Chapter 3: Coconut Buns and Coded Signs

When Chief Chinedu reach, Musa Adigun don arrange table with plenty small chops, dey taste am with eye wey dey close, while Sunday Yaro stand for door like imam wey dey meditate.

The table full—suya, coconut buns, dodo, nkwobi, even one small calabash of ogogoro wey Chief Okoli send from village. Musa Adigun dey arrange small chops with finger, sniff, nod in approval. Sunday Yaro dey stand for door, hands behind back, eye closed, posture calm, like imam wey dey pray for peace before Friday.

Chief Chinedu blink. Something for this scene no pure.

He pause for threshold, nose twitch, brain dey spin. For palace, sudden generosity and silence dey mean trouble. Na only lizard for wall no dey suspect.

Sunday Yaro lift eyelid, look Chief Chinedu, raise hand, bend middle finger, slowly point up for Chief Chinedu.

The movement coded—ancient palace sign wey dem use during coup. Sunday Yaro raise hand, bend finger—old palace sign wey mean, "shine your eye, danger dey." Sunday Yaro eye flash, quickly hide back to normal.

Chief Chinedu: …

Chief Chinedu lips press tight. He remember stories of old, where one sign fit mean life or death. Heart beat double. He no talk, but for im mind, "I go stay sharp."

But Chief Chinedu sharp. E reason Sunday Yaro hint: after all the wahala with Gidan, the Oba wey fear before don get him power back.

He glance quick at Musa Adigun, eyes narrow. "Oba wey lose him fear fit turn to lion." He take mental note, ready to move with caution. The guards outside shift stance, as if dey pick up the tension wey dey float for room.

Na why e dey behave anyhow now, like person wey don change.

Chief Chinedu heart dey thump, but im face flat. "For palace, na only Oba fit change character overnight. The rest of us na just witness." E dey watch, dey listen to every sound, even the small cough from servant.

For this kind hour, Chief Chinedu sabi say wahala dey.

He clear throat, prepare himself like soldier. In palace, night like this, na only trouble dey fly like bat for shrine.