Chapter 1: The Night Everything Scatter

I give Shenyu something inside drink and set everything up so people go catch us together, all because I want am to beg Oba to marry me.

That night hot like pepper soup wey harmattan no fit cool. As I dey pour the powder for him drink, my hand dey shake, sweat dey my palm. My mind dey run like rat wey see cat. If person see my heart that time, e for dey beat kpai-kpai, as if dem fit catch me for the evil wey I dey do. For palace wey gossip dey run faster than keke, one small mistake fit finish person name for market.

But instead make Shenyu gree marry me, the guy gree make them punish am. The thing turn me to talk of the whole capital.

As sun rise the next day, before I fit even hide my face finish, story don spread for market, from pepper sellers for Oyingbo to palace guards. "Princess Nkem, na she dey find husband by force!" Dem dey laugh, mouth sharp, no pity. The shame choke me like wrapper wey tight pass body.

Later, when wahala burst for palace, I fall from princess to prisoner.

Royal life dey sweet until breeze change. I dey enjoy soft life, thinking say e go last, but na lie. In one blink, everything scatter. Person wey get servant before, now na common criminal, chained with iron like goat wey thief cassava.

Shenyu lock me for bed with iron chain, treat me like criminal, no mercy for him hand.

Palace quiet like cemetery for midnight, only night insect dey sing for corridor. But my own room na true prison. Even the air dey heavy for my chest. Shenyu hand strong, no emotion, and him face dey like thunder wey no wan break. Tears wey I no gree cry for crowd, na for that mattress I pour am.

Na that time I hear say as I put medicine for him drink, the woman wey him love come begin hate am, marry another person join.

I remember the way Shenyu eyes dull when dem talk say Duru don marry another person. Person wey him heart dey beat for, now dey another man house. All because my wahala cross line. If na Nollywood, na this part I for don carry my bag go village, but palace no dey let person waka comot anyhow.

The hatred wey he get for me deep, say wetin I do am, I no fit pay am back for this life.

E get as Shenyu dey look me sometimes, like say if spirit fit chop person, I for don disappear. The hatred no dey finish. Na fire wey no get water at all.

As the pain too much, I try end my life, think say if I die, e go balance the matter. My hand dey shake as I pick razor, silent prayer for my mind: 'God abeg, no let my mama shame catch me for grave.' I wonder if my ancestors dey vex for me, or if na punishment for my stubbornness.

Suicide no dey our way, but shame and pain fit push person reach edge. I remember cold metal, one last look for candle flame, then darkness carry me. I think say if I vanish, e go balance the matter, but Naija spirit no dey quick rest.

But as I open my eyes again, na the day wey I first give am the medicine I land back.

My mind scatter. Wetin be this? God wan give me second chance, abi na my ancestors dey test me? The same bedsheet, same air, same sound of distant talking for palace yard. My heart dey knock for chest like talking drum. I no sabi if I wan laugh or cry.

But palace walls get ear, and my own miracle fit still turn to wahala before morning.