Edo state
3:4:1813
4:57pm
The scent of simmering bitter leaf soup clung to Eshan's clothes, a familiar comfort against the growing unease in her heart. She stirred the pot absently, her mind consumed by the impossible decision that loomed over her family. Christopher, her precious, vibrant Christopher, was a secret, a vulnerability she could barely comprehend.
"Mummy!" The joyful cry tore through the kitchen, a bright melody that momentarily eclipsed the shadows gathering in her soul. Christopher, his blue eyes sparkling with the exuberance of a five-year-old, hurtled into her arms, his small body warm against her. "We are back from Lagos!"
She laughed, a genuine, unrestrained sound that eased some of the tension in her shoulders. She kissed his cheek, inhaling the sweet, innocent scent of childhood, clinging to the moment as if it might be her last. This joy was precious, fragile, and she knew, all too soon, it would be stolen from her.
The arrival of Henry Edward, her husband, should have brought another wave of contentment. His presence always grounded her, his calm, blue-eyed gaze a beacon in the storm of her own turbulent magic. But today, his familiar kiss felt like a farewell, a poignant reminder of the sacrifice they were about to make.
"Eseosa back!" The sound of Eghosa's clear, eleven-year-old voice punctuated the air, a stark contrast to the whispered anxieties that plagued Eshan's mind. Christopher wriggled free of her embrace, his attention instantly drawn to his older sister.
"Eghosa!" He darted from the kitchen, his carefree laughter trailing behind him, a melody that seemed to mock the grim reality of their situation.
Eshan watched them go, her heart aching with a sorrow she couldn't express. Her children, born of two worlds, destined to live apart. The weight of it threatened to crush her.
She turned to Henry Edward, her eyes pleading for understanding, for reassurance. But the words that tumbled from her lips were tinged with a desperate urgency.
"I thought you guys would leave for Europe from there," she said, her voice tight with suppressed fear. "Why did you bring him back? You know how dangerous this is!"
Henry Edward sighed, his strong jaw tightening with resolve. His British accent, normally a soothing counterpoint to her native Edo, now felt like a sharp reminder of their divided loyalties. "Well, we wanted to go, but the boy kept on crying for his mother. What father would I be if I didn't let him see his mother one last time before taking him away forever?"
Eshan's shoulders slumped, the fight draining out of her. She knew Henry Edward was right. Denying Christopher a final goodbye would have been a cruelty she couldn't bear. But the cost… the cost was terrifying.
She turned away, her gaze fixed on the steaming pot of soup, her reflection shimmering in its murky depths. "I know," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm just scared."
She ran a hand wearily over her face, the years of worry etched into the lines around her eyes. "Because if any of my sisters or aunties find out…" She didn't finish the sentence, the unspoken threat hanging heavy in the air. The power of the Igbinedions , her family's ancient and formidable magic, was not to be trifled with. They would never understand her love for a man who possessed no magic. They would never forgive her for bringing a non-magical male child into their lineage.
"Since he doesn't have magic," she continued, her voice breaking with emotion, "I just want him to grow like every normal man, grow old, and go as far away from here as possible." She pictured Christopher as an old man, his British accent mingling with her own language and all memories of a life away from Nigeria, all gone from him and replaced with something new.
Henry Edward reached out, his hand gently cupping her cheek, his blue eyes filled with unwavering love. "I understand, Eshan," he said, his voice soft and soothing. "I want the same thing for him. I truly do. But we can't let fear control us. We have to be brave, for Christopher's sake."
His words were meant to be comforting, but they rang hollow in
As Christopher and Eghosa played, their laughter echoing through the garden, a familiar scene of sibling harmony, a storm was brewing beneath the surface.
Eghosa, being the older sister, playfully snatched his wooden toy from him. She kept stretching her hands, her height over her little brother making it all the more exasperating.
Christopher, getting more annoyed at each tease, became upset. He tugged at her other hand, his small fingers tightening around her wrist in frustration.
Eghosa gasped, her eyes widening with pain. Her blood felt cold. "Iye!" ( mother!)
Eghosa's pain pierced through the kitchen walls, sending Eshan's heart racing. She dashed out of the kitchen, her movements swift and determined, her eyes scanning the scene with growing alarm. She quickly separated them, pulling Christopher away from his sister.
"De vbe eron vba ?"( what happened ?)Eshan asked, her voice laced with concern.
Henry Edward, drawn by the commotion, soon came outside, his brow furrowed with worry. Eshan, her gaze fixed on Christopher, handed him over to Henry Edward, her touch lingering a moment longer than necessary, her silent message clear.
As Henry Edward took Christopher away, Eshan led Eghosa inside, her heart pounding in her chest, her mind racing with fear. She could feel a growing darkness, an unsettling shift in the air, a premonition of impending doom.
She examined Eghosa's hand, her heart sinking as she saw the telltale mark, a red, angry welt that pulsed with a strange, unnatural energy. This mark was a reminder of what she had been fighting for. What all this power meant to their family. Her love for her husband did not need this. "But what is to be done now?"
But, she quickly plastered on a smile, trying to reassure her daughter. She placed her hands over the injury, whispering a series of ancient incantations, her words resonating with a powerful, primal energy. She could tell the power took to her and the hand immediately healed, the mark fading away as if it had never existed. But this would not be the end of it.
Before Eshan could gather her thoughts, a shout shattered the relative calm. "Eshan! Something is wrong!" Henry Edward's voice, normally so steady and controlled, was now laced with a frantic urgency.
Eshan's blood ran cold. She turned and raced back into the house, her footsteps pounding against the wooden floors, her heart pounding in her chest, her mind consumed with dread.
She burst into the living room, her eyes immediately locking onto Christopher. He stood frozen in place, his blue eyes burning with an intense, crimson glow, a trait of magic all too familiar to the igbinedion family, a mark that set them apart from all others. The blood red hue cast an eerie light on his face, a stark and terrifying contrast to his normally innocent and cherubic features.
It couldn't be. It shouldn't be happening.
Henry Edward stared at Christopher, his face etched with disbelief. "How is this possible?" he whispered, his voice barely audible. "He wasn't supposed to have any magic." This was it. The prophecy had come true. All this time trying to protect a fate.
Eshan gave a very worried look, her mind racing, her plans crumbling, her world about to be shattered.
Henry looked at Eshan, his expression a mix of fear and anger. "How is this possible? You said he was normal, that he was human!"Eshan gently stroked Christopher's hair. She looked at him with a mixture of sadness and fierce protectiveness. She whispered in Edo, "Wu guẹ." (Sleep). Christopher's eyes fluttered closed, and he immediately fell into a deep slumber.Eshan turned to Henry, her voice trembling slightly. "When Christopher was born, he didn't have any magic... it wasn't manifest. But my sister... she saw the signs. Every witch is like a stream, flowing endlessly with ase... with power. But Christopher... he is different. He needs to draw from that stream, to pull the ase into himself. He was able to conceal his... his true nature for so long, even without knowing."Tears began to cascade down her cheeks. She looked at Christopher, who was sleeping peacefully, and her voice hardened with determination. "He is still a child. I can... I will make him forget all of this. And you... you will take him back to Europe. You will ensure that this... that this never happens again, Henry.
The air in Eshan's sacred room thrummed with a quiet energy. The only light came from a single oil lamp, its flame casting long shadows that danced across the earthen walls. The scent of burning incense– a blend of bitter kola and sweet osun – hung heavy in the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of damp leaves and freshly turned soil.Henry stood near the entrance, his face a mask of conflicted emotions. Fear warred with a desperate hope that this... this could somehow restore his son. Christopher lay on a mat in the center of the room, his breathing shallow and even.Eshan moved with a solemn grace, her white robe flowing around her like mist. Her face, usually so warm, was set in a firm mask of concentration. Around her neck, strands of beads– a mixture of deep red and shimmering white – clicked softly with each movement.She held an earthenware pot filled with water, its surface reflecting the flickering lamplight. Kneeling, she poured a small amount onto the bare earth."Ẹse uhumwun, ẹse otan, ẹse ame, emhọnmwen se o. Ẹledidi emhọnmwen se o. Ise!" Her voice, though soft, resonated with power. (Powers of the earth, powers of the fire, powers of the water, hear my voice. Spirits of the ancestors, hear my voice. Amen!)She dipped a leaf from a sacred akhue tree into the water and gently touched it to Christopher's forehead, tracing a symbol of binding. Her lips moved in a silent prayer, her brow furrowed with concentration.Then, she began to dance. It was not a dance of joy, but a slow, deliberate movement, each step a prayer. Her arms flowed like the river, her body swayed like the tall grasses in the wind. She moved in a circle around Christopher, her feetbare feet whispering against the earth.As she danced, she began to chant, her voice rising and falling in a hypnotic rhythm. The words, ancient and powerful, filled the room:"Iye ẹrọnmhi, ẹledidi emhọnmwen se o, Ise! Ọrẹnrenren, mẹ gbẹ ẹre ọmọn na se ẹse. Mẹ gbẹ ẹse na guọlọ, mẹ gbẹ ẹse na gha re ẹrọnrenren ọtẹn." (Mother of the forest, spirits of the ancestors, hear my voice, Amen! Powers of the unseen, I bind this child's power. I bind this power, I make this power become as if it never was.) With each repetition, her voice grew stronger, the energy in the room intensifying. The shadows seemed to deepen, and the air crackled with unseen force. A sense of ancient power, both terrifying and awe-inspiring, filled the sacred room . Henry watched, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't understand the words, but he felt their weight, their intent. He saw the tears streaming down Eshan's face, a mixture of sorrow and fierce determination. He saw the way her hands moved, weaving a spell, severing a connection.The dance reached its climax. Eshan raised her hands above Christopher, her body trembling with exertion. She spoke the final words of the incantation, her voice ringing with authority. Then, with a final, forceful gesture, she brought her hands down, as if sealing a tomb.The energy in the room shifted. The air grew still, the shadows retreated, and the lamp flame burned steadily. Eshan stood for a moment, her chest heaving, her eyes closed. When she finally opened them, they held a profound sadness, but also a sense of grim resolve.The ritual was complete.