Chp 48

I manage a smile. "It's clear Leza, may her soul rest in eternal peace, didn't give us these gifts just for show. She gave them to us so we'd empower ourselves. Remember before colonisation? Remember our people had no weapons to defend themselves?"
"Hmmm..."
"Leza gave us these powers not to fight against each other in the arena for a chance to be royal but for us to help each other so that we can never be under oppression ever again."
"So how do we do this?" Elder Mdu asks. "Will the people who attend these lessons do so in the teacher's houses?"
I raise and stand with my back to the wall, squinting at them. "No. We'll commission stone. He'll build a school and a university."
"Interesting idea."
"Plus, there are kids like my brother, Kaseke, who haven't mastered control over their gifts." I say greasily. "There must be someone who can help these kids. Teach them to master and control their gifts."
Air Ayize nods. "Ja, my son suffered through the same ill fate as yer brother but sadly he lost his battle. May his soul rest in eternal peace."
"He didn't just die," I say, leaning back, trying to stop the heart from relocating to my stomach. "Yer son would still be alive today if he'd learnt to control his powers. He wouldn't have turned to alcohol and he most definitely wouldn't have overdosed on izora."
"So now do we put it to a vote?" Queen Mother asks, wringing her fingers.
"No," I say, pointing down the road through the window, which is the only free land within a hundred meter radius. "I'm calling Stone after martial arts class and giving him a contract for the schools."
"I see." Queen Mother nods.
Elder Mdu's eyes travel over my face. "What do we call these educational facilities?"
I take the question in silently. My elders stare. Waiting. I'm not sure I have an answer for them.
I keep it simple: "University of Noddon, Leza School of Fine Arts, Hillview Elementary, and I could use some help with the high school name."
Sir Ayize smiles a little. "We could call it Knowledge School of the gifted."
"No," Queen Mother says with a curt nod. "Knowledge is too..."
"I quite like knowledge but," Elder Mdu picks his nose until he returns with the biggest booger I've ever seen and he wipes it on the edge of the table. "Instead of saying it in English how about we translate it to Noddon and call it Nolwazi."
Everyone moves away from elder Mdu, some with noses drawn up and wrinkled but nobody calls him out on it.
I nod. "Nolwazi, hmm, I quite like it."
We go silent. Nobody disagrees.
"So it's Nolwazi School of Magic and Gifts?" I confirm with a smile, and nod in appreciation as I take a mouthful of fresh air.
Elder Mdu turns to look at Sir Ayize, grumbling, "I like Nolwazi very much, but we are a black nation shouldn't we celebrate that in our schools and hospitals--"
"Hospitals?" Queen Mother lets down her hair from the tight ponytail, glaring over to where King Father and I lounge against the stone wall.
I raise my hand to stop her. "We'll get to that in a bit," I say. "So how about we call it Black Academy."
"Let's vote." Queen Mother crosses her arms. "Those in favour of Nolwazi put yer hands up." Eight people vote for Nolwazi. "And those in favour of Black Academy lift up yer hands. The remaining eight comply.
They turn to me. I purse my lips. I might be their leader but I don't always have answers.
Queen Mother sighs, irritated. "It's a tie. What now?"
Sir Ayize rolls his eyes and when he talks, everyone can hear the sarcasm in his voice. "Then we'll have five schools in Noddon."Queen Mother fakes a smile to me. "That's a bit extreme don't ya think?"
I laugh a little at that, though I'm not amused. "Having schools scattered all through the city will make it easier for children to get to class on time."
We sit in silence once more and then I say, "Leza School of Fine Arts won't work like the rest. It'll be for kids between eleven and eighteen who have extraordinary gifts in arts."
"Is it compulsory for the exceptionally gifted to attend Leza Arts?" Queen Mother asks through the gritted teeth of her smile.
I narrow my eyes at her. "No, it won't be necessary." Queen Mother and I stare at each other for a second. "But I'd think those with artistic swords would love it. I mean wouldn't this be generally where their interest lies?"
King Father clears his throat, trying to get my stare away from his sister. "So about those hospitals Mdu mentioned, will it be a thing?”
He hovers between us, waiting for my response, and like some awkward teenager caught doing something dirty, I feel my eyes shifting to my feet. I hesitate for a second, not sure whether to answer or step around him and head for Queen Mother. But if I do, then what? It's not like I'm planning to fight her, nor do I want to shout at her or continue this staring contest.
"Ja. Ja." I sigh. "The hospitals; Noddon Private Hospital and Leza State Hospital will be built on opposite ends of Noddon."
Sir Alice gets up. "Alright then."
I look back up, feeling faint. "Does anyone know if Tech is done with installing surveillance all throughout Noddon?"
"As of now, he's done I'm sure." Sir Ayize smiles—a full predatory smile that reaches all the way to his eyes—and it’s reminiscent and passive and this smile says I have the power. I own ya. "He was setting up my shop when I opened up this morning."
Oh Leza, the griffin knows. Sir Ayize knows I was in his shop. He's about to tell on me. I have to get out of here. Now.
"Okay," I say, peeling myself from the wall and heading straight for the door. Go. Go. Go. "If there's nothing else...?" I look around but I don't exactly plan on giving anyone time to introduce a new topic.
I want to run out of here before Sir Ayize can say what he's thinking. He keeps looking at his wife, Thembi and she's edging him on. Go on, tell her. It's' enough for me to worry he knows I was in his shop with D'ziko, Noddon's enemy.
Queen Mother looks around questioningly at the faces around and then turns back to me, shaking her head. "No, nothing from me."
The panic rises, and I march faster. "Let me run off to class. I'm already late."
I'm at the door when Sir Ayize calls out to me. "Wait, Goddess Imani."
I bite my lip and force a smile. "Ja...?"
"Someone broke into my shop last night?"
I feel his stare. A pressure against the back of my neck. Relax, Imani. Don't worry. Breathe. I turn around. "Oh?"
He closes the distance between us. "I think it's He Who Shouldn't Be Seen."
I'm so shocked that I lose my footing and stumble before I right myself on the wall but of course they think I'm just shocked. So are they.
He stops before me, his wings quivering. I've never met anyone so scared of D'ziko.
I cut my eyes away, to the wall behind him. "Ya sure?"
"I felt the same icy daggers I did that day ya said ya saw him at my shop."
Not good. Not good. Now everyone knows I've seen D'ziko. They know I'm the only one who's ever seen D'ziko.
I swallow. "Do ya have any idea why he was there?"
"Why--for his Sword--of course."
"What?" I’m about to say D'ziko already has the Bakantwa Sword but I stop myself in time. Thankfully. "Are ya sure?"
He nods. "Positive." He tucks his wings in place. The shaking stops."The missing sword is a Relative Sword."
Relative Swords are like the ones Zendaya and Smanga have. Swords whose gifts compliment each other. Reserved only for lifemates.
I already know the answer but I ask anyway. I'm supposed to. "Who's its relative?"