Page 86 of Wrath of the Oracle

“Yes.” He approached the queen again. “How they met is still a mystery, but I am made to understand that she entrances Prince Ojore.”

“This is the first time he has showed interest in a woman. When the list of achievements from the Keseve war reached Dembe court, I recalled seeing a foreign name. Some Sholei of the Ulele clan from Mukuru capital. Is that her name?”

“When the alliance recaptured the Keseve Market, everyone thought Ojore would fail, but he turned the tide. His victory was highly applauded in court. There are talks of making him heir to the throne among court officials,” Mzee Chabo said, and Queen Nnandi gritted her teeth. She couldn’t believe Ojore survived after lots of effort and resources were used to eliminate him.

Ojore was a thorn in her side.

“Tell me more about this physician.” She needed to know everything about Ojore. His influence in court caused her sleepless nights. King Kaza refused to name her son, Prince Kengani the heir, and the thought thatOjore, the son of a concubine, might take the throne irked her to no end.

“Sholei escaped from the camp, and Ojore managed to recapture her back in Mukuru. Her closeness to him made the residents of Mukuru Kingdom turn their backs on her. They almost stoned her to death a couple of weeks back,” Mzee Chabo explained.

“He will try to bring her back to the Dembe capital.” Queen Nnandi narrowed her eyes in realization.

The old man nodded. “Imagine Ojore having someone influential beside him. Her prowess in medicine will boost his reputation further.”

“I can’t have someone significant supporting him. If her people don’t want her, why should we welcome her to Dembe?” Her maniacal smile revealed pearly white even teeth.

“Should we…?” Mzee Chabo gazed expectantly at the queen.

“Get rid of the pest, but remember our objective. Prince Ojore must die. If he dies with this physician… well, good.” Her eyes held Mzee Chabo’s, her intent clear.

”I have someone who will act upon this when I get out the message.” Mzee Chabo licked his lips and approached her. “If we use him, it will take some time to find someone close to Prince Ojore again.”

“That is a big gamble we’ll be taking.” She contemplated for a few seconds. “But since we want to go all in, let’s risk it.”

“Understood.” He bowed and turned to leave.

“Remember, it is your neck on the line if you fail this time,” the queen warned. “I am sure Ojore knows about you now. He won’t let you live if you don’t finish him off.”

“He won’t live long enough for that,” he answered before he blended with the shadows.

“He’s holding court again?”Sholei huffed in disbelief as she stared at Akima. A couple of days had passed after their night together, and Ojore was as busy as ever.

Despite his promise to have midday food with her afterthatnight, the court session turned into closed-door meetings throughout the day. He sent a message that she should go ahead without him. Sholei tried to catch him early in the morning and late at night a day later, but he wasn’t in his room.

Why did she feel like he was avoiding her? Sholei wondered. Did she do something wrong?

“He won’t be done until late in the day.” Akima scratched the back of his neck and cleared his throat. “But I’ll pass him your message.”

“There must be a reason he’s avoiding me.” She glanced past Akima to the doors to Ojore’s chambers. “But that doesn’t matter because he must complete his medication. The poison in his body hasn’t completely disappeared.”

When Akima didn’t answer, Sholei went on.

“Where is he?” She approached him, and the tall guard took a step back.

“At the training pavilion,” Akima confessed, and Sholei’s eyes widened.

“Fighting or any form of training will accelerate the movement of poison in his body.” Sholei closed her eyes in frustration.

“I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen,” Akima answered. Sholei didn’t wait for him to explain. She rushed toward the training arena. The palace grounds were vast, and she needed to get there fast. Mueni and Akima followed.

She reached the training grounds—a vast open space lined with weapons on the sandy edges before the southern palace gates. The soft sand was spread on the ground to buffer the men who practiced. Some men wrestled with each other, and others fought with swords. She spotted Ojore locked in a brawl with another soldier in the middle of the half-naked wrestlers.

He was dressed in tight brown attire around his waist that was secured to his mid-thigh. His upper body gleamed with sweat and white sand. His locks were secured in a high bun, and his feet were bare. Part of his face was covered with sand. He appeared rugged and fierce, and Sholei had never been so entranced. She remembered when she saw him fight with fluid movements and controlled efforts. This time was different, charged with emotions she couldn’t explain.

Sholei dragged her eyes from Ojore. She needed to get her head straight if she was to face him. To get his attention, she crossed the field. Soldiers paused and watched whenever she passed. Her sandaled feet sank in the sand as she trudged toward him.

“General,” she called out, but he ignored her. With a rough push, he pinned his opponent down. The confusedman was distracted, and Ojore took the chance. She approached and stood before him when he got up.

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