Fever Blood

Chapter 27: The Ultimatum

But why did she have to reassure herself of that?

She was lost in her thoughts when someone sat next to her. Startled, she turned to look at him. "Oh, it's just you Karik'ar," she said.

The Kai'Draen arched an eyebrow. "Just me?" He chuckled. "Most people are afraid of me," he said.

"Most people are probably on the business end of your axe," Kyra said.

"True," Karik'ar said, stretching his shoulder. He breathed out, his massive chest rising and falling. He must be at least eight feet tall. He was covered in muscle, more than Laidu, more than anyone she had ever seen. But that wasn't what intrigued Kyra.

"Hey, Karik, can I ask you a personal question?" She looked around the area.

"Sure," Karik'ar said.

"When the tree was about to fall on you, what was that?" Kyra asked.

Karik'ar was silent for a while. "I broke my soul apart. What you saw was magic and a shard of my soul protecting me. But to do that, I had to rip it apart."

Kyra stared at him. "That sounds dangerous," she said.

Karik'ar nodded. "You are the second person I ever explained this to. But it damages me when I do that." He paused, looking around for anyone who could be listening. He even stood up and checked the window. "It makes me...feel dead inside. For me, it erases my ability to feel." Karik'ar shrugged. "I am Steel-born. Warrior caste. We're naturally impulsive. And while there is a safe way to do this, it takes months."

He closed his eyes. "They hunt me because too many hybrid castes had abused it. I knew one who used it too much. He got more and more savage until one day, he snapped. He had a warrior's body. He had the mind of an animal." Karik'ar smiled grimly. "His death made me learn patience."

"Oh," Kyra said. Why would he smile about that?

Karik'ar paused. "It's morbid, I know. But it was helpful. And the Kai'Draeni peoples tend to be a big morbid." He was silent for a while. "Then again, there is something that bothers me about your culture." Kyra paused. What could it be?

"You focus to much on shame, saving face, and other vain things," Karik'ar said. "Your society is based on a thousand pointless rules. Well, not pointless, but you forget the reason that they are there in the first place." Karik'ar folded his arms and stood up. "You put shame on those who mock the noble traditions of family and marriage, but you forget why you do so." Karik'ar leaned on the railing. "You pass judgement, as you should, but you use the most trivial of evidences in your judgements."

"What do you mean?" Kyra asked.

"Other countries shame those who mock family and marriage by their actions. They tell them the truth, that by breaking a vow they made, they ruin lives. But in Caeldar, they just condemn. I asked a woman why this was wrong. She said that it looked bad."

"You let what others think about you steer your path, and you walk by the light of their approval. Even out here, away from that city, you're still chained down by what others think." Karik'ar sighed. "There are five people whose opinions matter. The first is your Highsoul."

"Highsoul?" Kyra asked.

"A Kai'Draeni term, milady. I may live in Saefel Caeldar, but I am a Kai'Draen through and through. In your language, you'd call the Highsoul your God." He paused, then continued with the original idea. "His opinions matter the most."

"Then comes your children. Let them know that, as a mother, you are moral, restrained, and loving." He thought for a moment. "Your husband's opinion is next in importance. Let him know he can trust you, that you have faith in him. Your parents are next. Let them see the works of their hands in your actions and conduct. Let the fruits of their labor be sweet to the taste. And finally, your own opinions matter. Judge yourself not too highly, that you might count yourself greater than others. Judge yourself not too lowly, that you might find vain pride in debasing yourself in the name of humility. Any other opinions don't matter, but the first opinion matters more than the other four put together."