By the book

It's always reassuring to discover that one's villains are following The Rules.

From The Evil Overlord Manual--

141. As an alternative to not having children, I will have lots of children. My sons will be too busy jockeying for position to ever be a real threat, and the daughters will all sabotage each other's attempts to win the hero.

Kauldi offered Yakoba a considering look, narrowed eyes almost swallowed into pouches of flesh. His lu'tsah, a ruby suspended from a silver chain, was a bloody gleam against the pale skin of his chest. It said much about him, that he drew strength from a gem of such a dark, unruly nature, and that, against all strictures of custom and good taste, he allowed it to be seen.

"Curious," the prince said. He had an unexpectedly elegant voice, silken and quiet. "I sense nothing unusual about him. He is highly trained, of course; we expect nothing less from a Kadyr master. Strong in Wind, somewhat less accomplished in Stone. Perhaps the fire is some trick he learned. Certainly he carries none within." He leaned close to stare at Yakoba's mouth. The proud tail of hair slid over one shoulder and Yakoba saw that the ends were scarlet, as though they'd been dipped in fresh blood. "A pity. I'm told a Kadyr priest must be unblemished. The Elder will not ransom him with a wound like that."

Yakoba's lips were still painful and uncooperative, but the swelling was much reduced and he was grateful he could speak at all. "The Elder will…pay." Of this he had no doubt. "But…I have business here first—"

Kauldi drew back, frowning. The burned man cuffed Yakoba and pain exploded in his mouth all over again. Something warm and wet trickled down his chin. The hounds' idle stares darkened to something more primal.

Yakoba resisted fingering his mouth to find out if the stitches still held. I can't show weakness, he'll tear me to pieces. Or the hounds will.

"I did not give you leave to speak," Kauldi chided gently. "Then. But now I do. You chose a very bad time to trespass. I would know what business brings you to our seeding ground on the eve of a moonless night. We have certain…rites to perform, and enemy eyes are not welcome."

"Last I heard—" Yakoba spoke slowly and awkwardly, trying to make the words clear, "—the Kadyr…were not counted…among Kauldi's enemies."

"You should remain better informed then. Why are you here?"

Yakoba shifted to ease his aching knees. The stone under the fur was hard, unlike the treacherous ground he trod with Kauldi, which was rife with boggy spots and hidden pits. Kauldi's plans for a moonless night probably did not include entertaining strangers, unless the strangers happened to be part of the entertainment. Yakoba would just as soon avoid that, so he offered the truth, as always, but as little of it as possible. "A bargain. Your son has something…that belongs to me. I am here to claim it, and…then I will not bother you…again."

"My son?" Kauldi laughed silently, swags of flesh jiggling. "Which one? This morning I had seventy-eight sons. Now I have seventy-seven. One died today."

Yakoba knew that Kauldi had adopted the Hazaarite custom of keeping concubines, and had sired on them a substantial brood of half-breeds, but he had not until this moment realized just how substantial. "My…condolences."

Kauldi waved a careless hand. "Condolences are unnecessary, unless you wish to offer them to him. What is left of him. He displeased me, so I killed him and ate his power."


(from The Knife-Giver, ch. 48, "The Bargain")