Orisa: Era Of gods.

Chapter 16

Olakunle rolled his eyes at their recent public display of affection. They were so into each other, he could sense the sexual sizzle in the air around them. He could almost taste the headiness of it.

She was bad for him. She made him distracted. His poor stance as they sparred was proof she was enough to leave him disoriented.

“You're distracted.” he inquired.

“Indeed.” he breathed. Halting his movements, letting the metal blade in his hand fall to the floor with a loud clank.

He crouched low, sitting on the bare ground in the arena. Olakunle panted, dropping to the ground beside him.

"What is it again? Is there something I should be worried about? If she'd always leave you this detached, would it make you feel any better if I killed her myself? If you do not want to have her blood on your hands, I can do it for you."

He scoffed. "And you think killing my wife will solve the problem?"

“I don't know what else would! We have a lot on our plate to be distracted by women. Your life is at risk, my life is at risk. We need to be prepared and ready for anything and you know it. She's becoming a weakness, Adejoba. You're becoming too attached."

He smiled, tilting his head back his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. She was a sweet distraction, a weakness he'd happily oblige. He'd never wanted anything, craved anything as much as he did his queen. The urge becoming more overwhelming with each passing day.

He needed their bodies entwined as they both danced to the tune of their pleasure. He needed to hear her pleas, to know what she sounded like when she peaked. Hell- he needed to hear her sing, his name a soft melody on her lips.

"You don't understand, Olakunle. You don't know what it's like to want someone so bad. You don't what it's like to desire a woman. You also don't know what it's like when said woman torments you with her attention. Feeding you crumbs of it."

"I don't know. And quite frankly, I do not wish to know. Keeping you safe, keeping the first place protected and keeping that barrier up is my only obligation and reason for existing. I live for nothing else. I'm risking it all, Joba. Make it count, make it worthwhile and fight with me. Your people hate me and one day, they'll come for me. They'll hunt me and I might no longer be able to keep you safe and keep my territory hidden. You'll kill us all at this rate."

Adejoba almost laughed at the pinched expression on Olakunle's face. "You said you're not my guard."

"I'm not."

"But my safety is your priority?"

"It is."

Adejoba kneaded the muscles at his shoulders, feeling the tension rolling off him in waves. “Why is that?”

“I owe you my life.” his brows furrowed. “When everyone was quick to abandon me, you were there. You fought to get me out. You stood by me. When they thought I was a premonition, a bad omen, you killed for me. So, I owe it all to you.”

The king grinned, “I admire your unwavering loyalty, friend. But you do not owe me your life. You also do not need to live and die for me.” he patted his shoulders. “Live only for yourself. You're family, and I would like it if you saw her as one, and not as a threat. She's my wife, the only thing that matters most to me.”

                      †††

Adunni exhaled exhaustedly after a tiresome day. She'd woken up early for her attendance with the physician, went for a special bath that was meant to relax her nerves and calm her.

Then she went for a thorough massage that had been entirely embarrassing as she had to bare herself for the masseuse that was an old woman with a surprisingly magical touch. An ointment was applied on her body to make her more open during the intimacy.

A concoction was prepared as an aphrodisiac, she had her hair stretched in an odd fashion and knotted beautifully.

The knocks on her door stopped her from her incessant admiration of the work of art that now adorned her hair. She remembered Arike had been busy setting things in order for her she took fast strides towards the door.

Pulling it open she glowered at Olakunle who stood at the opposite end of the door. “What do you want?”

“To talk.” he replied nonchalantly with an indifferent look in his eyes.

After a few hesitation, she glanced over his shoulders to before proceeding to invite him in. When he stepped foot into her room, he let himself get comfortable, sliding into the chair.

Folding her arms at her chest, she heaved a sigh before speaking again, “Did the king send you?”

“why would the king send me? Am I an errand boy?”

She arched a brow. “You know you do well in contradicting yourself. You say you're not his guard but I know you would happily leap into any fray to keep him safe. You also say you're not an errand boy but at his command, you'd bark, sit or bite like a good little dog.”

He laughed. The sound of his laughter holding an ominous tone to it. It chilled her to the bones, she could almost feel the iciness licking at her flesh.

As if his eyes could get anymore lifeless he sprang to his feet, the mere act making her falter she backed away as he approached her.

“A dog, you say?” his brows furrowed, “Do you want me to show you how good of a dog I can be, my queen?”

Now she was well trapped between the wall and an hound off its leash. She wondered what he wanted this time. Scolded herself sternly for always failing to bridle her tongue and hold back her snide remarks.

But it was Olakunle! Something about him made her want to taunt him, even with the ghost of a smile playing on his lips as he covered the space between them, she found herself wanting to pry at the darkness that surrounded him.

“What.. what are you... doing?” she breathed.

Cringing and closing her eyes for any possible impact the moment he raised his hands. She gasped when they gently caressed her chin her eyelids fluttered open.

“Did you think I was going to hit you?” he groaned in dismay. “How lowly you think of me.”

“Ola,” his name was a pliant plea on her lips when she caught the pained expression on his face.

He scoffed, recoiling back til he stood far away from her. “I'm here to warn you, little bird. If you know what's best for you, run far away from here. I cannot guarantee what's about to happen when you lay with the king. Seeing how eager you are now. When it all happens, don't say I didn't warn both of you.”

He stormed out of the room, leaving her puzzled with his cryptic words that made absolutely no sense at all.