Chapter 3: Flight, Grief, and New Enemies

My body just freeze, cold from head to toe, dey shake like say malaria catch me.

Goosebumps full my skin, sweat dry sharp. My mouth bitter, like say I chew kola nut forget to spit. My legs nearly give way.

Nnenna stand near me, fear catch her too, eyes wide like person wey see masquerade for night.

She grip my arm, nails dig inside skin. Nnenna no dey show fear, but this one break her guard. She mutter, ‘Chukwu a juru!’, then whisper, 'God of my mother, carry us pass this wahala.' She cross herself three times.

"Baba Ojo—the Elder no too good, but how this kind thing go happen?"

Her voice dey shake, almost disappear. I see her lips dey tremble as she dey try make sense of this madness.

I just shake head, no fit talk. Wetin I dey see pass my power. Ikenna execute Baba Ojo? Which kind wahala story be this?

I swallow hard, look sky like answer go fall. Sun harsh, city feel like stranger house.

Palace attendants rush carry chair go put for city wall. Ikenna, face white like chalk, collapse for chair like person wey don lose hope. If no be say I see am give order, I for think say e no get hand for the matter.

He look lost, dey stare horizon, lips dey move like prayer. Kingship too heavy for him shoulder.

After long time, he call weakly, "General Musa."

Voice just small, dust carry am. Sound like person wey just remember say him fit die.

"This subordinate dey here."

One old man, over fifty, tall, strong, full armour, red cap, answer. But the Musa I sabi na loyal Lion General. This one just dey carry one kind dark spirit, body cold like mortuary. Fear catch me see am. No wonder e no move as dem kill Baba Ojo.

Musa voice steady, too calm. Red cap straight for head, but eyes—cold, sharp, like python dey wait rat.

"Now wey the traitor don die," Ikenna talk from above, "I order you, command the three armies, begin the Northern Campaign. Restore Han, return us to the old capital."

He raise hand slow, gold ring for finger flash. Wind pick dust, swirl around chair.

"This subordinate accept."

After Musa accept, he raise head look me straight. Wickedness for him eyes almost make me piss. E be like say knife dey my throat.

He lick lips, almost smile, like hunter spot bushmeat. Cold run through my bone, I hold Nnenna tighter.

I no waste time, grab Nnenna, run commot city. E good as I run: as we just waka go, Musa order dem lock gate, begin search. Anybody wey get anything with Baba Ojo—dem just dey cut head.

We dodge alleys, pass yam sellers, frightened pikin. Blood for gutter, cry of innocent join night bird noise. If no be God, our heads for join the ones wey roll for ground.