Page 7 of Wrath of the Oracle

“Forget it. I have long healed.” Ojore flexed his arm. Whatever the woman had used on him worked like magic. Ojore was convinced she must have used more than herbal medicine. As a prince and general, he had the mostcapable physicians tend to him, but none matched the skill of the mysterious woman.

“You left to scout the Keseve Market a day ago and returned with a healed wound. What happened?” Akima raised one thick eyebrow at Ojore.

Ojore glanced at the tall man he called his best friend. They had both joined the army young, Ojore running from certain death. Akima, an orphan with limited resources, found the army one of the easiest ways to survive the harsh streets of Dembe.

”Let’s talk inside.” He led Akima inside the wooden structure set up to house the general.

The room was radiant, lit by bright lanterns across the dark wooden walls. Various battle weapons adorned the room: war armor, arrows, bows, clubs, spears, darts, shields, swords, and other military gear. A wooden table surrounded by stools sat at the center. A miniature clay structure lay on the table, the map depicted a rough copy of the land with every mountain, hill, river, and several kingdoms. On the opposite side, a door led to Ojore’s private quarters. He didn’t have many personal items apart from bedding and clothes.

“Look at this arrow. Do you recognize it?” Ojore tossed the arrowhead from his waist pouch to Akima.

Akima walked toward the fire pit at the center of the room for better lighting. “It’s not from our arsenal, that’s for sure, but give me time. I will figure it out. Someone shot you with this?” He raised an eyebrow at Ojore.

Ojore nodded and paced before the fire, his hands folded behind his back, deep in thought. He held a small bracelet he had snatched from the physician earlier thatmorning when she tried to get away. The trinket was strange, with markings he couldn’t decipher, just like the tattoos on her head. The mystery around her intrigued him, and Ojore wanted to unravel each one of them.

“How did your wound heal so fast?” Akima looked at his leader and twisted the arrowhead in his hand.

“I had a bit of help.” Ojore smiled but didn’t elaborate. As a leader of the army, he rarely voiced his thoughts, and Akima knew when to stop pressing. Ojore trusted Akima more than his estranged family, but he wasn’t ready to share his discovery with him—at least not yet.

“You had a rough journey. How about a rest, and we’ll continue tomorrow?” Akima said.

“I feel more energized than I have in a long time. I don’t need rest.” Ojore splashed water on his face and ran his hands through his long locks then secured them on top of his head with a black band. “King Gusiwaju plans to meet with generals from its four cities. They are allying to counter our capture of the Keseve Market.”

“That will be a problem.” Akima furrowed his brow and passed Ojore a cloth for his face.

“Having them band together will make it easier for us to take them down.” Ojore rubbed the small towel on his face, washing away the sweat and grime of a long ride.

“The four cities will combine their efforts and resources. Who is going to lead the alliance?” Akima asked with a deep frown.

“Prince Gane of Mukuru is the brain behind the coalition.” Ojore walked toward the table and pored over the map. “He has experience fighting the cattle rustlers who plague his capital.”

“We are far better than mere rustlers,” Akima scoffed and sat opposite Ojore. “Any other person we have to watch out for?”

“Don’t underestimate a band of tyrants who steal away thousands of cattle in a single night.” Ojore frowned at the map and folded his hands across his chest. “Apart from Gane, we must watch out for generals from Etago, Iranda, and Suneka. They are older and more experienced in war. Prince Gane is young and is eager to make a name for himself.”

“We must plan and attend the alliance meeting. Let’s consult with all our generals tomorrow morning to plan our next move.” Ojore didn’t raise his eyes from the map on the desk.

“Will we be meeting the mysterious physician who tended to you?” Akima fished for more information from Ojore, who flashed him a crooked smile.

“Her talents would be appreciated in Dembe.” He leaned back and crossed his arms.

”A woman? Are you planning on recruiting her?”Akima’s eyes grew wide as he pulled a seat closer to Ojore.

Ojore’s life revolved around protecting the ever-expanding borders of Dembe with little mention of women. He turned down countless requests from the Dembe Court to get married and settle down.

“She must have been extraordinary to capture your attention,”Akima went on.

“More like a wildcat.” A faraway gaze swept Ojore’s eyes. “When Mukuru falls, all its people will becomeDembe residents. She will be no different. We’ll follow the procedure for recruiting all our talent.”

“We rarely take in women,” Akima pressed to get more information.

“She’s already proved her talents. Besides, it’s about time we focus on women too,” Ojore said as he stood. “One of the reasons we are expanding our borders is to equip the empire with the best skills, from artisans to soldiers. Expertise like hers will benefit many people, and whether a man or woman offers it doesn’t matter.”

Akima narrowed his eyes at his friend. Ojore knew that look well. His friend didn’t believe in the motivations behind her recruitment, but Ojore wasn’t going to satisfy him with an answer. Ojore stretched his hands and feigned tiredness.

“How about you get Litonde to come check on my wounds?”

Akima scoffed. “Whatever you say, general.” Akima stood and left the tent.

---