Page 124 of Firstborn of the Sun
‘We are not stopping this hunt so your men can cower and hide in the sand,’ she said, glaring at him. She didn’t care how strong he was or what a terrible reputation he had. Thanks to her fight with Command, she had learned how to predict agbára attacks by using her true sight to watch the core’s movement. So when the Lord General’s core churned again, she took a step back, recognizing the attack. The bastard was loading up an energy blast.
‘Enough of this,’ Tofa said. ‘I’m tired of this bickering. Lord General, you may clear the guards from the last wall; I don’t expect Alawani and L’?r? to make it to the graveyard anyway, and if they do, let the storm take them. You may move out of this keep but leave at least a squad of men at every checkpoint between here and the inner gate keep and have your men keep up the search there as well.’
‘And where will you be?’ the Lord General asked.
‘I’m staying here with Milúà. In case they make it this far,’ Tofa said.
Milúà frowned even as her chest tightened. She’d never been in a position where someone took her side before.
The Lord General looked at her with so much anger, she was sure he’d throw that blast he’d been brewing, but instead, he sighed, frustrated, and said to Captain Méjìlá, ‘Do as thecrown heir has ordered. Take the men. I’ll stay here with two squads.’
‘You don’t have to,’ Tofa said. ‘We’ll be fine.’
‘I’m staying,’ the Lord General growled. ‘I won’t be the coward who let the future king of Oru die out in the graveyard. The Lord Regent will end my line.’
‘I’d like to help too,’ Rmí said, his voice soft in the sea of brash voices that dominated the group. ‘I’ll stay with the crown heir.’
Captain Méjìlá glared at him, the vein on his forehead nearly popping under the strain of his frown.
‘That’s fine,’ Tofa said. ‘You can stay. Captain Méjìlá, take the squad. Protect your people.’
The captain looked at the Lord General, who nodded in agreement, and then he walked back into the keep and out of sight.
Milúà stood to face the graveyard, feeling the wind pick up. This was it. The end of the road. Here she would get her revenge and complete her mission.
The Prince Àlùfáà was hers.
Among those present on the day of the First Sun were some who did not receive agbára oru, for out of their hands came darkness like the void.
One by one, they were exposed, separated from the rest of the kingdom.
The Aláàfin and Holy Order studied this strange phenomenon waiting for the gods to reveal their plans.
But the longer they waited, the greater this dark agbára grew.
Soon, the darkness known as agbára òtútù could not be hidden or ignored.
38
Ìlú-Òdì, Sixth Ring, Kingdom of Oru
L’?R?
The hourglass had just about a light bead’s worth of sand left and L’?r? held it close to her ears, listening to the grains drop and fighting the despair that clawed at her insides, knowing that they’d missed their chance at freedom.
Alawani and L’?r? had fallen silent in the darkness, their terror and hunger growing with every minute. L’?r? tried her best to not fall asleep, but she must have because next thing she knew, she was trapped in her mind. Àlùfáà-Àgbà had kept his promise and haunted her dreams with ravenous fury.
She woke up screaming and held on tight to Alawani, welcoming his embrace and allowing his voice to calm her mind.
‘Was it him?’ Alawani asked.
L’?r? nodded, her face still glued to his chest.
‘I’m so sorry,’ he said and lifted her chin. He lit his agbára and a soft yellow glow fell upon their faces. His eyes sparked with flakes of gold and his soft smile warmed her heart.
‘Do you want to talk about it?’ Alawani asked.
L’?r? shook her head.
