Page 54 of Firstborn of the Sun
The Lord Regent sighed deeply. ‘We must call a confidential council meeting to discuss this.’
Àlùfáà-Àgbà frowned. ‘The existence of the people of Òtútù is a secret the Order has held for generations. To tell the council is to break that oath.’
‘I swore no such oath,’ Lord Regent Babátúndé said sharply. ‘I will not let this secret fester until it is too late to save our kingdom. I will bring this to the council, theymustknow … But we must make sure that this doesn’t leak out to the rest of the kingdom.’
Àlùfáà-Àgbà yielded, bowing his head slightly. ‘As you wish, Lord Regent.’ Then just as quickly, he said, ‘One more thing. No one knew about the tunnels in the walls. Even the temple maidens don’t know that they exist. Only someone who has been called and is now a priest could know about their existence.’
‘So how did this girl of Òtútù know about these secret passageways?’ the Lord Regent asked.
‘You tell me, Lord Regent,’ Àlùfáà-Àgbà replied. ‘None of my priests would ever reveal such secrets.’
Tofa watched his father’s face keenly as the realization hit him.
‘?niìtàn,’ the Lord Regent said in shock.
Àlùfáà-Àgbà nodded slowly. ‘I believe the coward goes by Baba-Ìtàn now.’
‘It’s not possible. ?niìtàn disavowed the Order years ago. He wouldn’t dare.’
‘Oh, but he would,’ Àlùfáà-Àgbà replied.
The coward. The only person who’d ever left the Holy Order alive. The one marked as an outcast, condemned in this world and in the afterlife for rejecting the call of the gods. Knowing what he knew about the Order, it was a surprise that the coward had been allowed to leave where others had not – another mystery Tofa had to figure out when he was king.
The Lord Regent took a few moments to think, then said, ‘Bring him to me.’
‘I have already sent the royal guards to fetch him,’ Àlùfáà-Àgbà replied.
‘Alive,’ the Lord Regent said sternly.
‘How many times will ?niìtàn be allowed to mock this Order?’ Àlùfáà-Àgbà asked.
‘I want to look him in the eye when he confesses this crime,’ the Lord Regent said.
‘And the Òtútù girl? We already have orders out to the guard to search every home. Let them know we are looking for the coward’s girl and give orders to kill on sight – we don’t have time to wait for a council meeting.’
‘I cannot believe that ?niìtàn would do something like this. He raised this girl?’ the Lord Regent said, confused. ‘Bring them both to me, I will decide their fate.’
‘No,’ Àlùfáà-Àgbà said, ‘she must die now.’
Babátúndé raised an eyebrow and tilted his head as a deep frown formed across his face. ‘Is it me you are speaking to like a child born of your lions? You speak so carelessly, like one who owns the sands beneath our feet. Do you also own the sun? The gods? Who is it that gives you the audacity to say no to me?’
Àlùfáà-Àgbà shifted uncomfortably, and Tofa had to stop himself from going to defend the Elder Priest as he usually would.
‘You have no authority in my kingdom, Àjànàkú,’ the Lord Regent said in an even tone that sent chills down Tofa’s back. ‘I shouldn’t have to remind you that you serve at the pleasure of the crown. I know my son is fond of you and if he were not here in this room, this would have gone very differently. Do not force my hand, old man.’
‘Even after all these years, you are still that scared young boy who walked into this temple hoping to die a coward’s death,’ Àlùfáà-Àgbà said.
Tofa shrank back in horror.
‘And now, I am your king!’ the Lord Regent said, rising from his chair.
‘Regent,’ Àlùfáà-Àgbà murmured.
‘Guards!’ the Lord Regent shouted at the door.
Immediately, the guards that had been dismissed earlier rushed into the room in pairs, awaiting orders.
Tofa stepped closer to his father, squaring his shoulders and placing a hand on his sword. It wasn’t often that Tofa had to pick sides between the pair, and he’d never been sure where he’d land, so he was surprised to find himself instinctively at his father’s side. A man he knew much less than he did Àlùfáà-Àgbà, who practically raised him.
