Idemili village was mostly in flames, and moving from compound to compound, Ebube’s warriors gorged themselves with plunder. The villagers had taken flight at the mere sight of the Arochukwu warriors and left the entire village deserted.
Nnaemeka walked up to Ebube who stood observing the empty town. “We have all the plunder we want,” he said. “But the freedom of our merchants and medicine men cannot be guaranteed without the consent of their council of elders.”
“They must have joined the commoners to flee,” replied Ebube. He turned and walked into the hut in the middle of the village that was the local shrine. Nnaemeka followed. Ebube accidentally struck the bamboo door with his shoulder and it gave way under the impact.
A man stood by an altar in the darkened hut chanting, his back to
