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The Crown's Demand: The Test of Legacy

Chapter 2 Shadows in the Bloodline

Word Count: 1261    |    Released on: 15/07/2025

m banners draped in mourning black. Dawn's light was dim, filtered through th

crown, no armor-only a plain royal tunic still stained at the sleeve from the battlefield. The sti

ps approached. A ge

een Akerele

aged, but there was grace in her line

I fear I no longer u

ew," she replied, "died

omething you must know. The kingmaker was alone with Kabiyesi for ho

d it was Kabiyesi's decree. That w

our father? The same man who wept silently the day he made you

is head slowly.

a signal to the court that the

ed. It was the first time since their father'

ound psalm book. His posture humble, his eyes lowered, but aware of everything. He was a

e Psalms in a twisting tongue: "Even the stones shall cry out, if the

offered

ed back, eyes sharp. Gree

just woken. His robe was mismatched, but his eyes were alert. He said

urn to the lake," he muttered. "

ved last. He bowed deeply, respec

hey call us now. You will always be my el

lder. "And I will not le

d handed a sealed scroll to Adeba

," he said. "They wish for us to begin prepa

he center of a quiet room, fingers gripping her shawl as th

Queen," one of them said. "But w

"Peace throu

Through structure. The princes must depart within

" Queen Akerele said, stepping in.

her. "We only fulfill

"The words you hear

he Oloyes exchanged

forward. "And if the boys

aker said flatly. "And the five

nce. The Ogboni left

f, and shared fear. Neither trusted the Ogboni. Long ago, Kabiyesi had hinted to Queen Akerele of his doubts-how

of past rulers stared down with painted eyes. She stopped before her father's likeness-a grand

ed letter-one she had found tucked beneath a stack of psalms in his study

t once. Then a

o protect his firstborn, and the quiet fear tha

no one. Not e

eaked open

red, his st

he sai

he letter away. "You

n the servants are whispering. They say the Ogbo

y did. And they

rply. "Do you think.

knew his end was coming. And I think he didn't tr

h the open corridor. A

careful. The war outside may be nothing c

mber of iron pillars where the Ogboni gathere

d into t

susp

ned forward. "Shall

ymbol. And symbols must not bleed unl

hissed. Sha

stronger than we thought. And i

er fell t

eals. We will bless the weapons for the journ

arned him, long ago, that power was a chain, not a crown. Yet he had thrown that wisdom

by the throne. He placed his hand on its a

. "But I will find them. I will protect the

ooke

est of Akun

Adebayo knew the bat

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1 Chapter 1 Adebayo's Return2 Chapter 2 Shadows in the Bloodline3 Chapter 3 Eleven Days Await4 Chapter 4 The Hidden Seal5 Chapter 5 The Feast of Remembrance6 Chapter 6 The Fire Beneath the Crown7 Chapter 7 The Throne's Shadow8 Chapter 8 The Burial of a King9 Chapter 9 Secrets Beneath Silence10 Chapter 10 The Table Before the Thorns11 Chapter 11 The Road Divides12 Chapter 12 The Last Light Before the Journey13 Chapter 13 The Eleventh Day (Prologue)14 Chapter 14 The Watchers and the Warnings15 Chapter 15 The Final Night16 Chapter 16 The Departure Begins17 Chapter 17 The Weight of the Road18 Chapter 18 Into the Unknown19 Chapter 19 Shadows and Whispers20 Chapter 20 Whispers Beneath the Moon21 Chapter 21 The Eyes That Watch22 Chapter 22 A Crack in the Brotherhood23 Chapter 23 When Shadows Whisper24 Chapter 24 The Trees That Watch25 Chapter 25 Whispers Beneath the Flame26 Chapter 26 Shadows Behind the Throne27 Chapter 27 Whispers Beneath the Crown28 Chapter 28 Whispers Before the Storm29 Chapter 29 The Shadow Beneath the Throne30 Chapter 30 The Cracks Beneath the Crown31 Chapter 31 Ashes, Echoes, and Eyes That Burn32 Chapter 32 The Blood That Spoke33 Chapter 33 Eyes That See in Silence34 Chapter 34 Whispers Beneath the Rubble35 Chapter 35 The Path of Secrets36 Chapter 36 A Cold Fire in the Sand37 Chapter 37 A Blade in the Fig38 Chapter 38 When Walls Have Ears39 Chapter 39 The Crow Beneath the Crown40 Chapter 40 The Serpent Paath41 Chapter 41 Shadows of the Silent and the Fifth Flame42 Chapter 42 A Storm Beneath the Silk43 Chapter 43 The Eye of Betrayal44 Chapter 44 The Quiet Before the Storm45 Chapter 45 Whispers Beneath the Baobab46 Chapter 46 The Serpent Beneath the Crown47 Chapter 47 What the Dead Left Behind48 Chapter 48 Beneath the Cleak of Dust49 Chapter 49 The Throne That Listens50 Chapter 50 Beneath the Ashes, the Fire Waits51 Chapter 51 A Kingdom Between Teeth and Tongues52 Chapter 52 Whispers Beneath the Mountain53 Chapter 53 The Quiet Before the Quake54 Chapter 54 Beneath the Gown of Silence55 Chapter 55 Where Shadows Sleep56 Chapter 56 The Mirror Speaks57 Chapter 57 The Path of Ash and Light58 Chapter 58 Echoes of the Blood Oath59 Chapter 59 Beneath the Robes of Silence