Obiageli stood.
Around her, cushions shifted as women scrambled to their feet.Heads bowed.Eyes dropped to the floor as the Oracle of the Udamili left.
The corridor outside was empty.The guards at the entrance to the women's quarters bowed as she passed, but she did not slow.
She walked the long way.
The palace corridors wound and twisted, built for a king who had feared assassination and wanted his enemies to lose their way.Obiageli knew every turn, every dead end, every hidden passage.She had walked them for nineteen years, over and over, all in hope of a day like this.
The abandoned courtyard of the late Fourth Wife sat at the far edge of the compound, where the walls grew moss and the servants forgot to sweep.No one came here.The Fourth Wife had died badly, so the door to her quarters remained sealed, the courtyard left to weeds.
A figure waited in the shadow of the crumbling wall.
Obiageli stepped into the courtyard, and the figure turned.
The Akwaugo.
She smiled, her eyes gleaming.
"You came," Azul said.
"I said I would."
A rustle at the courtyard's other entrance.Both women turned.
Chidinma stepped through the broken archway, her fine robes catching on the thorns of an overgrown bush.She did not curse or pull away—she simply stopped, looked at Azul, and looked at Obiageli.
The large snake on Azul's arm lifted its head, tasting the air.
The silence stretched between them like a thread pulled taut.
"I just wanted to welcome you properly," Obiageli said, "to the Borjigin palace."
Chidinma sneered."The Borjigin."She spoke the word like it tasted of something spoiled."You expect us to celebrate being stuffed in this palace by a woman who hides her face like a coward?"
Azul snickered, earning her a glare from Chidinma.
"Chidinma, you seem to have forgotten; you wanted to get stuffed in here like the rest of us."
Chidinma scowled and pulled her dress free without saying anything more.Yes, she was foolish, but one week was enough for her to see reason.
"I'm glad you're both energetic.It's nice."Obiageli mused, pulling up her veil for both of them to see.
The other two froze upon seeing her.
"That's not possible."Chidinma's voice had lost some of its sharpness."You've been here for—"
"Nineteen years," Obiageli finished."Trapped in my courtyard.Not allowed one foot out unless visiting grandmother.Today was an Imperial feast I was required to attend, but it seems the palace has been too busy to arrange extra guards for me thanks to the Valthorne arriving early."
Azul stared at the girl, understanding—somewhat—the game being played."We are…" She started.
Obiageli nodded."Twins, of the Igbele."
"Why didn't father say anything?"Chidinma asked, her irritation fading, being replaced by a sober mind.
Obiageli laughed."Chukwuemeka tells many people many things, none quite the truth.At least one thing is true: our mother is long dead, Azul.It is a shame that the Imperial family insisted they have me, and now they want to have you too."She looked at Azul, the same eyes and hair staring back at her."I suppose I should thank them for giving me a weapon I can point at them."Her eyes flickered to the snake that had wound its way around her neck.
"How do we know we can trust you?"Chidinma spat, "this could all be part of father's plan."
