“Somadina, is that his name?”
“The Okpalaeze?”Thane asked.“Yes.”
Ragnar’s words ended there, but his thoughts continued.
Chapter 24
Fromthebowelsofthe inner palace came an old saying:a villain would always meet his end in shame.
Chidinma clawed at her husband as he choked her, his expression dark, his body so still and heavy.The strain on her neck made it feel as though she might break.Tears stung, flowing from the corners of her eyes.
"Please, my Lord!"No matter how much she pleaded and begged, he remained unrelenting.
He was willing to end her life over a trivial hit to his ego, was the price of a human soul so cheap to him?
"Okpalaeze," a guard called out from beyond their bedroom, and still he did not stop."The First Prince has come to see you."
Only after hearing that, did his hands release themselves from her throat.Chidinma gasped, rolling away from him as she struggled to breathe.Her clothes had been torn, so she gathered the sheets around her to cover herself.Her eyes were wide as she stuffed her body in the far corner of the bed, panting.She looked at Somadina, schooling her features to passive fear, hiding the rage simmering beneath.
Somadina did not spare her another glance; perhaps he found talking to her meaningless, perhaps he found it demeaning.With his disposition, she had no way of knowing.
Somadina met Borji, who stood in his receiving room, staring at a painting that hung beyond his desk.It was one the First Prince had yet to see, as it was only added a few years ago.
The painting was of the Igbele in its full glory.The same, unsettlingly dark forest that welcomed no humans.No one dared stay overnight in such a place, as they knew they would be consumed by the spirits that dwelt there.
"What is it you want?"Somadina asked in such a dangerous tone Borji half expected him to pull out a sword and cut him down.
The First Prince turned, his eyes gleaming blue in the moonlight coming from the windows, light that separated the both of them, illuminating Borji but denying Somadina glory.
"I come to offer a truce."
Somadina frowned, his body shaking from the anger that spilled out of him at those words."Now you come to me?Don’t tell me you’re scared I will act against you after what you did."
Borji averted his gaze, looking back at the painting."We used to be cordial as children; when did we become enemies?"
"The moment you decided you wanted the throne, the moment you decided you wanted my bride, it was then you accepted death."
The oldest prince didn’t look back at his brother; whether Somadina’s words were true or not, he showed no signs."So my ambition was my mistake?"He asked.
"No, your pride was.For you to think a boy with no name could possibly take a throne that is beyond you.Djinn blood aside, you were never meant to be Igwe."
The boy with no name.
Indeed, Borji was never named by his father.The name he answered to was one given to him by another.Borji had a father, yet he still walked around with no name.For the First Prince of a kingdom, it was a great shame.
Borji seemed to smile, and the sight stunned Somadina.
"I may not be worthy of holding the Of?, but you, whose blood is mixed with mud, dare speak to me like that?"
"What?"Somadina asked, disbelief showing through his anger.
"You are not the Igwe’s son; don’t tell me you didn’t know?"
"Liar!"The denial was on reflex, but it was hollow, cracking under the weight of Borji’s apparent certainty.With a wordless snarl, Somadina lunged past the desk, scattering scrolls and inkstones.His hand went for the dagger always at his hip.Borji turned, almost lazily, and caught Somadina’s wrist.The blue glow in his eyes seemed to brighten, casting eerie shadows across his calm face.
"You should know by now, in terms of strength, a human could never best a Djinn," Borji snarled.With a twist that looked effortless, he wrenched Somadina’s arm, forcing him to his knees with a pained gasp.
The dagger clattered to the floor.
