Chapter 26

shall take care of you like a mother has never cared for her child before, and I shall help you hone in on your powers and skills till you become thrice as strong and powerful as your late mother.

I shall hide you from mortals so that you don't suffer the same fate as your mother except need be that Olodumare has a destiny for you. I would have liked to continuously deal cruelly with this village for the death of your mother, but not only will my wrath not give me back the life of my daughter, but Olodumare forbids me from letting my wrath last more than twenty-four hours...therefore, I decree that from now on...!" Osun said out loud now. "...on this same day, I shall cause a storm to flood this village every year so that they be forever reminded of what pain they have caused me!"

"But Iya," Adunni began. "The men who murdered Enitan and her human lover are five in number, how come you only asked for four? Does that mean that the fifth offender is immune to your wrath?" The rain was pouring hard on them but they were less affected by it.

"No, Adunni, he's not. I can't see his face. A strong witch has hidden him from me. But they are not clever though, for I discovered that from his regalia, he's royalty and I shall still seek my vengeance against him. Though what this witch does not know is that, I shall do it myself in person! Whoever this person is has a weakness, and I, Osun, will use that weakness against him!"

"Iya o." Adunni and Labake chorused with bowed heads.

"Labake, Adunni, know that we shall bring up this child in our ways and also teach her all she needs to know and hopefully, she'll not take the path her mother took. I'll not tolerate any discrimination against her because she's half-human. You shall love and respect her like you did her mother!" Osun said.

"So we'll do, Iya!" They chorused.

"Adunni?" Osun called.

"Iya?" Adunni answered.

"Labake?"

"Iya?" Labake answered. 

"Take the body of Enitan and that of her lover's and bury them side by side where no human will ever find them!"

"Your wish will be done, Iya." They both chorused and hugging the baby to her chest, Osun sank back into the river without another word.

The Queen, Bukunmi, in her owl form soon reached the bank of the river. She was having a difficult time staying in the air because of the way the rain was mercilessly beating on her feathers and she struggled with the furious wind that was trying so hard to blow her away.

She heard familiar noises from the river and with her keen owl eyesight, she spotted an army of angry mermaids swimming very fast towards the village with a minor tsunami following behind them.

"It's too late..." The Queen murmured to herself in despair. "It has already begun!" Turning around towards the village and flapping her heavy wings which were almost soaked with rain, she hurriedly but clumsily flew back to the palace, dodging a few bolts of lightning from striking her down.

She knew that it was too late now and the only thing she could do was to return to the palace to keep her beloved son safe from Osun's wrath.