“I see,” Sotu said. “So what happened?”
“I destroyed the evidence, and saved Raja using my dragon magic. But if I hadn’t been there, who knows what would have happened to him?” I sighed in frustration. “He wasn’t thinking about his life, or our child. He was so obsessed with his family’s reputation, of all things.”
Sotu nodded slowly, taking all of this in. He then asked, “When you say reputation, what exactly are you referring to?”
I paused. The conversation entered dangerous territory now.
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you the whole truth,” I admitted. “It would make Raja very upset if I did.”
The corners of Sotu’s eyes wrinkled as he smiled. “Ah. I see. Do not tell me, then.”
Relief washed over me when he didn’t push the topic.
“You know, Silver Beast - and I say this with utmost respect - but you are clearly not one of us,” Sotu said. “You come from a culture deeply different to ours. Wrong and right might be different here than where you are from. What may seem like a small issue to you might be a matter of life or death for Raja.”
I paused as I took in Sotu’s words. It was true that Pardus clan and Cinderhollow tribe were two very different cultures. Suddenly, I felt ashamed that I hadn’t realized that before. I didn’t even spare a moment to consider Raja’s background when I’d yelled at him.
“Now, that is not to say Raja is not a bit immature - I knew Chief Eka when we were both young boys, and the similarities between him and his son are astounding - but perhaps you should consider his point of view as well as your own,” Sotu concluded. “Do you understand?”
I nodded slowly. “Yes. Thank you, Chief Sotu.”
He touched me affirmingly on the hand, then gestured to his home, where Raja was sequestered away. “Go to him, now.”
I began the torturous walk towards Sotu’s hut. It pained me knowing Raja was inside, crying and upset because of my words. Now that my adrenaline-fuelled emotions had cooled off, it sunk in just how terribly I yelled at him earlier.
“Raja?” I called as I entered the home. From the back corner, hiding behind a wall of mud and steel, someone flinched. Raja huddled deeper into his blanket while curled up on the floor with tear-stained eyes. Guilt cut me. This was all my fault.
“Raja, please listen,” I said.
“Go away,” he muttered. “I don’t want to see you right now. All you do is scream at me.”
“I promise I won’t raise my voice this time. And I’m sorry for doing it earlier,” I said quietly.
He cast a suspicious glance over his shoulder before muttering, “Fine.”
I sat across from him. With his wet eyes and tear-streaked cheeks, he looked like an emotional mess - which he had every right to be.
“How do you feel?” I asked.
“Like shit. How else do you feel when your fake boyfriend yells at you?”
I winced but I couldn’t argue with that. “I’m sorry. I let my emotions get the better of me.”
Raja glanced at me warily, but he let me talk, which was a good sign.
I continued. “To tell you the truth, I was scared out of my mind. I’ve never felt fear like that before, in my entire life. So when the danger passed, I took it out on you, and I shouldn’t have.”
The wariness in his gaze waned a bit. “You said a lot of hurtful things to me, you know.”
“I know.”
“I heard you talking to Sotu outside,” he mumbled. “What did he say to you?”
“He explained something to me that I hadn’t thought about until I heard it from someone else,” I admitted. “About culture, about right and wrong…”
Raja’s eyes flashed with fear. “Did you tell him about - ?”
“No, I didn’t, don’t worry,” I said quickly.
