Chapter 5: Palace Shadows Return

Musa get good result for palace exam—fourth for second batch. I dey see bright future for am: we fit get government work, help people. But who fit believe say Aisha go choose Musa as princess tutor for Royal Harvest Banquet?

When news reach me, na so I nearly swallow spoon. Me, Temi, wey dey run from palace matter, now my own Musa dey go teach royal pikin. My body cold, but I no talk. Palace wahala dey reach everywhere.

When Musa tell me, shock catch me. Candle almost pour hot wax for my hand. How this one take happen? I close eye. Why I no fit run from her?

E pain me sotey I forget my hand dey close candle. As wax touch my skin, na so I waka commot. “Why God no wan let me rest?” I think am, but I still dey keep face for Musa, dey smile like nothing dey happen.

Queen Mother no get favour. To protect Crown Prince and her small daughter, she sneak me enter palace. Since small, she dey tell me her wahala. Crown Mother see me as substitute. Palace life hard, na only Queen Mother dey talk to me sometimes. She go just call me, dey complain about other wives, about how power dey shift, about trust. The Crown Prince, always distant, eye cold like river for harmattan. I be pawn for their chessboard.

That time, I no sabi my real self. I just think say my royal brother no dey close, my mama dey suffer. So I dey try everything to please them—dey take blame for my brother, be Queen Mother pawn for palace wahala, stand for my brother when kasala burst, even drink poison wine for am.

Na so dem dey train princess for inside palace—if trouble show, you go cover am. I remember the night I drink that wine, I dey shiver, dey see double. But I no cry; I just dey look my brother face, dey hope say e go care.

Him hand dey shake, him eye dey red. "No die! Temi, abeg." For that short time, all the palace wall fall, na only two of us dey. Na the first time I hear soft for him voice.

Now as I think am, maybe na because he no wan lose person wey dey useful. All the soft talk wey follow, na just to make me loyal.

I laugh now as I remember. Loyalty na big market, but some people only dey buy, no dey sell. Since then, my heart dey guard itself.