Free When Gods Bleed by Njedeh Anthony

will be serving him.”    
    “Does King Nwosa think I am stupid? Do I look like a fool? Do you not have any pride? I thought you were supposed to be a highest priest of the Ifa god, or are you people now so easily corruptible?”
    The Ifa priest got up and started walking away and the chief followed him, now shouting.
    “Is this how the King intends to test me? Have I broken any of the laws or not paid his taxes? Let him know that when it comes to my duties, the law comes before any woman, child, and especially friend of mine.”
    By the time he finished, the Ifa priest had left the room. The Omees wanted to reprimand the Ifa priest, but the chief waved his hands, allowing him to go without stress. He walked around the room moving in circles. He laughed at the thought of his friend becoming King .
    The Ifa priest could be working with the King and high chiefs, but what does he have to gain? Probably because the Ishu priest will never let him become the Headman to the Oracle, even at his death. If I was the King and I wanted to get rid of a man like me, how would I do it? I probably would start my destruction from within. Vacoura. Why would he want to destroy me now? Greed or insecurity? This still does not account for the Ifa priest. Why would he go all this way for Obi? To become the Headman to the Oracle? That’s not possible. There is no King alive who would make a man so young his high chief…unless he owes you a favor. He really is Queen Aneaton's son.
    The chief laughed insanely. His Omees came to check if he was okay. He told them to get his general and envoy.
    As the two men entered the room, he sat down on his throne-like seat and told everyone near the parameter to go away. Both men knew a big event was about to take place and they hoped it was not a tragic one, involving them becoming deceased. Gbangba still sat, not uttering a sound.
    Vacoura was about to explode with defensive rage, accompanied by fear. His mind was trying to guess what the Ifa priest told the chief. Gbangba has finally found an excuse to kill me. As our people say, when you have trapped your turkey, it has no choice but to fight back. It is a pity. Just when my son started walking, this dilemma chooses to surface. That stupid brother of mine will now marry my sweet wife. No way. If I had known this was the time for me to die, I would have kept a scar on my son's arm so he would remember his father. If only I could just hold him one last time, I will...
    “Vacoura, Envoy, the King has declared war with us because he was told that we have accepted his son from the late Queen Aneaton to be our King.”
    Vacoura could not say anything. He was still catching his breath after the prelude to his supposed death. Anything he wanted to do now was all right, as long as it didn’t concern him.
    “Everyone knows her son is dead,” the envoy said.
    “That’s where we were wrong. He lives.”
    “Who is he, and why are we helping him?” Vacoura asked.
    “He is Obi, supposed son of the Ikaza, Ifeanyi.”
    “I guess that answers why we are helping him,” Vacoura said. “With all due respect, as envoy of this province, we are not going to be able to match the whole Didasu Kingdom. I understand your ties with him, but I don't think his life is worth making a multitude of women widows, children fatherless, and freemen slaves.”
    Gbangba rose in fury. “Are you telling me that you and my people are not ready to die for your King?”
    “We are n ot sure if he really is the son and as of now, he is still a prince,” the envoy replied.
    “He is the King I now serve and I would like to know if we serve the same King,”
    “Who am I to go against my chief?” Vacoura immediately replied.
    The chief watched his envoy, waiting for his reply.
    “Since I became your envoy, I have never had thoughts of being disloyal. Even now, the thought does not cross my mind. Your king is my king but my duty is to tell you the pure truth.”
    “Good . Now the