Page 14 of Wrath of the Oracle

“Don’t think you will put the prince under your spell, witch.” Mmbone shook her index finger at Sholei, her disdainful gaze on the necklace. Her pretty features contorted into a nasty frown.

Sholei fisted her hands. She was not a witch. She could take anything but being called that name. She loathed it.She never used black magic in her work. Her gift came from years in the medicine yard. People like Mmbone—born with silver spoons in their mouths—couldn’t understand.

“I warned you against calling me that,” Sholei countered as she stepped toward Mmbone. Tula closed in behind her.

“Everybody in the capital knows of the little potions you make. You’re not fooling anyone.” Each word dripped with venom. “Prince Gane will never look at you like a woman.”

“You are not the one to decide that.” Sholei moved closer to Mmbone, and their chests touched. Tula pulled the sleeves of her gown back. In the past, when they had fought, Sholei won every time and Mmbone ran back to her father in tears. Musembi talked Sholei’s ears off when she received the complaints.

“Let’s teach her a lesson she won’t forget.” Tula bumped her fists together. Apart from Mmbone, her cronies stepped back.

A subtle movement on the other side of the street caught Sholei’s eyes. Her heart skipped a beat.

Past the throng of people stood the Dembe soldier, his gaze on her. His direct stare sent chills down her back, and Sholei stumbled, her petty fight with Mmbone forgotten. Time stood still as everything around her blurred. The chatter in the crowd turned into a distant buzz as the crowd meshed into a blend of colors.

“What is wrong, Sholei? You are shaking.” Tula’s worried voice dragged her back as she shook her shoulders.

“De…De….” Sholei pointed toward the figure across the street, but he had disappeared. In a split second, he was gone, and she wondered if he was a figment of her imagination. She could have sworn it was him dressed in the distinct merchant’s tunic. She could not forget his dark eyes, towering height, or that arrogant smirk.

“You are right to be scared.” Mmbone pushed Sholei back with her palm. “Stay out of my way if you know what is good for you.” She walked off with her cronies as they cackled like a pack of hyenas behind her, oblivious to the danger.

“Sholei, what is it?” Tula worried as Sholei scanned the crowd.

“You have to find Prince Gane right now.” Sholei ran toward where the Dembe soldier disappeared.

“Why? What is going on?” Tula stopped her friend in her tracks and stood in front of her.

“I can’t explain until I am sure, but we are in danger. The entire kingdom is in danger.” Sholei tried to sidestep Tula, keeping her gaze where she had seen the soldier. Frantic, she searched but couldn’t trace him. Just when she thought she had imagined him, she caught a glimpse of him again. His heavy blue tunic with a golden lining embroidered in its pleats caught the light of an overhead lantern before he disappeared behind a corner between merchant stalls.

“Prince Gane must be at the watch tower. He’s overseeing the security with the city guards.” Tula followed Sholei’s gaze before giving a stern nod.

Sholei didn’t have time to explain what had happened and regretted not telling her best friend earlier about theDembe soldier she encountered. In the previous days, Tula spent time outside the Mukuru soldiers’ training camp, trying to get in and train with her brothers. It was a futile attempt, so she stayed on the sidelines and watched from afar. She grumbled about the injustice to Sholei more than once.

“Head there right now and tell him to watch out for Dembe soldiers.” Sholei’s voice carried urgency.

“Dembe soldiers!” Tula exclaimed before Sholei clasped her wrist to her mouth.

“Don’t scream and cause hysteria.” Sholei tried to be brave and cursed herself for notinforming anyone about the threat.

“How did you know? Where did you see him?” Tula pulled Sholei’s hand off her mouth.

“I must search for him. I am the only one who knows what he looks like,” Sholei said.

“I am not letting you go after him alone. It’s dangerous,” Tula insisted.

“Look at the crowd. Nothing will happen to me, but if we fail to inform the city guards early enough, we might be too late,” Sholei tried to assure her friend. Her eyes wandered around, landing on any person dressed in blue robes.

“I don’t think…” Tula shook her head, stopping Sholei. If it were true, and there was a Dembe soldier in their midst, Sholei wasn’t equipped to deal with him. Tula heard chilling tales about their conquests from her elder brothers, which she shared with Sholei.

“Go find Prince Gane.” Sholei didn’t waste time and tried to run into the crowd. Tula didn’t let go of her arm,and Sholei recalled the insignia she had stashed in her clothes.

“Give this to Gane. He’ll understand.” She pulled the insignia she had stolen from the man’s luggage and pushed it into Tula’s hand. Then she ran after him.

Sholei rushed through the throng of people, in search of the elusive man. She ducked her head to avoid a merchant with rolls of fabric and used her elbows to get through the crowd. The excited voices didn’t register as she continued her blind search. She took a corner, landed on another street, and almost knocked over playing children. Panic pushed her forward, and she crashed into a solid wall.

“We meet again, witch,” a low, deep voice said.

In the middle of the crowd and surrounded by excited voices, one voice stood out against the rest and sent chills down her back. Sholei looked up and came face to face with the dark, volatile gaze of the Dembe soldier. She gasped and tried to step back, but ahand on her arm stopped her. His firm grip on her bare arm was too warm as his calloused fingers imprinted on her skin.

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