Page 21 of Wrath of the Oracle

“Decisions made on the battlefield are a matter of life and death. I did not spare his life easily. He will serve his purpose when the time comes,” Ojore explained, holding the man’s gaze.

“Prince Gane is leading an army of four cities to attack us in the battle of the Keseve Market. If you had killed him...” the elder’s voice trailed off.

“Have I ever lost a battle?” Ojore’s quiet voice stopped the older man. He took steps forward, and the old man was wise to step back. With his back against the fire, Ojore’s silhouette appeared twice as big and more menacing.

“No, but the decisions you have been making lately have us questioning your motives in this war. You know well that the kingdom needs access to the great lakes in the south, and only by conquering Mukuru and her cities will we be able to achieve that,” the man pressed on, even though tiny beads of sweat covered his forehead.

“I have yet to forget the purpose of this war, elder. I don’t need you to remind me.” Ojore stopped inches away from him.

“I didn’t mean to sound impetuous. Forgive me, my lord.” The elder averted his gaze and bowed deeply.

“Tonight, you will rest in the camp. Tomorrow, you will leave. Tell the king I will deliver him Keseve Market and the passage to Lake Alokove.”

“Then we shall all await your good news.” The elder seemed to have something more to add, but Ojore’s harsh glare stopped him from speaking. Akima led him out of the shelter for the night.

King Kaza of Dembe Kingdom wasn’t a man to be trifled with. Ojore’s father knew of everything that happened in the army, and sending an old man that far out to the southern post meant more than just reporting the war’s progress. The king must have heard about the mysterious woman Ojore rescued. The elder didn’t ask questions, but his stolen glances toward the inner chambers of his room were obvious to Ojore.

“Is the elder settled in?” Ojore asked as soon as Akima rejoined him. Ojore moved to sit on one of the chairs by the table. He leaned forward and tapped his long fingers on the wooden table. Much like the rest of his quarters, he had no luxury, only bare necessities.

“You know the real reason for him coming here.” Akima raised his brows toward the room where Sholei was resting. Akima sat in front of Ojore and folded his massive arms across his chest, stretching his garment across his back.

“These old men know nothing about war but always accuse me of sabotaging their grand plans.” Ojore knew of the spies among his soldiers. He let them live because they served their purpose when the situation called for it.He knew the presence of an injured young woman in his lodgings would arouse many questions.

The elder came to inquire about Sholei, but he kept beating around the bush. Ojore didn’t care about satisfying his curiosity.

“We barely escaped Bondeni Valley before Gane’s army descended on us. The court envoy is correct. We would have an easier time if we killed off Gane than if we spared his life. I feel he will be a thorn in our flesh.” Akima leaned forward on his seat, his bright eyes questioning, and the single white shell on his forehead swayed with the slightest movement.

“You were present during the congregation of the four cities. You saw how he managed to sway the crowd and get the other cities to join his course. He is not a bad fighter, either. He should not be underestimated.” Ojore nodded his head. He was surprised when Gane held out for as long as he did in Bondeni Valley. The young prince was nowhere near him in skill, but Ojore knew better than to underestimate an enemy, no matter how weak they appeared.

“Why didn’t you kill Gane? Why did you stop us from shooting arrows at him? Why did you save that woman?” Akima narrowed his gaze.

“Sometimes, cutting off a snake’s head is not the best solution because two other heads will grow in its place. I don’t want to deal with several rebellious groups, but taking them out all at once would save us many resources,” Ojore explained, and Akima nodded and relaxed.

“What about the woman?” Akima paused after his question.

“She is the one who cured my arrow wound in a night,” Ojore said with a slight smile, the first one in many days.

Akima’s eyes widened, and Ojore could trace the questions in the open look. Having been through thick and thin together from a young age, Ojore had gotten a good chance to read Akima’s moods and attitudes. His friend waited for him to explain further.

From what Ojore had gathered from days of spying on Sholei in the medicine yard, he knew she had a strained relationship with the senior physician. He had been planning how to get her out of the yard for days, but a chance presented itself, and she left. Then he witnessed her getting cozy with the prince of Mukuru. The image didn’t sit well with him, but it gave him an idea, and Gane blindly fell into his trap. What he hadn’t anticipated was Sholei’s intervention in the fight and her coming close to dying from losing too much blood. Litonde, his physician, said if he hadn’t attended to her as soon as he had, she wouldn’t have made it.

If I don’t gamble my life, I can’t win. What did she mean by that statement? Ojore turned to the door to his inner room, where she recuperated. What did she stand to achieve by putting a wager on her life?

”And I can’t answer your questions because I have yet to get the answers.” Ojore sighed and found Akima’s gaze, his tapping fingers halting.

“How did she escape from our men guarding her in the caves? I mean, what did she do to them? They suddenly fell asleep, and she was gone.” Akima released a frustrated sigh.

Ojore tried to contain a smile at that. Somehow, Sholei had managed to escape his battle-hardened soldiers without a fight. From what he heard, one moment, they were alert, and the next, they couldn’t keep their eyes open. She had probably drugged them, but how? Litonde had mentioned she had used a combination of herbs potent enough to knock down a grown man in mere seconds. The Imperial Physician had been fascinated by her ingenuity and he couldn’t wait to meet her. Litonde also said she was healing well, but she needed rest. Ojore grimaced, recalling how he had stabbed her. She wasn’t supposed to be there.

“My lord,” Akima called, and Ojore raised his brows.

“I still don’t…’

“In time, Akima, I will tell you everything. Inform the generals that we have a meeting in the morning. Let’s get this war over and done with.” Ojore got up and dismissed Akima.

Sholei’s eyes flew open,her heart thumping in her chest, her breathing ragged. The bright light in the room almost blinded her. She raised her hands to block the offending brilliance, but sharp pain cut through her stomach, stealing her breath away. Her eyes adjusted to the light, and she tried to figure out where she was.

The room was quiet, but muffled voices reached her from outside. Burning lanterns adorned the high wooden walls. She was not in the medicine yard. She was lying on the softest bed of furs and covered with the lushest blanket. She didn’t know what the material was made of, butit was smooth, and it felt comfortable against her skin. A foreign, spicy scent clung to the bedding. The smell was calming. The room was sparsely furnished, but from the arrangement, it was clear that the owner was a person of means. The bed design, the small table at her bedside, and the gold-plated cutlery hinted at wealth. The tangy scent of herbs assaulted her nose. Someone had been feeding her medicine.

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