The Lost Nation: Nkechi the Renegade (Book 2)

6

The orange peaks of sunlight marked the beginning of the day and with the rise of the sun, came the scent of food. Nkechi's stomach grumbled in starvation. The pangs of hunger were becoming harder and harder to ignore. The one meal a day that she was being snuck was not enough to tie her over. Her mouth was dry and her stomach empty but Nkechi was grateful. Days prior, her resolve to live was weakening but now here she was. Her body was healing, albeit slowly and her brother was back.

The clanging of her cage jolted Nkechi from her thoughts. Her face fell into a scowl at the man who stood on the platform glaring up at her. "How does it feel to be locked up?"

"The same way you must feeling knowing you're never going to be Razi," Nkechi shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'll have you know-"

"Shut up boy," barked Razi Matin. Kofi snapped his lips shut but the anger in his face was clearly displayed.

"I have decided that you will be freed today. You have spent a significant time in isolation, and I believe this has given you time to reflect."

Nkechi scoffed under her breath at her father's words. He always wanted to appear malevolent and omnipotent when in reality, Nkechi knew it was Femi who had forced his hand. She said nothing to his tirade. When Matin realised he would not get a response, he gave Nkechi an awkward parting nod, before dragging Kofi with him.

A few moments later, shouting from the earth below made her aware that they were preparing to release her from her imprisonment.

Nkechi held onto the bars of the wooden cage as it slowly began descending through the trees. Her body thrummed with excitement and relief. She would finally be free.

When the cage was a few feet from the ground she noticed Kofi moving closer to where the rope was secured around the tree. Confusion lined her brows as she tried to figure out what the man was doing. The reality dawned on her too late.

Before she knew it, the wooden cage was toppling through the branches and she was being propelled to the ground. The wooden cage crumbled around her as shards pierced her already buttered skin.

"What happened?" Shouted Matin, as he ran over to Nkechi.

She jerked away from his touch and shuffled her body backwards, so she was braced against the stump of a tree. Hot blood oozed from her forehead and some of her wounds that had been torn back open. She felt lightheaded and weak and knew that at any moment she would black out.

In her rapidly closing eyes, Nkechi noticed Femi stepping forward from the small crowd of tribe officials and making his way over to the tree where the rope had been.

Whilst everyone was arguing back and forth, and Rajal and Zira were attempting to check on her, Femi was perusing the rope.

Her moved lightly, almost undetectable as he sniffed at the rope and looked at the frayed edges. Nkechi saw the moment realisation dawned on him. He spun so fast on his heels he was like a blur. His eyes slanted and glimmered in the colour of his Dahara. His lips were taught as he looked at the sneaky male who was attempting to remain inconspicuous.

Femi gripped the rope in his clenched fist as he took calculated steps towards Kofi. He lashed out at the unsuspecting male, the rope slicing into Kofi's skin and tearing open his arms.

"Femi! What are you doing?" Shouted Matin.

"This is the man you thought to make Razi? A child who cuts ropes to harm innocent people. Do you think you are above the law huh?" Femi grunted, growling in Kofi's face.

"You have no evidence" Kofi spat attempting to push Femi back but Enkosi, who could see where the actuation was heading, restrained Kofi.

Their chests bumped against each other, as they squared each other up. Kofi grappled with Enkosi's hold on his arms, his large body struggling to break free from the older man's hold.