Lion Head Mesa the whole dynamic is a cause for concern

qiao's lip twitched. she had been borne into such a code: eye for eye, blood for blood. the world had been built on such a code. dominions toppled, kingdoms razed, and gristle meted under such a metric.

but that was not qiao's code. she always thought it was funny, that thing called pari passu. the first blow was insult, the second simply retribution -- but did agents of retribution ever consider that he who struck first was perhaps deserving of sevenfold vengeance?

after all, what monster first conceived the idea of striking down his own kind?

that is not necessary, divine one. qiao bowed her head. neither would satisfy that code of blood-metes-blood, and neither would remind khaba he had first struck. the recovery of such injury would make him useless to the throne. he is your servant. punishing him would only punish the crown, my pharaoh.

she waited for makono’s edict — when the pair was done conversing qiao exited unhurriedly. tomorrow she would seek leshen at the outer gates.