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And Kriseri hates humans almost as much as I do.
Dransa and I arrive in the throne room, and Kriseri, tall and fat with his hood flared menacingly around his large face, lounges on the throne.
Several gorgeous naga women stand around him, half-naked, while some servants hand him glass after glass of wine and plate after plate of food.
Despite the opulence and the attitude of laziness that hangs heavily in the throne room, Kriseri’s eyes are sharp and alert. Dark intelligence shines bright in them.
He straightens when I bow before him.
“Ah, the traitor to Lodra. You know, you are currently my favorite person. Leave us!” He barks the last two words, and within seconds, the throne room is empty aside from myself and King Kriseri.
A languid smile appears on his face.
“Now…” he says.
Dransa, while loyal to Kriseri, does not seem to hate humans the way his ruler does. And while Yadat’s treatment of humans is the worst, it seems that more and more naga in Yadat are beginning to accept them.
It seems that only the older naga, the King, and myself still hold the traditional, righteous views about the place of humans in our society.
In my conversation with King Kriseri, I tell him every single piece of information that I have about Lodra. We sit down and discuss Lodra’s weaknesses and the very little strengths they have.
We speak about allying with Kario and Marzula, both kingdoms itching to overthrow Lodra.
“But,” I tell Kriseri after he asks for my real opinion on allying with the other Nagaland kingdoms. “I think that Yadat has the power to overthrow Lodra all on its own. We don’t need those other kingdoms. They’ll just get in the way.”
“So.” Kriseri lifts his heavy body up now, his hood still flared, his eyes still bright and burning. “You think war is really coming? And you think we should… get ahead of the situation?”
The real meaning behind his words is clear.
I shrug carelessly, even though the thought of betraying the naga of Lodra makes my stomach twist and bile rise in my throat.
But then I think of Lasta. And Zalith. And Slyth.
I think of their mates. Human mates. Of Zalith and Lasta’s half-bred children.
The bile in my throat vanishes.
“I can make no decision, my King. You have the wisdom to make the correct decision.”
“Fine.” Kriseri seems dissatisfied by my ambivalent answer. “You are dismissed.”
It would not be prudent of me to suggest that the King invades Lodra. No, it has to be his decision ultimately.
Because if Yadat does invade Lodra, and we lose, my head will go on the wall before everybody else’s.
No, I think to myself. Kriseri needs to decide this.
But that doesn’t mean I cannot help him along.
Later, I patrol through the town that lies at the foot of a large hill upon which Kriseri’s palace and the barracks are built.
I am with another soldier, Kryon, who is showing me the ropes.
“Well,” I tell him after he has explained how patrolling works. “It seems like the rules in Yadat are stricter than they were in Lodra, anyway. I think I’ll like it here.”
Kryon nods sagely in agreement. I have spent most of the morning telling him about Lodra.
Unlike in Lodra, Kriseri expects his royal patrol to keep humans in line. And that means we can do what we like to them.
