Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms by Jamar J. Perry

Author:Jamar J. Perry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

CHAPTER TWENTY

When we returned from the Cave of Shadows, Agbala brought us small flasks of the iridescent light from the aziza. It was all that was left after they returned to the Crystal City. She said they would heal us if we were hurt on our journey to find the gifts.

“You’re also the Descendant of the Book, Cameron. You have a connection with the other gods and me. If you need me, you can always call me. My brother Ekwensu is a powerful god; his strength comes from the souls of the dead. But death is also his weakness. He cannot come into the land of the living because of the punishment my father gave him centuries ago. That is why he needs Amina to help him control the world.”

The night before our trip to the Isle of Onitsha to search for Ramala’s crown, Zion stumbled into the spacious bed we shared after his bath. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get used to the spells of the pool.”

“New world, new rules,” I said, but by the time the words had left my mouth, Zion was asleep. I picked up a pillow and hit him in the face with it, but I knew nothing could wake up Zion. As he slept, one of his hands reached out and curled around mine. I tensed at the feeling before gently letting his hand go.

I wrapped one of the sheets around my body before opening the door to our suite. I tiptoed across our sitting room and knocked on Aliyah’s door. “Hey, it’s me.”

After a short while, she appeared, still in her clothes from our final training day in the sandpits. She sat down in a chair close to her window and looked outside.

“Are you thinking about home?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No. I don’t want to go home. Not yet. I’m scared, but we’ve learned how to protect ourselves, something I could never do where we come from.”

I sat on the satin sheets of her bed. I didn’t say anything.

“Zion will be okay,” Aliyah said.

“What does he have to do with anything?”

She turned from the window to stare at me, not saying anything at first. “You want to protect him. He took a couple of hits, but he learned Dambe. He’s awkward and sleepy and argumentative and combative and scary, but he’s just as sweet, caring, and courageous as you are.”

“Do you think anything will change when we return home?” I asked.

“Between you and him? Or just in general?”

“Just in general,” I lied.

“I think Zion loves you and always has,” Aliyah said, catching on to my lie. “I love you, too, but what you guys share is something deep. Zion filled the void of your parents dying. He means something to you that I’ll never mean. I think things may change, but not for the bad.”

“I just don’t want to lose him. I’d never forgive myself if something bad happened.”

“Zion is strong. Nothing will happen to him. You’ve seen him fight—he’s a master.

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