Page 53 of Wrath of the Oracle

“Ojore wasn’t going to hurt civilians in this war. If you’d stayed put, everything would have fallen into place,” Sholei said. Her calling the general in such an intimate way didn’t go unnoticed by Tula.

“How can I stay calm as my kingdom is razed to the ground?” Tula tried to catch Sholei’s eye. “What did Ojore promise you to get you to work with his physician?” When Sholei didn’t answer, it hit Tula that the only thing Sholei cared so much for was admission to the Faye Islands.

“He offered you a chance to join the Imperial Physicians, didn’t he?” Tula’s voice rose. “To achieve your dreams, you decided to work with the enemy?”

“I was yet to accept his offer.” Sholei lowered her gaze, and Tula barked out in bitter laughter.

“How could you turn your back on Mukuru when it’s your home?” Tula asked, her arms slipping from Sholei’s waist, but Sholei pulled them back.

”When has Mukuru ever been my home?” Sholei asked and held Tula’s arms around her waist. “The possibility of wasting away in the medicine yard is high if I don’t join the Imperial Physicians. I am ostracized because of my background, and I found a way to change that. Why shouldn’t I take the chance?”

“Where does your loyalty lie?” Tula asked, her heart squeezing at Sholei’s flat tone. Growing up, Sholei’s life hadn’t been easy, but turning against everything she knew to help the enemy sounded equally bad.

“With my ambitions,” Sholei answered. Her hand squeezed into a fist on the horse’s reins.

“What about now? Did you kill the general? Are you going to accept Gane’s offer and work with him?” Tula held on to Sholei as the horse started forward again. Sholei whispered something, but the rushing wind kept it from reaching her ears as Radi picked up speed.

Ojore leaned against the table,still grappling with the effects of the poison Sholei had administered. He was conscious for hours, but the toxin’s potency persisted, blurring his vision, causing his ears to ring, and his limbs to refuse to obey him.What poison did she feed him?

Akima entered the tent with a steaming bowl. He approached Ojore. “Litonde prepared this for you.” He handed the bowl to Ojore.

”Remember, apart from you two, no one else is to find out Sholei poisoned me to escape.” Ojore scrunched his nose at the sour scent of the medicine. “Her escape has to look like a coincidence.”

“You are playing a dangerous game.” Akima frowned. “What if she poisoned you with something deadlier? You could have died.” Akima ignored Ojore’s cold stare and pushed the bowl into his hands.

“But she didn’t. She wouldn’t kill me.” Ojore pinched his nose and gulped down the bitter medicine.

“You can’t keep trying fate like this.”

Ojore ignored the judgmental look on Akima’s dark face. Sholei’s betrayal grated on his nerves. She had poisoned him. He coughed when the medicine tried to come back from his unsettled stomach.

“What other options did I have?” He grunted when Akima passed him a water flask to wash down the bitter contents.

Ojore knew the instant Sholei wanted to poison him. It was written all over her face, trembling hands, and teary eyes. Akima cleared the way for her when she went to collect her friend from the prison cells and when they left the camp, as per Ojore’s secret orders. She dared to take Radi with her—how bold! Another flash of blindness crossed his eyes and Ojore shook his head to clear it.

“You could have killed the spy and imprisoned Sholei here,” Akima said.

“If I did so, Sholei would despise me forever. She holds a close bond with Tula and Musembi.” Ojore closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat. “Besides, I will get her back after the upcoming battle. She is heading to Mukuru, and we will also leave here soon. We’ll meet again.”

“It would be better if you would forget about her, my lord,” Akima said.

“Sholei will never get away from me.” Ojore’s eyes flew open, and he glared at Akima as his vision cleared.

“She’s gone back to Prince Gane. In the end, even your offer to let her join the Imperial Physicians in the most populous city on the continent didn’t make her stay.” Akima was unrelenting in his accusations, and Ojore closed his eyes in frustration.

“You think he’s capable of keeping her from me?” Ojore barked out a cruel laugh.

Ojore was ruthless in retaliating against betrayal, yet he was lenient toward Sholei. Choosing to let Tula go after she poisoned hundreds of his men to death didn’t sit well with Akima. If Dembe’s court knew of his choices, he would be summoned before the king to answer for his decisions. The only way to save the situation was to conquer the Mukuru Kingdom and pave the way to Lake Alokove.

Ojore stumbled to his feet, but Akima was right by his side.

“Maybe you should sit this one out,” Akima said. The effects of the poison were yet to disappear even after he took the strong tonic Litonde prepared. Akima didn’t know whether to marvel or be disturbed by Sholei’s skills.

“I will be the first man on the battlefield and the last to leave.” Ojore held on to Akima’s arm, “Gane must pay for the lives of the men I lost. Only then will their souls cross through the three doors of the afterlife.”

Ojore stumbled to where his battle regalia was hung. His steps got steadier the more he walked. Ojore grabbed the container of war paint and stood before a mirror.

“Are the men ready?” Ojore asked, his demeanor fierce as he applied red and black paint to his face and tiedhis wild locks on his head. Tinted red eyes reflected at him. Evidence of Sholei’s poisoning and her betrayal. Ojore clenched his hand and forced himself to turn from the mirror, but not before he shattered it with a swift punch.

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