He wondered who she was talking to, or perhaps she kept herself company.Making his footsteps loud enough to be recognised, he called out."Akwaugo, the Ugoeze is willing to see you now."
The cells beneath the palace were suffocating with the weight of despair.
The Ugoeze's cell was at the end of the corridor, set apart from the others.She sat on a low bench, her fine robes exchanged for rough prison cloth, her hair unbound and tangled.But her spine was straight, and her eyes, when they found Azul, held nothing but contempt.
"Come to gloat?"Her voice was dry."How predictable."
Azul gestured, and the guards stepped back, leaving them alone.Enoch remained by the door, close enough to intervene if necessary.
"Ugoeze, I wanted to thank you."
The Ugoeze's eyes narrowed."Thank me?"
"If not for you, it would've been much harder to get rid of the reputation you crowned me with."Azul smiled."Before I even set foot in this place, everyone already knew me as a vixen, and I suppose everything that happened after became a self-fulfilling prophecy."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"No?Then let me clarify."Azul began to pace, her footsteps soft on the stone."You wanted me dead from the moment I arrived.Not because of anything I'd done—but because the Dowager needs my blood spilt.Am I right?"
The Ugoeze said nothing.
"So you set Iyom against me.Fed her fears.Encouraged her cruelty.Let her believe that destroying me would save her son from the vixen."Azul paused, tilting her head."And when that didn't work, when I survived poison and starvation and public humiliation, you escalated."
"You can't prove any of this."
"I don't need to."Azul's smile widened."Iyom is dead.Her father is dead.The Fourth Prince is dead.Your husband is dead.And here you sit, in a cell, while I walk free."
The Ugoeze's hands clenched in her lap.
"You think you've won," she spat."You don’t know anything!"
"The pregnancy."
The Ugoeze went still."What?"
"Your pregnancy.The one you've been hiding for months.The one you thought no one knew about."
The Ugoeze's face drained of colour, her hands beginning to shake.
"You see, that's the problem with secrets."Azul crouched before her, bringing their faces level."They have a way of coming out.And this particular secret—" She paused."Is what you’ve been hoping will save you from your sorry position as the Dowager’s pawn."
"How do you—no one knows—I've been so careful—"
"Careful isn't careful enough."Azul straightened."Not with me."
Enoch shuddered.
Azul turned to the door."Guards.Open the cell."
The Ugoeze scrambled back as they entered, her fear fully realised."What are you doing?You can't!I'm still the Ugoeze!"
Azul produced a small vial from her sleeve."Drink this."
"No!"The Ugoeze fought as the guards seized her arms, forcing her still."No, please—whatever it is—I'll do anything—"
"Drink."
The guards forced her mouth open.The liquid went down.
