Page 25

S holei and Musembi arrived at Lake Alokove after several days of travel. Their long journey left Sholei to yearn for the swiftness of a horse. Despite their light baggage and reliance on the forest for sustenance, she couldn’t shake the feeling that they traveled in slow motion.

“Something is wrong.” Musembi halted and gazed around. Sholei saw it, too. Musembi told her of a thriving fishing community on the seaside, yet there was no sign of life.

The village lay in ruins. The place was ravaged with torched houses and scattered belongings. No one was around, only the aftermath of a violent attack.

“We need to go back to the forest,” Sholei said. An arrow lay on the ground. She stayed with the Dembe for long enough to recognize their weapons. They were the ones who attacked the village.

“It’s too late for that,” Musembi said in a strangled voice. Men in dark robes emerged around them. They were a group of more than twenty, dressed akin to Ojore’s attire when she had first met him. Black masks concealed their faces. Her eyes scanned the crowd as she searched for Ojore, but he wasn’t in the group. For some reason, her heart dropped.

“Sholei,” Akima’s low voice addressed her as he pushed back his dark face mask to reveal a painted face. He held Musembi in a chokehold. With a sharp jab to the back of her head, Musembi crumpled to the sandy ground, and Sholei rushed to her side.

“Stop,” Akima’s commanding voice ordered. “One more step, and I will kill her.” He pointed his sword at Musembi’s neck, and Sholei swallowed.

“Search her for weapons. Watch out for powder,” Akima commanded the soldier nearest to her. His dark eyes never left hers.

“I don’t have anything on me,” Sholei tried to assure him, but her words fell on deaf ears as the man roughly patted her down.

“I don’t trust you.” Akima’s statement was cold, just like his glare.

“What happened to this village? Why did you attack it?” Sholei asked as she tried to ignore the hands that were moving up and down her body.

“Tie her up.” Akima ignored her question and threw thick ropes at her feet .

“Akima, answer me.” She pushed the man searching her aside and strode toward the tall sentinel.

“There is a war going on, in case you didn’t notice.” Akima raised his weapon to her neck. “I had to make sure you weren’t hiding in case you got here before us.”

“What did these people do to deserve their whole village being razed to the ground?” Sholei swallowed when the cold blade touched her skin. “The Dembe don’t attack innocent people.”

“That’s what you want to believe.” Akima gritted his teeth and Sholei knew he was doing everything in his power not to cut her down. “If anyone tries to shield you, they won’t survive what’s coming.”

“Did Ojore ask you to come after me?” Sholei closed her eyes in sorrow; because of her, a village suffered.

“The only thing preventing your immediate demise is my pledge to the prince. Otherwise, I would strike you dead where you stand.” Akima swore and grabbed her by the front of her worn robes.

”Did Ojore order you to kill me?” she breathed as she was lifted from the ground.

“You don’t deserve to utter his name after you betrayed him. He’s risking everything he built for you,” Akima snapped, his grip tightening on her clothes. Sholei prayed he wouldn’t choke her to death. As the shadow following Ojore, Akima was as deadly as he was silent.

”Did he order my death?” She shouted her question again and fought against his hold.

“You must cure the curse you placed on him.” Akima’s voice cracked with emotion. “If he perishes, you’ll share his fate.”

They made a swift return to Mukuru using horses, a far quicker mode of transport. Akima pushed them relentlessly, and rest was a scarce luxury on their journey. In under five days, they were back in the capital. Sholei worried about what she would face. Akima barely spoke to her and gave her a hard glare every time their eyes met.

Once they made it past the freshly painted dark gates of the palace, they were received by Mueni and other soldiers. A disgruntled Akima told her that apart from him and Litonde, no one else knew what ailed the prince. The soldiers thought he was injured in the battle and was recuperating.

“My Lady,” Mueni sniffed back tears. “Welcome back.” There was no trace of animosity in her voice, despite Sholei’s abrupt departure. Mueni flung her arms around her. Sholei returned her hug and held the younger girl close. The time they spent in war camp as the only women drew them close.

”This way.” Akima disrupted their reunion and dragged Sholei deep inside the palace. His punitive hold dug into her arm.

They traversed the palace grounds, and Sholei witnessed Dembe soldiers stationed at various locations as they asserted their control over Mukuru. Mukuru’s vibrant banners were replaced with Dembe’s dark colors, symbolizing the transformation of the once-thriving kingdom into an occupied territory. It was like coming back to a different place. Sholei noted the presence of Dembe Kingdom’s court officials, recognizable by their dark robes with gold lining—the same colors Ojore wore during meetings at the camp.

Prince Ojore resided inside the palace grounds in one of the several guesthouses. The spacious and expansive yards hosted dignitaries who came to visit the kingdom. Sholei heard of their luxury but had never been inside. Of the kingdoms in the south, Mukuru was the richest due to trading activities. They spared no expense in catering to their guests.

”He’s in there, meeting court officials.” Akima stopped short outside a set of wide double door.

“Is he well enough to hold meetings? I thought you said he couldn’t move out of bed,” Sholei strained her ear to capture Ojore’s voice. Her heart beat faster with anxiety. Or was it anticipation? She couldn’t tell.

“That was several nights ago. After the second battle in Keseve, the prince collapsed and remained unconscious for hours. Upon awakening, he lost his voice. His illness manifests in different ways, and Litonde is baffled by it. He lost his sight after he recovered his voice, hence why you are here.” Akima’s brows knitted together. “He guessed you would be traveling southward toward the lake and ordered me to bring you back. Who knew he could predict your movements?”

Sholei wondered about it, too, but decided she would worry about that later. At the moment, she needed to figure out how she and Musembi would survive their current predicament. How would Ojore treat her after her betrayal? Her survival depended on his actions .

“I can summon Litonde. He might give better insight than me.” Akima made to turn about but Sholei held her hand up.

“No need. I will go to him later,” Sholei said. She didn’t have the strength to stand before the Imperial Physician after she escaped the military camp. What would she say? Would he understand her motivations? The number of people disappointed in her kept growing by the day.

“Go on then,” Akima urged her, his voice impatient.

Before the door stood two fearsome-looking guards who narrowed their eyes when she approached. Akima turned and left to attend to other duties, after making it clear she would be receiving Musembi’s dead body if she didn’t cure Ojore’s sickness—a threat Sholei didn’t question.

Sholei walked forward and stopped at the wooden door, her hands clammy and slippery, unprepared to meet Ojore just yet. The deep rumble of his voice reached her ears, and her heart skipped a beat. She missed hearing his voice. She couldn’t bear to meet him in her current disheveled state. Sholei turned to Mueni and said, “Help me prepare to meet the prince.”

“Gladly, My Lady.” Mueni nodded.

Mueni and Sholei slipped back into their familiar routine. A set of rooms was prepared for her, together with the gifts and clothes she accumulated during her time at the Dembe camp. It felt as though she never left.

Mueni recounted everything that happened after Sholei ran away. The morning after that fateful night, Ojore and his soldiers took off for the Keseve Market, with orders that the remaining soldiers should break down the camp and follow them. The injured soldiers, in need of healing, were sent back to Dembe for further medical attention.

“I was ordered to follow the prince in case you returned and had no one to serve you,” Mueni said as she fastened Sholei’s long embroidered skirt. Sholei, resplendent in gold-colored attire, couldn’t help but marvel at the elegance of her clothing. Even after her betrayal, Ojore never stopped providing for her. She felt like a caged bird, only this time, her decisions imprisoned her. The number of times she asked herself what-ifs in the previous days was uncountable.

What if she had listened to Musembi and stayed back in the medicine yard instead of meeting Ojore during the celebrations? What if she hadn’t saved Ojore’s life the first time they met and left him for dead in the forest? Would their fate still be entangled like this? What if she didn’t take the hit meant for Prince Gane? What if…

“He was furious when you were gone. I fear that the men bore his wrath on the battlefield,” Mueni’s voice brought Sholei to the present.

Sholei didn’t want to think about that. If what happened on Lake Alokove was something to go by, the battle must have been brutal.

“It broke my heart when I woke up and found you left nothing except for your clothes and gifts,” Mueni continued, her voice somber .

“The gifts are yours. I wanted to thank you for keeping me company those days I was held captive.” Sholei replied, meeting Mueni’s eyes in the mirror.

“I wouldn’t think of doing that. They are from the prince. They represent his affection for you.” Mueni shook her head. Affection? More like a hangman’s noose .

After a while, Mueni was done. Sholei left her chambers and walked toward Ojore’s rooms. It was late evening, and darkness settled. Crickets were loud in the air, and the scent of blooming flowers was strong.

Sholei didn’t hesitate at the door. She walked past the threshold with slight acknowledgment from the towering guards. There wasn’t any need to hesitate. Whatever happened would happen, no matter how much she hoped for a different ending.

The room was dimly lit, with fading embers that cast a soft glow at its center. No torches burned and created a shadowy atmosphere. Sholei recognized a familiar scent—the fragrance of Ojore’s favorite scented wood, a scent that clung to him, his clothes, and his skin.

“Who’s there?”

Sholei almost stopped breathing at the timbre of his voice. She followed the voice and walked deeper inside the room. A wide wooden table surrounded by small stools stood beside the fire pit.

Ojore sat on one of the stools, his face inclined in her direction. Sholei took a long look at him and noted his locks roped in neat plaits on his head. His captivating eyes were on her, their intensity undimmed. Had she not been informed earlier that he lost his eyesight, she wouldn’t tell. Like the golden embers of fire, a warm glow reflected deep in his gaze. Lord Keita , Musembi said.

“Light footsteps,” Ojore observed and tilted his head in her direction. Is that you, witch? You have always been hesitant whenever you approach me.” A faint smirk danced across his lips and deepened the allure of his dark presence.

“My lord.” Sholei choked on her tongue. Hearing him call her witch was heartwarming. He hadn’t lost his sense of humor.

“Come closer.” His dark voice was a magnetic pull that drew her toward him. He raised his right hand in her direction. Like a moth to light, she approached him. She could end up burned, but Sholei didn’t care at that moment.

She moved closer until she came to stand before him. He sat on the low stool with his legs spread. His glorious chest was bare, and he was dressed in long blue attire with golden patterns around his waist. He sported a small, freshly bandaged cut on his chest. She raised her fingers to touch it.

When her fingers contacted his skin, he hissed and grabbed her wrist. Ojore pulled her to him and flattened her palm on his chest. Sholei felt the muscles beneath her hand flex and she swallowed. The movement excited her. He pulled her into his lap, and Sholei felt a jolt of awareness in her lower stomach when the hard muscles of his thigh moved underneath her.

“Do you know what happens when an eagle sees a snake on the plains?” His voice dropped to a low, dark, and dangerous tone. Sholei couldn’t get enough of it .

“They get devoured.” Her breath scattered, her heartbeat thumped up and down and nearly escaped her chest.

“That’s right. This time, Sholei, you’re the snake between my talons.” He grabbed her by the chin and tilted her head upward. Sholei knew he couldn’t see her, but his gaze pierced her as though he looked straight into her heart.

Was she gazing at High Lord Keita? The thought died in her mind as his lips found hers.

He kissed her, and Sholei went tight and loose at the same time. She melted in his embrace. His lips were soft, a stark contrast to the tough exterior he portrayed. The kiss was gentle and allowed her to acclimate to his touch. She reciprocated and kissed him back. Ojore groaned and pulled her closer, his kisses growing bolder, intoxicating her further.

It was a hungry kiss, full of passion long denied. Sholei clung to his strong shoulders. He pulled her hips against his as his tongue took her mouth with quick, explosive thrusts. His hands roamed her back and settled at the back of her neck. Ojore held her the way he wanted to. Sholei didn’t have time to react as he pulled her closer, and his chest rubbed deliciously against her. She moaned despite herself and tried to draw air into her starved lungs. Sholei was unprepared for feelings so intense they took her breath away.

A sudden cough from the direction of the door brought Sholei back to her senses. She broke away, but Ojore held her firmly in his arms. Heat rushed up her neck as she tried to stand, yet Ojore’s grip remained unyielding .

“Out, Akima,” Ojore ordered his second-in-command without turning in his direction. Akima turned on his heels and left. Sholei imagined his frown at her, disapproving of her further.

Sholei tried to get away, but Ojore pulled her closer until only a breath of air separated them. She was amazed at how, even without his sight, he managed full command of the situation, including her. The raw power he oozed hadn’t weakened at all.

“I told you, witch, no matter how far you run, I will always get you.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb, and Sholei swallowed her words. “I will follow you to the ends of the world if necessary.”

“Ojore,” she breathed. How could such dangerous words turn her on?

“The only way I will release you is if you return what you stole from me.” He nuzzled her neck with his nose, and she craned her head to grant him more access. She couldn’t comprehend what came over her and allowed herself to yield to his will. It was as if she were under his spell.

“What is that?” she managed to ask.

“My heart, Sholei. You stole my heart,” he confessed. It shattered her. Tears burned behind her eyes, and a single tear escaped down her cheek. She wiped it away with the back of her hand.

“It was wrong to poison you,” she admitted her guilt.

“I forced you to make that decision. You cannot bear the full blame.” He wiped her tears away with his knuckles. “Besides, I knew of your intentions long before you acted on them. ”

“How?” Sholei cleared her throat. Sholei expected a lot when coming clean about her actions to Ojore: reproach and punishment, but not scorching kisses and whatever he was admitting to.

“Your skills in medicine do not translate to nefarious scheming. I noticed your change when I mentioned eliminating your friend.” Ojore wrapped his arms across her waist. He leaned his head into her neck and placed an open-mouth kiss on the sensitive skin behind her ear.

“That was why our path was clear for us to escape. You had already set everything up,” Sholei breathed. His wet kisses wreaked havoc on her senses.

“Even though it was difficult, I had to let you go. I figured I could always get you back.” Ojore continued his assault, his hand probing the hem of her shirt. Sholei swallowed back a moan when his calloused fingers contacted her skin. She leaned further into his touch.

“What if you died from the poisoning?” she asked, her breaths coming out scattered.

“I took a gamble, and it paid off.” Ojore’s teeth grazed her skin as his firm hands skimmed her stomach and drew closer to her aching breasts, heavy and yearning for his touch. Her mind tried to cling to sanity, but it was proving difficult.

When his hand clamped on her heaving breast, a moan escaped her throat. His lips found hers again, and he swallowed her whimpers. Feverish heat swept through her as Ojore’s other hand pulled her close enough that she could feel the evidence of his arousal pressed against her thigh. When they both came up for air, Ojore gripped the back of her neck and leaned his forehead on hers. His gaze bore into hers.

“I have been dreaming of kissing you for the longest time.” He breathed and closed his eyes. When they snapped open, they returned to their usual warm brown color.

”Everything went according to your plan?” Sholei asked after her pulse slowed. Sholei didn’t know whether to be amazed or offended by his scheming. Ojore seemed to be one step ahead of her every time. He intertwined his fingers with hers and settled his head on her shoulder, releasing a deep sigh.

“That was the only way I could appease my soldiers and you,” came his candid confession. “Letting Tula go free after what she did would cause a mutiny among my ranks. With all the deaths in the camp, the soldiers’ morale was low, and the Keseve Market was under threat again. I had to come up with a quick decision. Seeing that you were planning to poison me, I seized the opportunity.”

“You truly live up to your name, general.” Sholei smiled at his brilliance despite herself. Ojore twisted her plans to work for him.

“Are you offended by my decisions?” Ojore drew his eyebrows together, a vulnerability in his voice. Did her thoughts about his actions matter to him? Would he have taken a different approach if she objected?

“I wish you told me beforehand. I wouldn’t have resorted to harming you.” If she knew of his plans, would she have gone through with hers ?

“So, you regret poisoning me?” He brought her fingers to his lips, and Sholei was reminded of how she fed him poison with the same fingers. He kissed her knuckles.

“It went against everything in me to do it,” Sholei confessed. “I couldn’t see another way out.”

“We are even now. Just promise me no more poisons. I have my fill.” Ojore bumped their noses together. “I wouldn’t wish to be your enemy. You are lethal.”

Those words struck Sholei. While he spoke in a light manner, she took his words to heart. If what Musembi said was true, they posed a threat to each other. Did he know about Lord Keita? His destiny? Being held in his arms, Sholei couldn’t imagine him killing her. Didn’t he hunt you down in Lake Alokove? You thought you escaped only to end up in his trap again , another voice inside her head chimed in, and she shook it off.

As for his plans, Sholei understood Ojore’s reasons. As a leader in the army, he was forced to decide between her and thousands of men under him. Tula’s poisoning caused the deaths of many of his soldiers, and she should have been punished for that crime.

“It must have been a hard decision for you to make.” Sholei glanced at their entwined fingers and examined his large palms, long fingers, and short nails. Very collected and put together, just like his plans.

“I am just relieved everything worked out in the end. I knew you were imprisoned upon your return to Mukuru. My illness had advanced by then. I could only send Akima to go after you. Fortunately, he found you before you crossed the lake. ”

Sholei tried to forget the image of the village burned down by the lake. He spoke of going after her in passing, but people had died, and for what? Their blood lay on her hands, and Sholei hated the feelings that it brought. If she chose to run away again, would more people suffer?

“How did you know I would be traveling to the lake?” She pushed the image from her mind.

“It’s the southernmost point of Mukuru Kingdom. You were running away from me, so naturally you would choose the opposite direction from where I was.” After a long pause, he said, “With your ambitions, the Faye Islands would be your next destination. The route through Lake Alokove is long and tedious, but you would prefer it.”

There was a way she could escape him. He ensnared her in his web, and to her surprise, Sholei didn’t want to flee. Ojore proved to be a ruthless strategist but in his arms, Sholei could only think of how perfectly they fit together.

“Silence speaks louder than words.” His words drew her from her thoughts. “I might be blind, but I can tell where your thoughts are drifting.”

“You won’t be blind for much longer. It’s only a side effect of the poison that will fade with time,” Sholei changed the topic.

“With you by my side, I’m confident I’ll heal,” Ojore replied. His lips peeled back to release a smile wide enough to draw out his dimples.

“I’ll do everything in my power to purge the poison from your body,” Sholei assured him .

“That can wait.” He pulled her close to his chest and sighed, closing his eyes. “For now, I just wish for us to stay like this.”