Free The Rival by Kristine Kathryn Rusch Page B

that didn't work on other Leaders, but one Rugad found invaluable in his own advisors.  It kept the troops happy, something Rugad always valued.
    "This is not a victory," Wisdom said, "It's an acquiescence."  He flipped his long thin braids, done in Oudoun warrior style, off his face and down his back.  Wisdom was an example of all that was good about the Fey's conquering.  He was named in the L'Nacin tradition, wore his hair according to the Oudoun, and dressed (until recently) like the Nye.  The Fey took was best about a culture and used it.
    So far, Rugad saw nothing here to use.
    "It's just the beginning.  The Isle is big."
    "Not as big as Galinas."
    "But as big as Nye."
    "Bigger if the old maps are to be believed."  Wisdom leaned on the small chair beside Rugad's cot, and crossed his arms. They were covered with scarification from his heroics in the Battle of Feire.
    "We won't be staying here now.  We have much to do before this Isle is completely ours."
    "We shouldn't have stopped at all.  We should have maintained the momentum."
    Rugad shook his head.  "We needed to take the time.  The mission is a delicate one here.  I have never completely Seen my great-grandson.  The Visions are unclear and I know him only in shadow.  I do not want to risk a death in my family, even an accidental one."
    Wisdom shuddered.  "What of their King? Is he family?"
    "He will determine that.  He's not of the Blood."
    "But his children are."
    Rugad nodded.  "A dozen Shamans have been unable to determine what his fate will be.  The swirls are thick here.  We have to tread carefully.  Each action will send us in a different direction."
    Wisdom scowled.  His delicate, almost female features looked suddenly fierce.  "Once you have found your great-grandson, put me in charge of the Failures."  He touched his arms.  "I know ways to make their deaths particularly unpleasant."
    Rugad smiled but made no promises.  The surviving Fey, if there were any, were another problem.  If they believed that Jewel made her bargain in good faith, they were not Failures.  But if they knew that the invasion had lost, they should have died long before. Failures had the duty to die when their mission failed.  That way the enemy could not learn about the Fey.
    What Rugad feared was that the Failures believed that he would never arrive, that they would be long dead before the Fey tried ever again to invade Blue Isle.  That would be the worst crime, and punishable by severe torture, and death.
    They knew it too.  Which made his invasion of Blue Isle doubly difficult.  The Failures had lived here for a long time.  The Black Throne was represented in the King's family as well as in the Fey.  The Failures could, legitimately, fight for the Islanders.
    The Failures could also start a second front.
    Rugad had been careful not to bring family here.  His army had no attachment to his son's.  All they wanted to do was correct the Fey disgrace.  He would have to use all his powers of persuasion to convince the most blood-thirsty to take prisoners first, kill later.  That way he could make certain there were no Blood bastards among the Failures.  All he needed to do was accidentally kill one of his own family.
    The entire world would erupt into flames.
    He hadn't Seen that, of course, but he was savvy enough to know there were many things a Visionary never saw.  Visionaries were not all-knowing, despite their wish to be so.  They were fallible like everyone else.  The only difference was that they had more opportunities to make things right.
    "We shall deal with the Failures after we locate my great-grandson."
    "You think this pause will warn him, make him come to you?"
    Rugad shook his head.  "I suspect he knows nothing of me.  His mother and grandfather died when he was still a child.  No.  I need to have him brought to me."
    "Brought to you?" Wisdom asked.  "Who would do that?  A Failure?  You would want one of those Fey in