Page 37 of Ashes of Gold
“I do.” Bati bows his head. “A humble servant of Deolekkis. With truth and integrity, we cast our votes fairly and submit to the victor with loyalty as is the Ghizoni way.”
“Aye!” the crowd shouts to a chorus of fists pounding the tables.
“Beerchi.” He picks up a bowl that I thought was empty and out comes a folded note of paper. “Your nomination.” He reads the paper. “Shauntom Naikae.”
Shaun stands, surrounded by his coquella cloaked in fur. Like the Yakanna, they are all much more decked out than earlier. The furs clasped across them are hooked with a golden broach in the shape of a bear claw. Where he wore one ring before, he wears several now. From what I ran across in one of these books, the rings are passed down through the generations from Beerchi leaders before him. Each ring represents a decisive victory won. The Beerchi were nomadic people before settling on this island, and with them they brought warrior prowess and tactical wisdom. I don’t know which would be a better leader. Kai is fierce too. Though Jhamal’s side comments about her do give me pause. Right now, I think Shaun has my vote.
“Shauntom Naikae, descendant of Mishon Ide Beerchi, Father of Might of Ghizon,” Bati begins. “You are being presented to the Ancestors and this assembly to be considered Kowana, King of our People, to represent our interests, preserve our people, culture, and traditions, and trailblaze our future. Do you accept this nomination?”
“Aye.” Shaun pats his chest.
“Yakanna.” Bati picks a folded note of paper from another bowl. “Your nomination. Kainese Mene.” Was it even a question who they would nominate? Kai runs those girls.
She steps forward. I try to finish skimming the book, prepare to explain why raising the Ancestors should be where we focus next,but I can’t look away. Kai’s a ball of anticipation and Shaun’s never looked more fierce.Maybe I’ll vote for Kai?
“Kainese Mene, descendant of Mother Moi Ike Yakanna, Warrior Goddess of Ghizon,” Bati says. “You are being presented to the Ancestors and this assembly to be considered Kowana, Queen of our People, to represent our interests, preserve our people, culture, and traditions, and trailblaze our future. Do you accept this nomination?”
“I do,” she says. Her girls hiss and goosebumps dance up my skin. Bati moves to the third bowl, for his own clan, with a quick glance at his brothers. He pulls out a piece of paper and his eyes settle on me.
“Rue Jelani Akintola…”
Whispers erupt like a swarm of locusts. My heart beats out my chest.
Jhamal leans into my ear for a whisper. “They will not all be won over to your side easily, but they will come around.”
“My side? I don’t have a side. We all want the same thing: to see the Chancellor brought to his knees.”
“Yes, but the how…”
“I don’t know, but this ain’t it. Did you have anything to do with this?”
Bati bangs his staff, trying to quiet the chatter. This is an apparent surprise to everyone, and from the thin smiles, most aren’t happy about it.
“How will they ever believe you can lead them if you don’t?” Jhamal says low.
“Jhamal, lead them?! I don’t want toleadthem, I just want us to remember who the real enemy is. And fighthim.Fighting and leading aren’t the same thing, Jhamal.”
“What is a leader, but a person who fights for what they believe in?”
I sigh, exasperated. I don’t know what to say to that, so I scan the room. I don’t even know which clan my father was from. Surely that’s a basic expectation of someone elected to lead them.
The crowd has quieted some and I stand because I feel like I’m supposed to. My knees threaten to falter. I don’t want to be disrespectful, but there’s no way… no… not me. Kai’s eyes narrow, daggers of death at Jhamal. Is this what she’s been acting shady with me about?Does she think I knew this was happening?Her gaze moves to me and it’s as cold as ice.Okay, so yes, clearly.
“Now that we’ve all settled,” Bati goes on, and the swell of voices simmer. “As I was saying, Rue Jelani Akintola, of descendant Mother Ike YakannaandMishon Ide Beerchi…”
Wait, what?
Aasim was Beerchi? But his mother Yakanna? Not only do I have a clan… I share heritage between them both?
Oh my god.
Kai’s contempt of me makes even more sense. Like I’m a threat to her. No wonder Shaun hasn’t looked at me once since saying hello. They think I’m a threat to their claims. I wish they realized I’m not their competitor. But they don’t see it that way. Not now. Not with so much at stake. Kai’s eyes flick to Jhamal and her nostrils flare.
My stomach is in my throat.
“No,” I say, before Bati can even form the question. The silence screams and I dig a nail into my palm. “No, I don’t accept. I-I… this is not…” My palms sweat. I’m speaking out of turn. Both Kai and Shaun accepted their nomination, but a part of them, a huge partI’d guess, wants to be named Kowana.I don’t!I can’t have everyone looking at me for all the answers. I’m not cut out for that. Last time I tried…
Screams fill my ears and the battlefield plays on repeat in my head.No. Never again.
