Page 174 of Wind Rider

“I—I don’t know.”

“Yes you do. You just don’t want to admit it.” River’s voice went hard. “What else do younotknow? Even something small could help me.”

“He never talks with me about hurting Ghost and you. Everyone quiets when I’m near, but he’s been spending a lot of time out on the Plains—tracing every possible course the Run could follow.”

“So that he can plan several ways to get rid of us.”

Skye nodded. Then she continued. “What Clayton does talk aboutaround me is what he intends to do if he and Bard aren’t able to get past Ghost.”

“By fairly beating him or killing him,” River added.

“Yes.” Skye wiped her tearstained face with her sleeve. “If he doesn’t win he has decided he is going to splinter the Herd.” Skye’s voice broke on the last word.

River nodded and continued to braid Ghost’s mane. “Thank you for letting me know. I appreciate it.”

“You don’t seem surprised,” Skye said.

“Oh, I’m not. Skye, I spent my childhood with Clayton. We were as close as if he’d been my brother. I’ve always known he is capable of great good—and also of great selfishness, even cruelty. So, no, I’m not surprised that he’s willing to harm a stallion and cause his Lead Mare Rider to be killed. It is more proof of what I’ve come to believe over the past several years—that Clayton is unfit to serve this Herd in any capacity, but especially not as Herd Stallion Rider.”

“Then why haven’t you spoken against him?”

“For what? For acting like a petulant child? No, Skye, that would only give him the attention he so desperately craves. It would also fragment the Herd even more than he has already attempted to do. Until today I had no evidence that Clayton intended to break any of our laws.”

Skye’s gaze shot to River, the girl’s eyes wide with panic. “You’re not going to ban him from the Run, are you?”

“No, Skye, I am not. What I’m going to do is beat him. Soundly. In front of the entire Herd.”

“But then he’ll leave!”

“Yes. Exactly.”

“No, River!”

“Skye, why did you come to me? Why did you warn me and tell me what Clayton was planning?”

Skye bowed her head as she gently stroked the stallion’s silky coat. “Because I owe you and Ghost a debt. I’m not strong like you, but I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you and I hadn’t warned you.”

“But you expect me to, what? Allow Clayton, who is clearly a terrible choice for Herd Stallion Rider, to beat Ghost?” River asked incredulously.

“I—I don’t know,” Skye said.

“Listen to me, Skye. I willneverallow Clayton to be Lead Stallion Rider of this Herd. Ever. And itisbest if he and those who are of like mind with him leave our Herd. Actually, once the Run is over I’m going to insist on it.”

“You’ll allow them to form another branch of Herd Magenti?” Skye’s voice was suddenly lighter and filled with hope.

“No. Clayton will not be rewarded for the dissension he’s caused. If he does not willingly leave after he loses the Stallion Run, I will banish him. He willnotbe allowed to claim the name Magenti or wear the purple ever again.”

“It will break his heart,” Skye said.

“With his words he has already broken our most sacred tenets, and that means he surrenders the right to be part of Herd Magenti. He and his followers are free to begin their own Herd. Where they’ll find mares to follow them, I do not know. Let alone a Lead Mare Rider.”

When Skye said nothing, River studied her, and saw the girl’s unspoken response.

“You’re going with him,” River said.

“Yes.”

“Why? You don’t want to leave Herd Magenti. What will your mother say? And your sisters? How can you leave them? What does Scout say about this?”