Snake Heart (Chains of Honor #2) -Lindsay Buroker Page 0,102

be ideal, because Yanko could support that without betraying anyone.

“Your Great Chief is a warmongering fool who’s spent his entire reign trying to steal resources from other countries, rather than figuring out a solution to his problems at home. The Kyattese offered him help with farm magic, or whatever it’s called, to improve the soil over there, and he rejected it. He hasn’t forgiven them for not capitulating to Nuria back when your people were trying to take over Kyatt.”

“Your people were trying to take it over too,” Yanko felt compelled to point out. Dak might be right about the Great Chief—Yanko wished he knew more than the newspapers had told him over the years—but it wasn’t as if the Turgonians were paragons of innocence. They’d conquered their way across their continent over several generations, killing and looting along the way. They hadn’t even been the original inhabitants of that land, having instead migrated from the Nurian continent centuries earlier.

“Yes, but then Rias married a native and got them to look more fondly upon us.” Dak’s mouth twisted. “He probably did more to change the course of history by doing that than he did in twenty years of military command.”

“Well, maybe we can find you a nice Kyattese woman to marry when this is all over.”

Dak grunted. “We’re firmed up with Kyatt. I’d have to marry a Nurian princess to change the course of history at this point. You know any that are available?”

“Uhm.” Yanko kept himself from looking at the scar that had replaced Dak’s missing eye since that might imply he thought Dak couldn’t win the love of a princess. Besides, he had learned to tell when Dak was being sarcastic. “I know a Nurian prince. He’s not married.”

Dak stared at him, and Yanko suspected that bit of humor hadn’t gone over well, until Dak threw back his head and laughed.

“Zirabo? I don’t know the marriage rules in Nuria, but that’s not legal in Turgonia.”

“Even when you have nothing but men in your military? Don’t people get lonely?”

“I said same-sex marriage wasn’t legal. I didn’t say that relationships don’t happen.” Dak rubbed his face—no, his eye. Were those tears of amusement? Goodness, Yanko hadn’t even realized he knew how to laugh like that. Or to laugh at all.

Maybe this would be a good time for negotiations.

“So who do you—your people—want to see in charge of Nuria? Not Sun Dragon, I hope.” Yanko shuddered.

The humor vanished from Dak’s face. “He’s not one of the leaders that’s put himself forward for the position.”

“Oh? He seems to be under the impression that he’ll be in charge of Nuria soon.”

“There is a Luy Hano Sun Dragon gathering forces in the Mandolian and Rakatun Provinces.”

“Maybe Jaikon plans to show up with news that Nuria has a fresh new continent and then replace his relative as the most viable Sun Dragon.”

“He told you this?” Dak asked.

“He told me he plans to take the Great Chief’s place. And kill me. Not necessarily in that order.” Since Dak was probably wondering when Yanko had partaken in this conversation, Yanko touched his temple. “Powerful people like to talk to me in my head.”

Kei chirped, and an image of a pile of seeds flashed into Yanko’s mind.

“Also, powerful parrots. Though they’re less likely to make threats and gloat.”

“No? He’s rather forceful in demanding food.”

“Forceful, yes. Threatening, no.” Yanko pushed his hair back from his shoulders—he had removed his topknot to sleep, as if he could sleep with Sun Dragon and the assassin on the ship, both contemplating killing him. Whether Dak appreciated it or not, Yanko was glad to be sharing the cabin with him again, especially since Dak was sitting between Yanko and the door. “If this continent turns out to exist, how badly... how hard would Turgonia fight to possess it?”

He didn’t know if Dak would answer the question, or if he knew the answer, but the information would help Yanko figure out what exactly to propose to gain Dak’s help.

“It’s halfway across the world from our mainland, so it would take a lot of resources to protect and control,” Dak said, “but there are always people who want to conquer new lands and partake in the opportunities that come with that. I doubt Rias will try hard to get it, but the next president? Who knows? There’s also the matter of not wanting Nuria to have it. You’ve always been our biggest threat.”

“If we had another continent, we wouldn’t have to fight so hard to