Page 46 of Wrath of the Oracle

At dawn, Ojore woke her up, and they resumed their journey. On their journey back, they didn’t encounter the assassins from the Sokwe Society again. While she felt a twinge of sadness as she left the grasslands and returned to camp, Ojore couldn’t neglect his duties for too long.

Neither brought up the kiss Sholei replayed in her mind over and over again.

Mueni greeted her with a wide smile as soon as the horse stopped by the stalls. Akima took the reins as Ojore climbed down. His eyes shifted between Ojore and Sholei with silent questions neither wanted to answer.

“Make sure that Radi is well taken care of,” Ojore instructed a stable boy before he turned to Sholei. “Later in the day, I willsend for you.”

Ojore reverted to his usual indifferent demeanor, speaking with little emotion and a passive tone. With a curt nod, he turned toward his tent, Akima on his trail. They conversed in low tones. If Sholei didn’t know better, she would be convinced she had spent the day with a different man. A prince, a war general, and a worldly traveler.

The man who stole her first kiss.

“The journey must have been worth it.” Mueni cleared her throat and diverted Sholei’s attention from his spear-sheathed wide back.

“I witnessed a Dembe wedding and made a new friend,” Sholei said.

“You must be talking about Princess Ngele. She’s the princess closest to Prince Ojore,” Mueni remarked and followed Sholei to the medicine camp. She told Mueni about the wedding and avoided the kiss that burned in her mind. Mueni asked her to rest before she attended to patients, but Sholei directed her to the medicine camp. Working put her mind at ease.

She stopped at the entrance and found all the beds occupied. When she had left, the room was almost empty. The injured soldiers from the war had been treated well and healed.

”What happened?” Sholei asked. Soldiers clutched their stomachs in discomfort. Litonde moved from one bed to another as he administered medicine.

“Last night, we lost five men.” Mueni’s voice was heavy and Sholei’s stomach dropped.

“They died?” Sholei approached the nearest patient. His forehead was covered with sweat.

“You are back.” Litonde noticed Sholei’s presence and came to her side. Dark circles underneath his pale eyes.

“How come we have so many patients?” She moved to the next patient and felt the temperature of the soldier who lay still. Her blood ran cold as she felt the chill of his lifeless body. Dead. What kind of illness swept through the camp in a day?

“They complained of stomach aches. I prescribed medicine, but they came back with worse symptoms. We lost several yesterday. I am afraid if we don’t find the cause, we will lose more.” Litonde’s lips pressed in a thin line.

“This man is dead,” she whispered to Litonde, but other patients caught the statement. Audible gasps rent the air from the other sick men in the room. Sholei had dealt with some deceased bodies back in Mukuru. She understood the urgency to dispose of his body to prevent the spread of whatever afflicted the camp. Dead bodies carried numerous contaminants.

”Where are the other bodies?” Sholei plucked her coverall from the wall, and Mueni helped her put it on top of her riding robes.

“Out in the back, waiting to be buried,” Litonde answered, a grim look covering his face. His shoulders slumped.

“We must burn them. Delaying it will only spread the disease further. Who else came into contact with the bodies?” Sholei reached for roles of white bandages.

“I understand you want us to get rid of the contaminants, but according to Dembe customs, we must conduct funeral rites,” Litonde objected, his deep eyes wide.

“If we don’t find the cause of their deaths, we will lose more. “Burning the bodies is a preventive measure.” Sholei took several white sheets and turned to Mueni.

“Cut this into smaller strips and give them to the men. They must cover their faces when coughing. The disease might be spreading through the air.”

Mueni nodded.

“We need the general’s approval,” Litonde said.

“Do as she says.” Ojore’s voice boomed as he walked inside the tent. “Akima, organize the burning of the deceased men. We’ll conduct their burial rites posthumously,” Ojore instructed with a grim voice. Akima nodded and left the room.

Sholei approached Ojore. “It’s not normal for men to die from a simple stomachache and cough. We must find the source of this ailment.” She handed him a strip of cloth and demonstrated how to tie it around his nose and mouth. Her eyes lingered on his lips for a moment, and her breath hitched when his gaze bored down on her.

“Akima has briefed me on what is going on. Will you work with Litonde to find a cure for the poison?” Ojore cleared his throat, and Sholei tore her gaze from his.

“We should check the water source and food storage. The camp’s supplies might have been compromised. We need to clear everything out, and those who came into contact with the sick men should be isolated.” Sholei found her voice again.

“Litonde?” Ojore turned to his Imperial Physician.

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