49

"That's the most interesting part," Sir Ayize says, with more animation than necessary. "It has two relatives."
My muscles go rigid and a tingling sensation shocks my skin.
What.
The.
Hell.
I frown at him. "A triplet?" But that's impossible, isn't it?
"Ja," He walks around me, his narrowed eyes at the fake Bakantwa Sword at my waist, admiring its...what? Sharp blade? It's gold hilt? "Sort of. It shares part of its DNA with the Bakantwa Sword and Kaseke's sword."
He reminds me of a man admiring the latest sports car.
"What kind of gift it is?"
Sir Ayize stops. "A shield."
"A shield?" I cross my arms. What sort of dumb sword is that? A shield? Ugh. Seriously?
"Yes. It's a shield."
"So it's only good for blocking thoughts?"
"I wouldn't know." He glowers at me underneath his cracked glasses. "D'ziko might have a better answer."
"He doesn't."
I shouldn't have said anything but it's too late now. I can't take the words back. They can't unhear them. I've just dug my own grave.
Okay. Maybe this whole sword situation isn’t a complete loss. I mean, it's also related to Kaseke's so that can be interpreted in a number of different ways. It'd have been too obvious he's my life mate if the shield wasn't also related to my brother. Though I suspect it won't take much for someone to figure it out.
I must find the Essence Thief before someone finds out I have a mate. Before they find out who D'ziko is. Before they kill us both.
"What?" Sir Ayize raises a single brow. "How could ya possibly know that?"
I hesitate. Dammit, Imani. "I...I don't. It's just an opinion since ya don't either and ya're the wielder."
"Have ya been in contact with him?" Sir Ayize backs me against the wall. The uneven stones press painfully into my spine.
"Aibo, Sir Ayize. Aibo."
Even as I deny it, my voice isn't convincing enough. King Father actually sneers at me. He's so angry that we all cower. His aura is dominating. I understand his anger. Many nights ago I'd have been angry too if I'd learned that someone has been in contact with D'ziko. In this land, he's a traitor. The man that killed the Sky-God all those years ago.
I know D'ziko, the nice boy who spends his nights at my room. The boy who holds me tight at night. The boy who put his life in danger so he'd catch the Essence Thief.
D'ziko wants to save his people. He'd give his life for them.
They know D'ziko the murderer.
They'll know me as Imani, the girl backing him. Supposedly.
Madam Thembi says something that shocks everyone, "let her go."
I blink at her.
"She's just a kid."
I'm so confused. I'm not sure what just happened in there as I close the door behind me.



Chapter Twenty

I start my countdown at hundred. By the time I'm done with my single combat fencing, I'm at twenty-three and my body hurts and groans with pain every time I try to move. I have eleven scars to show for it. I'm getting good at this. Minus two from yesterday. I'm not sure good is the right word to use here. I shake my head and look for another word. Used. I'm getting used to this. Better, but not quite there.
I go up to where Stone is packing up his sword and stand beside him. "Congratulations, Stone, ya've done a perfect job here," I say to him as we're leaving the evening class.
His scowling face is replaced with a wide, manic grin. It’s unsettling. "Oh, I know," he says, walking out the door.
I dab a towel over my sweaty upper body. "I need ya to design and build educational facilities for me," I call after him.
Three.
Two.
One.
Stone spills back in the room, coming straight for me. He hugs and whirls me around. He's so excited for a second he forgets my position and who I am. Right now I'm just the girl that has helped his financial situation greatly.
I clear my throat.
He stops, and places me gently back down. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine." I watch, faintly surprised, as Stone goes around the room giving random girls hugs. "So what do ya say? Ya'll do it?"
I need him as much as he needs me. None of our people can actually build anything. He'll have to teach bricklaying too. I'm just not sure whether it should be a Highschool subject or a University class.
He jogs back toward me, giddy. "Are ya kidding me?" he stops and looks like he just might hug me again. I take a step back. "I'd be honored."
"Good," I say. "I need a quote ASAP and when can ya start?"
"Whenever ya want me."
"Next weekend, okay?"
"Leza! Yes. Yes. Yes." He holds the back of his head and shakes it in disbelief. "Next week is perfect."
I sit back down and wait for the room to clear. I can't keep still though my shoulders shag and I'm sure exhaustion has settled in my face too. I haven't seen D'ziko the whole day.
I don't know how this will work. How D'ziko and I can be together. He's what I should hate. From the minute I was born I'd been fed this immense hatred for him. He's kind of a legend. The most wanted person in Noddon. But since Whele helped keep D'ziko a secret, something of a mythical creature, I want to know why.
I race to my room after I've made a quick snack. For how long will we hide? This is not healthy. He's my life mate, dammit. He's the boy I'm supposed to be with. He's supposed to rule this Kingdom. He's supposed to rule Africa and all its tribes not hiding in my bedroom.
I can't be with him but I want him anyway. I want him so bad. We can't be together. We shouldn't be together. I'll be with him.
He's not in my bedroom when I enter, unlike last night, there's no note on the fridge.
No he didn't!
When he comes back, I'll kill him.
I snort and then again, much louder this time. Kill him. Yeah right.
In my head I imagine all the things I'll say to him when he gets back, if he's okay--he's okay, shop freaking out-- he doesn't owe me any explanations. I'm not his mother. I'm not even his life mate, at least not officially. The ritual hasn't been performed yet. I don't even have a right to be angry. Not like this. Not on this level.
I peel off my clothes as I enter the bathroom. I only make it two steps in the doorway before I freeze and everything registers.
Oh Leza!
We are both paralysed, speechless, for about ten seconds until I finally manage to tear my vision away from him and look at my feet. My cheeks are burning.
D'ziko is completely nude and as I open the door he launches from the tab, makes a passing effort to get a towel and cover up but it slips from his grip, and I turn my back to him, shrieking, "What are you doing!"
"Imani." D'ziko sounds astonished. "What are ya doing here?"
"Ya--" what do I say? Oh, sorry. I was thinking that ya'd left and ya didn't leave a note and I was so angry that I was going to come take a quick shower and then ready myself to bite yer ear off the second ya walked through the door. "I'm sorry. I'll come back later."
I turn to look at him. He wrapped a towel around himself. And much closer than I last remember. Our fingers brush fleetingly and the only thing stopping me from flinching backwards, away from the electric hum is the wall behind me.
"No. No. I'm done." D'ziko places his lips to my temple. He lingers for a second. "The bathroom is all yers."
He steps back and looks at me. That fierce gaze again. Silent.
"What is it?"
Then something weird happens. D'ziko blushes. He's eyes look past me at the walls but his exposed neck is pulsing as fast as my heart. I wish I could read the emotion on his face. Know what he thinks right now, in this minute.
"Ya look nice," he says. "I've never seen ya in shorts before."
I walk past him and get the water running, suddenly conscious of my half naked body and his body clad in only a white towel. My eyes shouldn't trail his arms, they won't look at his abs, they won't even like what they see but of course I fail. I look at him, at his abs, at his muscular arms. And I like what I see.