Chapter 4: Main Madam, Main Insult

But somehow, main madam—Ngozi—notice us.

Her voice dey strong, not like all those palace babes wey dey talk from nose. E get power.

"Why una two dey lie down for ground like this?"

We just freeze.

I fit hear my own heart dey beat. The air tight, like when NEPA take light.

Na so everybody for there begin look us with fire for eye.

Even small celestial pikin dey form like say na dem get kingdom. Gossip fly everywhere.

Musa, General of War, look me, cold face, but e still make my body dey fear.

That e eye dey enter my bone. Sometimes I dey reason whether na juju dey worry am.

We cough, stand up, dust our cloth.

Ijeoma even use hand wipe her face. We gree look up, but na shame dey hook us.

One celestial maiden laugh, "You just ascend, you never sabi them. Dem be the most useless people for Celestial Kingdom—never cultivate, just dey use connection."

Her voice loud, like cock wey dey crow for morning. Everybody dey nod as if na lecture.

Oba’s son and General of War just stand, no talk, even turn small like say dem no want make new madam know say na dem we dey use.

See as dem dey form innocence. If wahala show, na so so turn eye.

Ngozi hiss, "People like una dey spoil everything. Wetin come happen to people wey dey hustle for real?"

Her hiss strong, e get as e bite ear. The kind confidence she get, you go know say this one no dey fear anybody.

All the celestials nod, dey form holy.

Some even dey form as if dem dey pity us, but na lie—na gossip dem want chop.

Lu Ijeoma roll eye for me, mouth "Abeg."

I fit hear am for my mind—"Abeg, na dem force us come here?" True talk.

Na dem force us come here?

The question hang for air, but nobody fit answer am. All of us na pawns for this kingdom.

The celestials tire for us, go back to dey hail main madam.

As if we no dey. Nobody send us again. Na so palace dey be—today you be king, tomorrow you be dust.

Me and Lu Ijeoma just waka go corner, begin plan how we go make Oba’s son and General of War vex, so we fit escape.

Our own plan na better Yoruba movie. If wahala go burst, make e burst for our own hand.