She swallowed.
"Item the third: I committed the ritual that killed the Igwe."
Lie.
The chamber erupted.Guards moved forward, but the Elders waved them back.This was too important to interrupt.
"Item the fourth: I mutilated his body after death."
Lie.
"The Ugoeze ordered it.She said the people needed to believe a devil had killed him—that the Oracle's words would carry more weight if the Igwe's death looked like the work of something inhuman.I made him look like he had been eaten by a monster."
Lie.
"Item the fifth: I paid the guards who looked away when the Fourth Prince was killed.I bribed the officials who altered the records."
Lie.
"Item the sixth: I revealed the trafficking operation at the Ugoeze's command.She had known about it for years—had used it, even, to secure funds and favours.But when Iyom's father became a liability, she ordered me to leak the information to the Elder of Justice.She wanted Iyom destroyed.She wanted the chaos.She wanted everyone looking elsewhere while she moved her pieces into place."
Lie.
Nnenna's hands tightened on the scroll.
"Item the seventh: I fed Iyom's fears for years.The Ugoeze instructed me to befriend her, to listen to her complaints, and to whisper in her ear about threats and enemies.I told her the Akwaugo was dangerous.I told her the First Prince was plotting against her son.I told her many things—all of them lies, all of them designed to push her toward violence.The Ugoeze wanted Iyom to be the blade.She wanted someone else to take the fall."
Truth.
She looked up, meeting the eyes of the Elders.
"Item the eighth: I sent the assassin who shot the arrow at the Akwaugo."
Lie.
"Item the ninth: I arranged a poisoning attempt through Iyom's 'medicine.'The Ugoeze knew Iyom would try to kill the Akwaugo herself—she had spent years making Iyom fearful enough to strike.So she made sure the medicine Iyom gave the maid was poison.She wanted the Akwaugo dead, and she wanted Iyom to take the blame.Two birds, one stone."
Lie.
"Item the tenth,” Nnenna shook terribly, fearing for her life.“I leaked the First Prince's mission to Orda Naiman's forces."
Treason.
Lie.
"The Ugoeze had correspondents in the enemy camp—a woman who signed her letters with a viper.She gave me the names, the routes, and the timing.I passed them to Naiman's people through a contact in the merchant quarter.The First Prince walked into a trap because of me.Because of her.He is dead because we killed him."
This moved the Elders to shouts, pointing, and spitting.Saliva landed on Nnenna’s face.A dagger flew from somewhere in the crowd, and she screamed in fear, falling to her knees.
Only after the Elders had calmed down did she dare speak again.
"I have signed this confession in my own blood," she tried to speak through her tears."As proof that every word is true.As proof that I will carry the weight of these sins to my grave."
She rolled the scroll carefully and deliberately and held it out.
"I am sorry," she whispered."I am so sorry.For all of it.For all of you."
Azul looked up, meeting Nnenna’s gaze, mouthing the next few words to her.“May Ukhel kiss your corpse.”
