Page 70 of Wrath of the Oracle

“I am just relieved everything worked out in the end. I knew you were imprisoned upon your return to Mukuru. My illness had advanced by then. I could only send Akima to go after you. Fortunately, he found you before you crossed the lake.”

Sholei tried to forget the image of the village burned down by the lake. He spoke of going after her in passing, but people had died, and for what? Their blood lay on her hands, and Sholei hated the feelings that it brought.If she chose to run away again, would more people suffer?

“How did you know I would be traveling to the lake?” She pushed the image from her mind.

“It’s the southernmost point of Mukuru Kingdom. You were running away from me, so naturally you would choose the opposite direction from where I was.” After a long pause, he said, “With your ambitions, the Faye Islands would be your next destination. The route through Lake Alokove is long and tedious, but you would prefer it.”

There was a way she could escape him. He ensnared her in his web, and to her surprise, Sholei didn’t want to flee. Ojore proved to be a ruthless strategist but in his arms, Sholei could only think of how perfectly they fit together.

“Silence speaks louder than words.” His words drew her from her thoughts. “I might be blind, but I can tell where your thoughts are drifting.”

“You won’t be blind for much longer. It’s only a side effect of the poison that will fade with time,” Sholei changed the topic.

“With you by my side, I’m confident I’ll heal,” Ojore replied. His lips peeled back to release a smile wide enough to draw out his dimples.

“I’ll do everything in my power to purge the poison from your body,” Sholei assured him.

“That can wait.” He pulled her close to his chest and sighed, closing his eyes. “For now, I just wish for us to stay like this.”

“You seem to be in a better mood, my lord.” Akima bowed before Ojore the following morning when he visited his chambers.

“I know you have much to say.” Ojore rose from his seat. He used a long copper-cast staff to help him navigate around.

His sight was darkened by a slim white bandage around his eyes. Ojore hadn’t gone entirely blind. Though everything was blurred, he could still see objects move before his eyes. Sholei told him it was a side effect of his ingested poison. It would fade away with time. She prepared medicine, applied it to his eyes early that morning, and wrapped the bandage.

“I don’t think you should trust Sholei,” Akima said, and Ojore could imagine his deep furrow.

“She’s the only one who can cure my blindness and reverse the effects of the poison,” Ojore tapped his long fingers on the staff.

“After poisoning you,” Akima scoffed. “You are lucky to have escaped with your life. We don’t know what she will do next.” Akima wrapped his arms across his chest.

“It won’t happen again,” Ojore told him. The antidote she used was already working. Their heart-to-heart conversation assured him she wouldn’t hurt him again. A small voice nagged him not to put his faith in her, but he ignored it. It was true Sholei might be motivated by her ambitions, but Ojore trusted her.

”Ojore.” Akima cut through his reverie. His loud voice made Ojore flinch.

“Sholei is not as cruel as you are painting her to be,” Ojore inclined his head toward Akima.

“She poisoned you when you threatened her friend’s life. Imagine what she would do if you threatened someone else close to her, like the old physician,” Akima reasoned. “You shouldn’t keep her close.”

Ojore paused to think. His relationship with Sholei was precarious at best. At first, he planned to accompany her to the Faye Islands, and when she completed her studies, she would join the Imperial Physicians in the palace. He still planned to help her fulfill her dreams, but what guaranteed she wouldn’t strike out again if someone close to her got threatened?

Ojore turned toward the window and gazed out. The morning light penetrated his blurry gaze through the thin bandage. “I have to trust her,” he whispered.

“What if you’re forced to decide between her and the army?” Akima pushed.

”What you perceive as betrayal, I see as loyalty and courage. She went against all odds to save her friend. I admire that in her.” Ojore paused and turned to his friend. “She stayed in the camp and helped treat the disease that killed almost half our army. Litonde confessed it was her concoction that worked for the injured men. What if she wasn’t around?”

“I don’t know, Ojore. I still think you’re playing with fire here. She did it once. Shemightturn against you again.”

“Is that all you came to report this morning?” Ojore stamped his long staff on the floor, signaling the end of the conversation.

“We have found the remaining alliance soldiers hiding in the plains, taken in by the cattle rustlers. They have camped out deep in Vipingo Gorge. The hideout is filled with traps, but with your command, we’ll attack,” Akima said after a long pause.

“Have you confirmed Gane’s death?” Ojore paced the room.

“With his wounds, he won’t survive for long.”

“So, he isn’t dead?” Ojore raised his eyebrows.

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