Chapter 6: Secret Roads, Broken Taboos

As she see say I no move at all, she vex, come down from bed, arrange her cloth, sit for bed side, call softly:

"Old man don sleep—come out, quick."

Soon, I hear footsteps.

Ayotunde voice just enter my ear—

"This old man think say e fit hold me?"

"E no even know say I don dig secret road from e bedroom. Anywhere I wan go, I fit go—e no fit stop me."

I shock. I dey wonder, na which old king arrange this kain back door? Na only Lagos landlord sabi hide road like this. I no even know say secret road dey from my room to eldest prince palace.

Wetin else this boy don do for my back?

Before I fit think well, wahala start.

Ayotunde hold Royal Wife Sade, dey kiss her from bed to table.

The king’s old Bible and family photo scatter for ground.

Royal Wife Sade climb on top table, Ayotunde begin tear her cloth one by one.

As I dey lie down for bed, I open my eye small. As I see wetin dey happen, anger dey burn my chest like fresh pepper—if no be God, I for don jump up slap both of them.

These two! No shame at all!

"Ayo, you no know as e dey pain me to dey follow this old man every day."

Royal Wife Sade dey breathe hard, Ayotunde reply as e dey pant:

"You think say I like to dey watch you serve am? Every time I see am touch you, I dey wish make I just end am."

Na that time, those messages show again—this time, all of them yellow—

[The old king no even know, every night as e dey sleep, the royal wife for this bed...]

My hand dey shake for under the wrapper. I dey count my breathing, dey pray for strength, dey beg my ancestors make dem give me wisdom. For my mind, I dey remember the stories my papa tell me—how palace secrets fit scatter whole kingdom. The night dey heavy, the harmattan breeze wey dey blow from window cold for my skin. But inside, my blood dey boil. For this palace, na true dem dey talk: if snake bite you for leg, na person wey you trust give am the chance. I squeeze my eyes tight, dey beg God for patience, but na only silence answer me.