Chapter 14: Secret Plans and Candlelight

That night, no star, no moon, Chief Chinedu just reach house as Censor Halima Sani waka come.

The night thick, only faint lantern dey fight darkness. Chief Chinedu wey don reach house still dey shake off palace tension when Halima Sani shadow show for door. The way e waka—fast, careful—make Chief Chinedu heart beat quick. Palace crier for far dey sing news of the day, goats dey shuffle for nearby alley.

Halima Sani greet am with smile, but e eye corner tight, show say e dey fear. After greeting, e no hold am again: "Chief Chinedu, which big thing make His Majesty call you this late?"

The greeting quick, but voice sharp, words chop-chop. Chief Chinedu see the fear wey dey hide under smile. Halima Sani body dey tense, eye dey move fast like rat for kitchen.

Chief Chinedu smile. "Nothing big. Oba wan change road, protect Bala Yusuf, fight Gidan."

He try brush am off, voice smooth like Ofe Nsala soup. Halima Sani no relax, eyebrow still high. The air thick, smell of burnt candle dey fill corridor.

Halima Sani shock. "Chief Chinedu, you still dey smile for here?"

Her voice small, as if e fear palace wall dey listen. She hug herself, worry deep for face, mouth open like say e no believe wetin e just hear.

Chief Chinedu shake head, candlelight dey play for e face, make am look somehow. "No matter wetin Oba dey think before, e always wan get last say. Today, I no know which spirit enter am, but e don change mind, even himself don change. As I see am, many things no concern am again, but e easy to convince now."

He lean closer to candle, shadow stretch for wall, voice low, full of secret. The words roll out careful, as if every sentence dey weighed by unseen spirits.

Halima Sani shock, e brain dey catch the gist.

She hold wall, steady herself. Her mind dey run through old stories, wonder if new Oba na blessing or wahala. Fingers tap for hip, worry still dey face.

Chief Chinedu raise hand, fingers spread, cover candle small, smile dey shine. "This kind Oba, no matter wetin e think now, tomorrow, na our own idea e go dey push."

He gesture wide, voice low, eyes shine with cunning. For Chinedu, na game of survival—man wey dey push king go where him own road dey. The candle flame dance for hand, casting spell-like glow.

"Oba wey just fold hand dey rule—na perfect be that."

He finish with laugh, soft but deep. The kind laugh wey elders dey use for secret meeting—meaning, "We dey run things, abeg." Halima Sani nod slow, both of them dey share silent understanding of palace games.