Chapter 38 Ìlú-Òdì, Sixth Ring, Kingdom of Oru
ìlú-òdì, Sixth Ring, Kingdom of Oru
L’?R?
The hourglass had just about a light bead’s worth of sand left and L’?r? held it close to her ears, listening to the grains drop and fighting the despair that clawed at her insides, knowing that they’d missed their chance at freedom.
Alawani and L’?r? had fallen silent in the darkness, their terror and hunger growing with every minute. L’?r? tried her best to not fall asleep, but she must have because next thing she knew, she was trapped in her mind. àlùfáà-àgbà had kept his promise and haunted her dreams with ravenous fury.
She woke up screaming and held on tight to Alawani, welcoming his embrace and allowing his voice to calm her mind.
‘Was it him?’ Alawani asked.
L’?r? nodded, her face still glued to his chest.
‘I’m so sorry,’ he said and lifted her chin. He lit his agbára and a soft yellow glow fell upon their faces. His eyes sparked with flakes of gold and his soft smile warmed her heart.
‘Do you want to talk about it?’ Alawani asked.
L’?r? shook her head.
‘He’s in my mind too,’ Alawani said. ‘He’s getting desperate.’
L’?r? jerked up, ‘What’s he saying? Are you okay?’
‘I’m fine. His voice has been in my mind for long enough that I know how to tune him out,’ Alawani said. ‘Nothing he says will stop us from getting out of this kingdom.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said.
Alawani shook his head, ‘My grandfather’s problems with me started long before you. Like you, I’ve considered going back and putting an end to all this, if only to save those we left behind, but as long as he keeps trying to hurt you, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep you away from him.’
L’?r? smiled at that.
‘I love you,’ he said, with his hand on his chest. ‘I hope you know that. I hope you know that I’ve loved you from – well, I don’t remember when I started loving you, but it doesn’t matter because I don’t remember not loving you.’
His hands roamed from her neck to her hair and she leaned into his touch, allowing him to distract her from her nightmares. She pressed her lips to his and kissed him. He put his hand around her waist and pulled her closer.
‘I love you too,’ she whispered between breaths.
Something loud crashed outside, sending echoes and vibrations through their cell, and they jumped, scrambling apart and then together in a tight embrace. The shakes quelled, and L’?r? said, ‘Do you think it’s the storm?’
‘Maybe,’ Alawani said. ‘We need to get out of here.’
‘We already tried the door, there’s just one exit,’ L’?r? said, and Alawani put his hands over his face and groaned.
Earlier, he’d tried using his agbára to melt the metal door but his agbára had burned him.
They figured the doors were spelled with old magic just like the cuffs had been.
Luckily, Rmí the guard had taken off their cuffs when he tossed them in, so Alawani was able to light up the cell occasionally.
‘When that door opens next, we attack whoever comes through. We can’t spend another day rotting in here. We’ll miss our chance,’ Alawani said.
L’?r? didn’t respond. She just rubbed his thighs to ease his nerves. If he got nervous then so would she. Again. And she was just about out of hope.
Alawani chuckled dryly. ‘Imagine if they knew they’d locked up the Queen of Oru in a dungeon.’
‘Don’t call me that,’ L’?r? said, playfully punching him.
‘I can hardly believe it,’ he said. ‘L’?r?, Queen of Oru. And to think Baba-ìtàn kept this a secret.’
‘I think that’s the craziest part to wrap my head around,’ L’?r? said.
‘Do you want to be queen?’
‘Of this land trying to kill me? No. Not even a little bit. What do I know about ruling a kingdom? What do I know about anything? I’m just trying to not die.’ Then she added, ‘If I could though, the first thing I’d do is end the àlùfáà trials.’
‘Then our agbára would disappear. Maybe not immediately, but over time, new generations would be born without it and it’ll be the end of our connection to the gods.’
‘Curse the gods,’ L’?r? said indignantly. ‘I’m sure there are other ways.’
‘After a thousand years, I doubt it,’ Alawani said.
‘I want nothing to do with this. The crown, the throne. None of it.’
‘We didn’t know it then but leaving at the time we did was the best decision we could have made. If you were anywhere near the capital when they figured out who you truly were, we may not have made it this far.’
‘I can’t believe my birth father is the Lord Regent. I can’t believe he’s trying to kill me,’ L’?r? said quietly.
‘I think we’ve got my grandfather to blame for that. The Lord Regent doesn’t seem like someone who wouldn’t at least want to meet with you.’
‘You can’t expect me to believe that the Holy Order is doing all this on its own. The Lord Regent knows and rules everything. Milúà has been hunting us like dogs, and your grandfather has been tormenting our dreams. Who do you think sent them all?’
‘I suppose you’re right,’ he said.
‘I guess whatever he felt for my mother died with her,’ L’?r? said dryly.
Alawani sat upright and pulled her close. ‘I am going to protect you, Tèmi, and if that means finding refuge in the north, then that’s what you need to do. I’d be bound to you forever if I could.’
‘What do you mean?’ she said, staring into his eyes, trying to find meaning through the shadows cast by the flames.
‘I don’t know what the future holds, but I know I can’t imagine a world where your heart doesn’t beat next to mine,’ he said, placing his palm on her chest.
She tried to form a smile, her lips curling slightly, but it faded just as quickly.
Her heart rate quickened, and she could feel her pulse at her fingertips.
It was as though she could no longer tell fear from anxiety or nerves from excitement.
Everything felt heightened and raw, and the more she tried to hold on to something – a thought, an idea, or hope – it faded as quickly as it ignited in her.
‘You can turn off your agbára. Save your strength,’ L’?r? said.
Alawani did as she asked and they sat in silence, holding each other as the darkness engulfed them again.
‘I can’t believe you grew up here before we met?’ L’?r? said, breaking the silence after a long moment.
‘Thanks to Command, I only spent about two first suns here,’ Alawani said. ‘I owe her my life.’
‘Was it that bad?’ L’?r? was glad he couldn’t see her face, and the guilt written across it at the mention of Command.
‘It was, but I had no choice. Even after Gbàgede, this place was still in my future. The Lord General assured me he’d have a place for me as captain whenever I returned. Whether I wanted it or not.’
L’?r? shifted. ‘Don’t you get to choose? Isn’t that what being a prince is all about? No responsibility and no orders?’
‘Yeah, that’s true, but most royal children end up here; I think everyone just expects it.
Half of the soldiers here are descendants of kings and queens going back many generations.
The Lord General and all those who lead or have led the military before know that anyone with even a drop of royal blood will have stronger agbára than the average person.
So they believe it is our duty to use those powers to protect the kingdom and the crown.
Even though anyone can join the army, royal descendants can become high-ranking officials – no matter how far removed from the ancestor who sat on the throne.
I know for a fact my mother expected me to take over from the Lord General one day. She’s ambitious like that.’
‘Oh gods, your mother. Do you think she’s okay in the capital? I mean since everything happened.’
‘I’m sure she’s fine. She is a queen. There isn’t much the Lord Regent can do to her,’ Alawani said.
‘And trust me. She can take care of herself. I’d worry for anyone who crosses her path more than I would for her,’ he said.
‘But I wish I’d seen her before leaving or spoken to her.
She’ll be so confused about everything.’
L’?r? squeezed his hand. ‘We can find a way to get a message to her. I’m not sure how, but I promise to try.’
‘Didn’t think we’d ever be leaving our home,’ Alawani said.
‘This isn’t my home. It’s never really been.’ She felt a surprising pang of loss as she said the words. ‘This kingdom has taken everything from me.’
Alawani pulled L’?r? back into his arms. ‘You haven’t lost everything,’ he breathed. ‘You have me.’
L’?r? smiled, ‘Yes, I do.’ He was the last person she had left, the last pillar standing, the love she couldn’t afford to lose.
He closed the gap between them, and she let him kiss her, slowly welcoming his lips to hers. She climbed over his legs and straddled him, allowing him to take her mind off misery, and with open arms, he welcomed her in.
L’?r? jumped at a loud click in the door. They both froze. Another click and they were up. Alawani’s agbára shone bright, L’?r? pulled out short thin blades from her hair. The soldier who tossed them in had taken their bags and weapons and searched them but hadn’t searched her hair. His mistake.
The door cracked open an inch and as soon as they moved, Rmí said, ‘If you attack me, I’ll raise an alarm. Hold your fire, I’m here to make a deal.’
He waited for Alawani’s light to dim before he walked in. L’?r? was ready to pounce.
‘Speak. Quickly,’ she growled.
Rmí tossed them their belongings. ‘The storm is picking up. I’m guessing that was your plan?
’ When they didn’t respond, he went on, ‘Look, the winds picked up about a light bead ago. The storm and hail will be here soon. The crown heir and the maiden Milúà are in this keep together with the Lord General. The main keep has emptied of soldiers and the last wall, as usual, has gone underground to avoid being tossed off the battlements. I can get you out.’
‘The crown heir is here?’ L’?r? said, her heart racing in her chest.
‘I promise I can get you out,’ Rmí said again.
‘You locked us in here for an entire day. Why would we trust you?’ Alawani said, the light of his agbára slowly growing again.