that did connect. Unfortunately, he did not live alone.

  Within moments of her attack, Gao Jin began bellowing. She barely noticed until meaty hands grabbed her hair and arms. She was bodily dragged away despite her best efforts. Soon, pain exploded across her left temple and darkness edged her vision. She felt herself slip to her knees, the strength gone from her limbs.

  Meanwhile, Gao Jin was giving instructions. "My brother has weak nerves. He wished to be unconscious during the cutting."

  "Liar!" she screeched, but no one paid the least attention to her. Not Gao Jin, not the three eunuchs who had dragged her off to one side, and certainly not the scrawny Chinese man with the large knife who entered the room. She blinked to clear her blurry vision. Oh Lord, they were going to do the surgery right here. And Ken Jin was still unconscious on the floor.

  She tried to struggle to her feet. Her vision stabilized, but her body was still weak. Worse, one of the eunuchs held her down with a single massive hand on the back of her neck. One squeeze, and he might very well snap her neck.

  "Just as well," the scrawny man was saying. "Just as well in one so old."

  "Stop!" she bellowed. "Stop! Stop! Stop!" She said it in all the languages she knew. English, Shanghai dialect, Mandarin—none had the least effect except to draw Gao Jin's attention. He stepped over to her, his disdain obvious in the curl of his lip and the cruelty in his voice.

  "I intended to kill you, ghost whore, but Heaven smiled upon me. A man came to me this morning, one of your own kind, who wished to buy you."

  Charlotte tried to leap to her feet, only to be kept in place by the man holding her neck. "How can you do this to him? After all he's done for you. He's your brother!" She was allowed to lift her head enough to see a sick smile push his fleshy cheeks wide.

  "But you heard him. He's not my brother anymore."

  "Bastard!"

  Gao Jin paused and stared down at her in mock sadness. "Barbarians," he spat. "They understand nothing." Then he turned to watch the surgeon.

  Charlotte tried to see, but it was difficult. Ken Jin had been lifted onto the bed, and two of the eunuchs were undressing him. To one side, the surgeon had begun sharpening his knife, and the steady shir, shir of blade against strop set Charlotte's teeth on edge.

  "Ken Jin!" she cried. "Wake up! Ken Jin!"

  "Shut up!" snarled Gao Jin. Then he snapped a finger and both of the eunuchs holding Ken Jin straightened. They had finished their work. Ken Jin lay naked and exposed. And yet...

  Charlotte narrowed her eyes. Could it be? His dragon was not a small thing. It was... moving? Could he be awake? Pretending? But it was four against one. He couldn't fight them all. She had to distract them somehow.

  She surged forward, she screamed, and she fought like a demon. It accomplished absolutely nothing except a searing pain in her neck as the eunuch pushed her down to the floor.

  "You!" Gao Jin pointed to the eunuch by the door. "Go get the barbarian
Captain!"

  The man hesitated, obviously afraid. Apparently they had no problem fighting a white woman, but facing a white captain alone was a little too intimidating. The superstitions that surrounded white sailors was legendary.

  Gao Jin cursed. "Both of you go." He threw a scathing look at Ken Jin. "There won't be any problem here."

  The two eunuchs scurried away. The surgeon stopped sharpening his blade. Only one eunuch remained, his hand hard and heavy on the back of Charlotte's neck. It was now or never. She tensed and her captor's hand tightened enough to draw a whimper of pain from her lips. She couldn't move. She couldn't do anything. It was up to Ken Jin. If he was awake, he had to act. Now. She silently willed him to move.

  Nothing.

  And the surgeon leaned forward and positioned his knife.

  "Where is she?" a man's voice bellowed in accented Mandarin. "Get out of my way!"

  Everyone turned to the doorway. Everyone but Charlotte, who wasn't allowed to move her head. But she trembled at the sound. The voice was hard, the accent rough. She had seen white ship captains and knew some of the traffic they carried. Flesh-peddling was a thriving trade in the Orient.

  Ken Jin exploded off the bed. Charlotte hadn't even realized it was happening until the surgeon squealed in terror. She blinked and saw Ken Jin standing on the bed, using his superior position to grab the man's neck. Then he chopped at the surgeon's wrist and caught the knife as it fell.

  Gao Jin spun back to the bed, but before he could do more, Ken Jin threw the surgeon against the wall and raised the knife toward the eunuch who held her down. Charlotte heard the thud of a fist meeting flesh, but she couldn't see who had hit whom. Then came another thud, a squeal, and she was abruptly released. Suddenly, Ken Jin was pulling her upright, his voice urgent in her ear.

  "Are you hurt? Are you—"

  "I'm fine. Are you—"

  "Whoreson!" Gao Jin screeched, and then Charlotte was pushed back down, but this time by Ken Jin. He stepped in front of her.

  "No!" she cried, but it was too late. Brother fought brother, and it was all she could do to scramble out of the way. She would have helped if she could; she stood and faced the combatants, but within moments she saw that Ken Jin had the upper hand. His brother attacked with fury but no skill, whereas Ken Jin was precise and coldly determined.

  So she turned to face the newest threat—an angry bear of a white man who stormed into the room. He'd been delayed by the fleeing surgeon and eunuch, but now he burst into the room with a dark menace. Charlotte crouched to meet him, only marginally surprised to see Little Pearl rush in behind him. Leave it to that woman to take up sides with a flesh peddler.

  Charlotte blinked, her mind scrambling to catch up. She knew the Captain. She'd met him before...

  Beside her, Ken Jin threw his brother to the floor and dropped one knee onto the man's back. Gao Jin was defeated. Even his curses were choked off, for Ken Jen pressed his other knee into the man's throat. Then Ken Jin looked up—first to Charlotte, then to the man poised in the doorway.

  "Captain Jonas?" he said in English, his voice completely steady. "It is an honor to see you again, sir."

  Charlotte gasped as a memory finally slid into place.

  This was the Captain she'd seen at the Tigress school. The one who ran across the inner garden right after Little Pearl...

  The bear straightened and visibly relaxed. "Are you all right, Ken Jin?" He turned to scan Charlotte. "Miss Wicks?"

  Ken Jin glanced to her and waited for her nod before speaking. "We're both fine, but..." His voice trailed away as Little Pearl stepped out from behind the Captain. He hadn't been able to see her before. "What brings you here?"

  The Captain didn't answer. Instead, he stepped aside as Little Pearl slipped forward. She was obviously uncertain, though she shot an angry glance at the Captain beside her. But then she bowed deeply to Kin Jin first and then to Charlotte. "We came searching for you. Much has been said about your departure." She glanced at Charlotte. "And yours."

  "Why would you care?" snapped Charlotte. She immediately regretted her hasty words. Ken Jin obviously knew and trusted these people; she would be wise to remain silent until she understood things better. Unfortunately, she'd never been good at holding her tongue. "Gao Jin said you bought me from him."

  "That was a ruse," Captain Jonas explained quietly. "Ken Jin and I have known each other for years. I am Tan Kui Yu's business partner," he added by way of explanation. It didn't help. At the moment, Charlotte couldn't even remember who Tan Kui Yu was, but she could tell that Ken Jin was perfectly comfortable with the man, especially when the Captain walked over and casually put a heavy boot on Gao Jin's back. "So this is the eunuch brother, huh?" he said in English.

  Ken Jin straightened, which allowed Gao Jin to take his first deep breath since he'd hit the floor. Two moments later, the eunuch began cursing in Mandarin. Charlotte didn't know the words, but Little Pearl did and her cackle of laughter split the air.

  "Arrogant words," she said, "for a man with his nose in the dirt."

  That caused another round of vehement curses, until the Captain shifted his weight. When Gao Jin could no longer draw breath, his invective sputtered to silence.

  Captain Jonas smiled at Ken Jin. "I know something of your past from Kui Yu. After I received your letter and heard about your disappearance..." He shrugged. "It wasn't hard to put two and two together. If nothing else, I knew you would come here to try and settle things with your brother." He glanced down at the purpling eunuch. "So, is it settled?"

  Ken Jin didn't speak. He merely gazed down at the floor in mute misery. Charlotte knew she should stay out of it. She knew he had to decide on his own, but somehow she found herself moving anyway. Jaw firmly shut, she went to his side and touched his hand. His fingers immediately intertwined with hers. They were together, and that was enough. She trusted him to make the right decision.

  He sighed and crouched down beside his brother. "We were brothers once, and I destroyed that. I thought we might be brothers again, but you have ended all hope of that. I am sorry, Gao Jin, for what I did to you. And I also grieve for what you did to me." He straightened. "We are done now. Pursue me or mine in any way at all, and even a white gunboat could not prevent the devastation I will visit upon your head."

  At Ken Jin's cue, Captain Jonas eased his weight off Gao Jin. The eunuch lifted his head enough to spit at Ken Jin's feet. "You are a whoreson and no relative of mine."

  Ken Jin nodded. "Then we are agreed."

  It took few moments to dress and gather their belongings. Captain Jonas didn't release Gao Jin until all was ready. Then he leaned down and muttered something low into the man's ear. It was obviously a threat, because Gao Jin's quivering cheek paled to a sickly white, but Charlotte couldn't hear. Then Ken Jin, Charlotte, Little Pearl, and Captain Jonas all headed for the door. Charlotte glanced back long enough to see that Gao Jin hadn't moved. Even unrestrained, he remained on his belly in the dirt.

  "My ship is waiting," Captain Jonas said. "We'll take you back to Shanghai."

  "No!" Ken Jin said, his voice firm. "I must find a way to help the Tans." He grimaced as he looked behind him at his still-cowering brother. "But the only way into the Forbidden City is as a eunuch. And I—"

  "There is news of Shi Po," Little Pearl interrupted, but then did not say more until they were out of the guest quarters and moving through the receiving hall. "A woman came to the school. General Kang's mistress. She told us of the Tans."

  "Are they alive?" Ken Jin pressed.

  Little Pearl nodded. "Yes. And safe for now." She glanced at Charlotte. "As is the Shaolin and his white woman."

  Charlotte gasped. "Joanna? Joanna is all right?"

  Little Pearl nodded her head, though there was confusion in her expression. "They build another temple in a place called Hong Kong."

  "It's an island," said Captain Jonas. "South of Shanghai. I could take you there, if you like. Or..." He glanced significantly at Little
Pearl.

  The woman shot him a glare, but the anger quickly faded. Then she turned to Charlotte and bowed with all possible formality. "I offer you a home at the Tigress school. You can study there under my direction. I..." She swallowed and glanced at Ken Jin first, the Captain second. "I was in error when we last met. I beg your forgiveness."

  Charlotte didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to take this humbled Little Pearl, especially since she didn't believe for one second that the woman was cowed. In any event, she already had her answer. He was still holding her hand even as they climbed into the Chinese carriage waiting by the front gate.

  It was a tight fit—all four of them on one seat—but they managed. And Charlotte didn't mind curling tight to the man beside her. Neither did Little Pearl, apparently, as she settled tightly against Captain Jonas.

  "Charlotte and I are to be married," Ken Jin said before she could speak. "We will have our own home, Little Pearl. I don't know where yet, but—"

  "We can talk to Mr. Crane, Joanna's father," Charlotte put in. "Maybe he'll help—"

  "No, no!" Captain Jonas said as he gathered the reins and set the carriage moving. "That's the other reason I came to find you. It's all a mess, Ken Jin. Mr. Wicks's accounts are a disaster throughout town. I can't keep Kui Yu's holdings together if you can't keep the Wicks partnerships from falling apart. We're in this together, and I can't do it alone." His voice was tight and angry, but the rest of his body appeared completely at ease.

  Ken Jin shook his head. "I am no longer the Wickse's First Boy. My replacement—"

  "Aie-yah," cried Little Pearl. "You still do not listen! The Wickses are gone. Your replacement cashed everything he could, then fled. All your partners—" She threw up her hands. "Disaster!"

  "Gone?" Charlotte asked. "I don't understand." Captain Jonas turned the carriage onto a busier street, but she could still hear him clearly over the city noise. "Your family boarded a ship for England some days ago. They said you had dedicated yourself to the Church."

  She jerked back slightly at the news, but then Ken Jin's arms tightened and his warmth braced her. "They're gone?" she asked, her voice gratifyingly steady.