We continued to walk uphill. The crowd had thinned out, and we were now back to the better part of town. The guards fell behind and became less conspicuous.
“But they doubted him?” I said.
Bonetta smiled. “No.” Bonetta’s voice broke like she was on the verge of tears. “They wanted a solid assurance.”
“So, the king sent you to them as a peace ambassador.”
Bonetta looked up. “Exactly! They treated me as they would treat a Qtarian prince or princess and I was taught by the same tutors for the royal children. My clothes were of the best quality, and I was trained in sword fights, hand-to-hand combat, horse riding, etc. I traveled with their princesses and princes and learned about different cultures. I am lighter in complexion than you are, but in Qtari I was darker compared to them. They treated people not based on the color of their skin but the content of their character.
“Even the Qtari princes and princesses have different skin tones, depending on where their mothers came from. Some of their mothers from faraway places are as pale as spoiled milk, yet their children are treated with respect.”
We walked into the palace in silence, the guards following us melted away. What Bonetta said was on my mind, where everyone was treated with respect no matter where they came from, and I marveled at what such a place would look like.
Bonetta stopped and cocked her head. “I hope I’ve answered your questions.”
I wanted to learn about the stones and where they might be. Nobody had said much about that. “Is there anyone we can talk to who has more knowledge of the stones? Anyone we can learn from? What do they look like? I mean, where do we start the search?”
Bonetta thought for a second. “I’m sure Segun has most of the answers; exploration excites him. I fact, I’m sure he has all the answers. But I’ll ask Father and let you know as soon as possible. Did I cover all of your questions?”
I nodded. It worried me that we might be going on a fool’s errand. But I’d learned. We parted ways, and I was ready to find the stones. I also wondered how the outcome would play out. Taka and the king would like things to remain the way they were. How would they react if we found the stones?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
I woke up, showered, ate a light breakfast, and hurried off to the training room. I hoped that if I took the troop to the slum, it would motivate them as it had motivated me.
Tokunbo and Ifeoma were there already. They sat in a corner, talking and smiling at each other. They waved and continued their conversation. I got the message; don’t disturb us.
Olajuwon sat with the other five volunteers that got along with him. I realized that we were already a divided team. To have a better chance of succeeding, we must work as a team. I reached out again to him.
“Hello, J’won, I—”
Olajuwon looked up. His face contorted as if he was chewing lime. “Please, never call me J’won again. Only my friends may call me that.”
Taiwo and the rest of his crew snickered.
Heat rushed to my cheeks. “All right, Olajuwon, would you like to ride with us to the market?”
“No!” Olajuwon turned to Taiwo and spread out his hands, palms open. “It seems like today is a request day.” He laughed and slapped his thighs. “Any more requests?”
I didn’t bother answering. Kiki came in just then, followed by Kintola and another man. Both Kintola and the man carried a massive bundle each.
“E karoo, sir! Good morning!” the group chorused.
Kintola tried to smile, but it looked like a sneer. “Good morning, everyone. Your training is almost ending. You’ve all done well. The New Yam festival is tonight, and you will be presented to the king and Oloyes as ready for the task. What you wear to the first part of the ceremony, the meet and mingle, is up to you, but, for the second part, the presentation, you’ll wear what I have put in the bundle, plus your weapons. Bow and a quiver of arrows, choice of scimitar or sword, daggers, rang, and whatever else you bring. I don’t think you’ll be asked to demonstrate, but just put them on as a show of force.”
My heartbeat thundered in my chest. The day has come. I looked at my colleagues to check if they were as apprehensive and excited as I was. All eyes were on Kintola.
“About time!” yelled Tokunbo. His face lit up like a little kid just given his favorite fruit.
Kintola and his companion opened the bundles and started handing out clothes and weapons to us. I couldn’t believe it. The day had arrived. We’d be going out to make a difference.
“Don’t they have anything other than black?” asked Kiki, holding up the outfit.
I pulled my eyes away from the weapons and looked at the gear. “Hmm.” Bonetta’s influence was all over it; Arabian pants and tunic, similar to what she and Rahima wore all the time.
Kintola cleared his throat. “Before you get crazy ideas into your head of what to do with weapons, remember, you will be held accountable for any misuse of these weapons. Drink a little palm wine and get in a fight and hurt someone, and you’ll be held accountable.”
I opened my bundle; all new weapons. For the first time, it occurred to me that we’d been trained to kill. From the corner of my eye, I watched Tokunbo pick up his sword, stare at it for some time as if it were a foreign object, then turn to Kintola.
“What is it, Tokunbo?” asked Kintola.
Tokunbo cleared his throat. “We’ve trained for weeks. I don’t consider us warriors, but who do we fight?” asked Tokunbo.
Kintola looked up and inhaled, then let his chin drop on his chest. He jerked his head up. “You seem to have a short memory. Have you forgotten what happened the first day you arrived at Ode? How the princess came to your rescue and Ifaka was consulted? The plan was for you to retrieve the stones.” Kintola paused and looked at us one after the other. “The stones could be anywhere; all we’ve done is prepare you to deal with whatever comes your way.”
I looked at Kintola and believed him. There must be a bigger picture to all of this.
Kintola shook his head. “It would have been a lot easier to have my own men, soldiers, already trained in warfare and seasoned in battle, to provide security as the prince embarks on this journey.” Kintola’s voice was low as if he was debating with himself. “But it is the will of the gods. As a soldier, my duty is to follow orders, and I have done my part.”
Nobody moved. Silence crept through the room as everyone was left to their own thoughts—almost everybody. Olajuwon looked bored, turning his head from side to side, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.
Kintola’s head snapped up. “Whatever you encounter, the gods will be with you.” He clapped his hands together. “Alright, leave your weapons here and go to the stable. On your way back to your quarters, stop by and pick them up. Move it!”
We dispersed and rushed off to the stable. I saddled my horse in record time and rode into the open field. Olajuwon and his faction were already there galloping around. Olajuwon was good with horses. I watched him jump over obstacles, bend down and scoop up objects from the ground at full gallop. He looked ready and relaxed as if we were not going on the same expedition as the rest of us. I rode over to my friends and told them to follow me.
“Where are you taking us?” asked Kiki.
In answer, I rode out of the stable, and they followed. A stable boy accompanied us, and we headed towards the slum. In the morning light, the buildings looked like one continuous undulating snake with different patterns after every few feet. But one could argue they were separate small shacks, the next beginning where the last one ended. No two were fashioned the same.
The traffic was coming up. Men, women, and children, hungry-looking and dressed in rags with vacant stares, walked past us.
“I feel so empty inside,” said Ifeoma. Her head turned from side to side, lips downturned as she took it all in.
At the entrance to the slum, Tokunbo stopped his mount and shook his head. “I think we should go back.” He let out a heavy sigh. “Nobody deserves
to live in such squalor.”
Kiki said nothing. She turned her horse around and started up the hill. We followed in silence.
Sweat dripped down my forehead. I stole a glance at the others; they didn’t fare any better. Sweat dripped down their faces, with rounded shoulders as if each carried the weight of the world alone. Only the stable boy seemed fine. He had somehow snagged a mango from somewhere, which he was busy enjoying.
“Nuju!” a voice yelled.
I sat up straight and twirled my head from side to side, searching for the owner of the voice.
“Somebody knows you?” asked Kiki.
Then I saw her, dressed in a white Buba and all smiles. “Kamara!” I tried to leap down from the horse. My shout and excitement got the horse nervous. He snorted and shook his head. For a few long seconds, I stroked his neck until he calmed down. I jumped down.
“Nuju!” repeated Kamara as she got closer to me.
She ran into my outstretched hands, and I held her in a tight embrace and rocked side to side. We broke off and took a step back. “Look at you!” We hugged again.
“I’ve been praying for you,” said Kamara. “To all the gods. I didn’t know there were so many!”
Her happiness was infectious. She touched Kiki, Tokunbo, Ifeoma, and the stable boy, too. “You’ll succeed,” she said to each person.
“Kamara!” a sharp voice called from the temple door.
Kamara’s smile wavered. “I have to go. Thank you, Nuju. May the gods be with you all.” She ran back into the temple.
I mounted my horse and adjusted myself on the saddle. I felt a lot lighter, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. “Kamara’s all right,” I murmured to myself. I thought of Kemi at Nuso and prayed she was safe, too.
“That was the girl that started all of this?” asked Kiki.
“Yes,” I said.
“She’s changed,” said Ifeoma. “She looks at peace.”
A smile tugged at the corner of my lips and got wider as we rode up. We had people praying to the gods for us. I figured we would be fine. We started to talk amongst ourselves and crack jokes. The smiles returned, hope restored.
We went back to the stable, unsaddled the horses like we were taught, and brushed them down. Olajuwon and his group were gone. In the training room, they had also picked up their gear. A soldier Kintola had left behind unlocked a cupboard and brought out our equipment. We picked them up and left the training room. We walked across the courtyard towards the entrance to our quarters.
“I’m hungry,” Kiki said and pointed at a cart parked close to the kitchen door loaded with yam tubers.
“I can’t wait for those yams,” said Kiki. “Soft and tasty. Goes well with tomato stew and meat cut into little pieces.”
My mouth flooded with saliva. I swallowed. “We’ll meet at the great hall,” I said. “Everybody remember; first we dress up for the meet and greet, then we go back and change with weapons for the presentation.”
“Ridiculous,” said Kiki. “But see you.”
We parted ways. I walked back to my room. From down the corridor, I could see my door, but no guards. Maybe pulled for extra duty because of all the guests coming for the festival. I got to my door, turned the doorknob, and pushed the door in. A bony hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me in.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
My breath caught and my heart dropped into my stomach as if I’d swallowed a rock. Adrenalin surged through me. I jerked my hand forward to free it, but it was an iron grip. I was trapped. I would fight my way out of this. My left fist came up. Before I could throw the first punch, the grip loosened.
I stepped to the door and crouched low. My breathing came in gasps, my heartbeat thundered in my head. I turned my head and followed the sound as it moved towards a lamp hidden under a basket. “Who is it?” I asked in a shaky voice. Then I heard a familiar grunt.
“Mama Rikki?”
“Yeye girl, foolish girl.”
“Mama Rikki!” I let out a deep breath as I dropped my chin to my chest and welcomed the unexpected release of tension.
Mama Rikki fumbled in the corner then uncovered the lamp, her bent form became recognizable in the light.
I laughed. “You almost scared me to death. What are you doing here? How did you get into my room?” I looked around; a window was open. Did she climb up? No way. I turned to make a joke when our eyes met. She was not amused. “What is it?”
“We don’t have time,” said Mama Rikki.
“What don’t we have time for?”
“Leave for the search right now!”
“To search for the stones?” I asked.
“Yes! Yes!” replied Mama Rikki, her shrill voice rushed.
I tried to calm her down. The ramblings of an old woman. “We’re leaving after the festival.”
“No, you’re leaving right now. Once you’re dressed, find your team and leave.”
“Why?” I got irritated. “Is this some joke? Another test?”
“History is about to repeat itself,” said Mama Rikki. “They want to stop you. We have to act fast… find the stones before it is too late.”
“Who are they?”
“You ask a lot of questions,” said Mama Rikki. “Gather your stuff.”
The frustration I’d felt earlier returned with a vengeance. “But I’m not getting any answers.” I threw my palms up. “It's all about we find the stones, but from where? Now, you’ve added they want to stop us. Do you think Ifaka knows where to start and who wants to stop us?”
Mama Rikki shook her head. “Ifaka’s loyalty lies with the king. She’s been around long enough. In fact, she’s an enigma. When my grandmother was a young girl, Ifaka was already old. Whoever controls the monarchy controls Ifaka. Her loyalty lies with Kenzi, and it's not in his best interest to find the stones. If Ifaka knows where they are, she’s not telling.”
“So who should I be on the lookout for?” I didn’t want to point the finger at anyone. “Where am I going?”
Mama Rikki shut her eyes tight for a few seconds. “Trees surround a huge wall. It's… it’s… an old abandoned city. Underneath the earth, I see three sisters.”
“Three sisters?” Maybe Mama Rikki had been drinking some of that white palm wine. But I couldn’t smell palm wine in her breath.
“You must seek the Bilikisu sisters,” blurted Mama Rikki. “We don’t have time. The choices you make now will determine your destiny. Make sure Prince Taka isn’t aware of your plans.”
“Prince Taka?” I asked, bewildered. I liked him, but…
“Yes, Prince Taka,” said Mama Rikki. “The gods are with you, now go get the others.”
The rambling of an old woman, I thought. “Where are these sisters, here in Ode? And why, why should I trust you?” I wasn’t going to take her seriously.
Mama Rikki sighed and pouted her lips like a teenager. “We have to stop wasting time,” she mumbled. “Show me your right palm!”
I opened my hand and the scar on my palm started to burn right away. Mama Rikki lifted her hand and pointed at a healing wound in her arm.
“You're injured! What happened?”
“You can’t remember,” hissed Mama Rikki. “You came to the palace and forgot your origins.”
Someone knocked on the door. “Nuju, are you there?”
I turned to the door, then back to Mama Rikki. “Can we do this later? After the New Yam Festival?”
“No, by then it will be too late,” said Mama Rikki. She grabbed my wrist and started to grimace.
I struggled to pull away, but her grip was firm. A sensation washed over me as if a bucket of cold water and fire had been dumped on me at the same time. My Ashe was alive. I understood. Mama Rikki let go of my hand. “What… what should I do?”
Before Mama Rikki could answer, there was a knock on the door again. Seconds later, it was followed by the sound of a key inserted in the lock. Someone with a key was trying to unlock the door.
What was I going
to do? I glanced at Mama Rikki, then turned to the door. Before I could exhale, the door flew open and showed Enitan bent at the waist, picking up a bundle from the floor. My whole body went rigid. Enitan straightened, saw me, and froze.
“I thought you weren’t here,” said Enitan with a pile of clothes in her hand.
I glanced over my shoulder, but there was nothing behind me. I turned around slowly. Where did Mama Rikki go?
Enitan strolled in, giving me the eye. “This is not the time for fooling around. Come and get dressed for your fifteen minutes of fame.”
Where did Mama Rikki go?
“Shoo, shoo!” Enitan said and walked towards an open window.
The bird looked at us, then leaped into the darkness. I knew I’d seen that bird before in the forest at Nuso. Mama Rikki’s words a few moments ago rang in my ears. “You can’t remember. You came to the palace and forgot your origins.”
“Darn birds,” Enitan said and shut the window.
Chapter Thirty
I would have to tell the team at the festival. Would they believe me enough to act? I thought Prince Segun would come and meet us as soon as they got back from the visit to the oracle, but he’d still not shown up.
My eyes narrowed as Enitan’s hand approached my face. “What?” I held her hand.
“Wait,” said Enitan.
I let go.
Enitan tapped me on the head. “Hello, anybody home?”
“Sorry, my mind wasn’t here,” I said.
“Worried about the ceremony?”
I nodded and changed the subject. “What's the festival like here in Ode?”
Enitan shook her head. “I think it’s like the ones you attended at Nuso, only bigger, and also with the king and noblemen in attendance. They cook new yams from the farms for dinner, nobles from across the kingdom come over, the harvest is blessed, the gods are thanked for their protection, and then we eat. No, the oldest person in Ode, in this case, Ifaka, takes the first bite, then every other person eats. After dinner, the quest team will be presented to the people.”
Betrayed Page 10
