The coven is not a place for the weak. It is not for the faint-hearted but for lions. It is for those who understand what it means to kîll, to unalive, to exist without human sympathy. Tales have it that one cannot be successful in both worlds; you are either prosperous in reality but powerless/suffer in the spirit world, or powerful in the spirit world but destitute in reality. Itoro got to her kingdom and presented the issue of her sister to their queen.

They floated above the dim clouds, which covered the place in shadows. The air was heavy and silent, except for the occasional flicker of fire from unseen sources. Everyone in the coven excluding the queen wore a skirt-like covering made from grass, tied around their waists. The rest of their bodies were bare, with white chalk markings drawn on their skin. These markings looked like symbols, glowing faintly under the dim light.

The members of the coven stood in a large circle, made up of both adults and elders. Some had blank, lifeless eyes, while others watched closely, waiting for what would happen next. The place looked like a small palace, but it felt cold and strange, as if it carried the weight of many dark rituals. In the middle of it all, the new takers sat on the ground—nine boys and girls, between the ages of 8 and 20. Some had been forced to join, while others had no choice. Taken from different families, they now found themselves trapped in a world they did not understand.

Their queen sang a native song three times, and over thirty of them joined in chorus. Meanwhile, Itoro stood behind her, waiting. The queen then stretched her staff toward the mirror mounted beside her and commanded Itoro to call her sister’s name three times. The moment she did, an image appeared—Bamidele, her husband, and their newborn twin boys, all fast asleep. The babies lay peacefully on a babysitter.

"Yes, my queen, that’s them. The children I told you about," Itoro muttered. "She thinks she can have everything all to herself."

The queen waved her staff, shifting the mirror’s focus away from the parents and onto the sleeping twins. Itoro summoned a dark smoke with her hands and hurled it toward the children, but it bounced back. She tried again, same result. A third time. A fourth. Each time, the smoke was repelled.

Frustrated, she clenched her fists, but the queen raised a hand. "Stop. There is no need to rush." The other witches, who had been murmuring, creating a distraction, fell silent as the queen commanded them to shût up.

"But… but, my queen," Itoro stammered. "Am I not strong enough? I’ve tried, but it keeps bouncing back! I want them dèad. But you did something similar to many people. You taught me remember?"

The queen gave her a knowing look. "You’ve been with me long enough to know how these things work. To catch a monkey, you must first behave like one."

"So, my queen, what do I need to do?" Itoro muttered, dropping to her knees. The queen raised her staff, conjuring a snake that slithered around her arm and brought out a small bottle and powder from her small hidden compartment. With a firm grip, she pressed the snake’s fangs into the bottle’s opening, allowing its venom to drip inside. Once the bottle was filled, she waved her staff, and the snake disappeared back into it. The queen carefully told Itoro what to do with the items before materializing her back to the normal world with her staff. She pocketed the item's her queen had given her, quickly got dressed, scattered the smoky fire and then went back home.

Itoro waited two days before using the items, just as her queen had instructed; timing was everything. When the moment felt right, she reached out to her friend Chidi, a man she often visited. She lied to him, saying she had bought gifts for her sister and needed an escort to deliver them. Being the good friend he was, Chidi agreed considering the fact that he wasn't really having anything meaningful doing that same day. He got dressed, locked his room, and follôwed her. Before leaving, Itoro carefully packed everything she needed into her bag. She put on one of her best gowns—not expensive, but decent enough. To complete her look, she borrowed Chidi’s perfume, ensuring she smelled nice for the visit.

Itoro paid the driver, and they arrived at the house almost 12pm. It was a well-kept two-bedroom flat the couple had purchased. The gate was locked, so she knocked repeatedly until the gateman finally approached and let them in.

Outside, Bamidele was washing some of her gowns. The moment she spotted her elder sister, she quickly dropped everything, rushed over, knelt down, and hugged her warmly. Excited, she led Itoro inside to make her feel welcomed.

"Sis, you came today! I'm so happy to see you," Bamidele said cheerfully. "You know, the other day at the hospital, when you refused to even drink something, I thought maybe you were upset with me or something..."

"No, no, I have no issues with you. I have no reason to hate you ohhhh," Itoro replied with a smile. "It’s just that my stomach was acting up, and I didn’t want to take anything that would make it worse. You get?"

"Okay, no problem," Bamidele said. "I made egusi soup and eba. Let me dish some for you." Itoro quickly waved it off. "Oh bamidele, no need. I’ve already eaten."

But Chidi, who had been silent, spoke up. "Ah, please, dish mine o. I’m starving!" Bamidele chuckled and went to the kitchen to serve his food. As Chidi ate, she turned to Itoro extending her neck to observe. "Let me check on the children. Where are they?"

SILENT BETRAYAL [2️⃣]

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