Chapter 9: The Last Bite

When Sani Umar play ayo with me, he say I don old, wan find wife for me. E talk am like big brother, but fear dey hide for him voice.

I fear, but still thank am. For palace, e better to get king eye than make am turn back.

Musa Lawal just dey turn prayer bead for hand, no talk. E face strong, e nor dey smile.

That afternoon, Sani Umar send me picture of women wey I fit marry. I dey check dem one by one for carriage. The paper fine, drawing neat, perfume smell dey follow.

Dem pick am well—daughters of people wey support Second Prince before, now loyal. Na palace way, marriage dey solve plenty wahala.

Sani Umar wan use marriage tie me down. E dey fear say throne nor strong, my presence fit shake ground for am.

He fear say throne no strong. Power nor dey stable, na only wise king dey survive.

For my eye, Sani Umar too soft, too care for him name, too slow to clear me. If na me, story for don different.

If na me, I for clear am first day. For palace, delay fit kill king.

When Musa Lawal come, I don pick two. My hand dey shake, my mind dey run.

He carry the paper, check am. E eye dey sharp, e dey scan as if e dey look for lie inside paper.

"Okafor daughter sabi fight—she go beat you." Musa Lawal eye dey twinkle, small smile for corner mouth.

"Amina..." Musa Lawal hold the paper near candle, "she too sick, no good." E shake head, light dey catch e face.

Both paper burn. Ash dey fly for air, I dey watch am.

I no vex. Sani Umar send plenty—one go fit. My mind dey weak, I nor fit argue.

I rest my head, bring another. "Ngozi—her family clean, she gentle, she cute." My voice soft, memory dey follow am.

I remember the girl, smile as I look the picture. "I don see her before—she small, round like rabbit. Why artist draw her ugly?" I laugh small, but pain dey hide for chest.

Musa Lawal talk, "Ngozi don engage last week." E talk am like person wey dey read news.

I frown. "How I no know?" My voice crack, hand dey shake.

Musa Lawal snatch the paper. "If I say she don engage, she don engage." E nor look me, e dey crush the paper.

He crush am, talk flat. "I go tell His Majesty say you no see anyone you like." E voice cold, e nor get pity.

I no happy. "But I see one." My mouth tight, hope dey my eye.

Musa Lawal look me, eye dark. "Your Highness wan marry?" E dey search my soul, like say e dey find money wey lost.

I hiss. "Why not?" My pride dey fight for air, but e weak.

Musa Lawal smile, raise hand hold my face. "If me and Your Highness spend wedding night, where bride go?" E voice low, hot breath dey touch my ear.

"Musa Lawal. You no fit try am." My words dey shake, but my heart dey run.

"You sure say I no go try?" Musa Lawal smile, but e get small madness for eye. Palace lamp dey shine for e face, shadow dey dance for wall.

"With me here, Your Highness still dey find another person?" E voice sweet, but warning dey hide inside.

Musa Lawal touch make my waist weak, I hold him sleeve tight. The touch dey enter bone, my breath dey short.

He lift my face, him lips touch my own. "Who else fit make Your Highness feel this kind way?"

"Who else go serve Your Highness pass me?" Musa Lawal voice soft, but e dey ring for my head like prayer bell. If na this shame be the price for love, make palace wall hear am—I go pay.