Free Thirteen Orphans by Jane Lindskold Page B

compliment. “The Orphans not only did not marry Chinese, in most cases, they actively sought to marry outside that ethnic group. They were hiding, you recall, and even an immigrant Chinese community was not large enough to hide them. As for the problem of racial intermarriage … Well, they tended to find ways around it.”

    “They changed their appearances,” Gaheris explained. “They couldn’t eliminate all elements that made them look Chinese, but they could minimize them. Some of the changes were cosmetic or surgical, others were, well … wizardly. The alteration wasn’t perfect, but it was enough. However, since they couldn’t completely alter their genetic heritage, not without eliminating the very traits they were seeking to preserve and pass on, there are throwbacks.”

    Brenda glanced at her reflection in one of the polished serving pieces. “I’m a little bit of a throwback, aren’t I? I always wondered why I’m so dark-haired when all the rest of you have reddish-brown hair.”

    “That’s it,” Gaheris said. “You still look enough like both me and your mother that no one really thinks about it, but there’s some of the old blood cropping up in you. Your heritage won’t be denied, even when you try to deny it.”

    The waiter was approaching with their entrees. He made a bit of a production out of clearing away appetizers, then setting their selections in front of them.

    Pearl sniffed appreciatively at the perfectly cooked rare filet in front of her. “Quite honestly, I have no desire to deny my heritage.”

    Brenda looked up from cutting a scallop with the edge of her fork. “Your father didn’t like that you were going to be the next Tiger, did he?”

    “He did not,” Pearl said. “The Chinese have never been comfortable with female tigers. Your father mentioned yin and yang signs earlier. There are six of each, but some are, you might say, more yang—or yin—than others. Tigers and Horses are very yang. Hares and—yes, I know it’s odd—Rams are very yin. It is a mistake to equate yin with female, yang with male. That is only one of many paired oppositions, but many people do make that equation. My father was a warrior, and he was far from happy that his heir apparent was—as he saw it—unsuited to follow him. He fathered two sons, but no matter how many times he cast the tiles, the omens told him that I was his heir.”

    “That’s so unfair!” Brenda said sympathetically. “Dad, you never felt that way, did you?”

    “Never,” Gaheris said honestly. “I mean, my dad was a male Rat, and all that yang did was make him hardheaded. I figured a mixture of traits was all for the best.”

    Brenda smiled lovingly at him. Pearl fought down a distinct sensation of envy. Brenda seemed to sense this and returned her attention to Pearl.

    “So, Auntie Pearl, what you’re saying is that even though the Orphans manipulated things so that they could pass on their abilities, they didn’t have much choice as to who got them.”

    “That is so. Mostly the firstborn inherited. In a few cases, when a second child was born, the ability slid down the line, as if finding a better fit. That is what my father hoped would happen. When it did not, rather than holding back all I should know, he tutored me with tremendous intensity, but the heart and soul of every lesson was that I was not learning for myself, I was learning in order to be a dutiful daughter and pass on my knowledge to my unborn son, my father’s rightful heir.”

    Pearl cut a bit off her steak and ate it with satisfaction. Brenda kept silence and concentrated on her own meal, then studied Pearl from those amazingly clear eyes.

    “You got even with your dad, though, didn’t you?” Brenda said. “You don’t have any children. What’s going to happen to the Tiger after you?”

    “I have brothers,” Pearl said breezily. “They have sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters. One of them will be revealed as