Ego remained silent.
The dibia's question seemed to drift past her as her mind raced in a hundred different directions. Fear had gripped her so tightly that she could barely think.
Are they going to kill me?
How had her life taken such a terrible turn?
It had all begun with that wounded dog. Perhaps she should have left it to its fate. Or maybe she should have simply helped the old woman lift the firewood onto her head instead of insisting on carrying it herself. Had she done that, she would have left the forest before sunset and never crossed paths with these desperate people.
But how had they even known where to find her?
Had the old woman somehow informed them?
It made no sense.
The priestess had been with her the entire time. She had neither seen nor spoken to anyone else.
Mother was right, she thought bitterly. She always said my kindness would one day be my undoing. Perhaps this is the day she spoke of.
Another question tormented her.
Why now?
Nnanna had died years ago. Why reopen his death after so much time had passed?
Nothing made sense anymore.
One of the guards standing beside her jabbed her lightly with his shoulder.
"Hey!" he barked. "Are you deaf? The dibia is speaking to you."
Startled, Ego lifted her head.
"N... Nnayi..." she stammered. "I... I don't know."
The man frowned, irritated by her confusion.
"Where is your husband?"
Ego looked at him in disbelief.
"He is dead," she answered quietly. "He died some years ago."
The dibia stepped forward.
"And how did he die?"
The question pierced her like a spear.
Her throat tightened. Tears welled in her eyes before she could stop them.
She had spent years trying to live with the pain of losing Nnanna, and now strangers were forcing her to relive the darkest day of her life.
The dibia's voice thundered across the shrine.
"Young woman, do not make me repeat myself."
Swallowing hard, Ego struggled to compose herself.
"He... he went hunting," she whispered between sobs. "When he did not return, the Igwe sent men to search for him. They found him lying dead beneath an iroko tree."
She paused, fighting another wave of tears.
"No one knew what happened to him."
The dibia stared at her without blinking.
"And you had no hand in his death?"
Ego shook her head vigorously.
"The gods forbid!" she cried, placing both hands upon her chest. "I had nothing to do with my husband's death. I loved Obim with every breath in me."
The dibia narrowed one eye.
"Are you certain?"
"I am."
She wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I swear before the gods—I know nothing about my husband's death."
Whispers immediately spread among Nnanna's family.
Before they could grow louder, Chielo sprang to her feet.
"She lies!" she screamed, pointing an accusing finger at Ego. "She is lying before the gods!"
Her powerful voice shook the shrine.
"She killed my son! She killed my sweet Nnanna with her witchcraft after devouring all the children she was supposed to bear. She bewitched him! That is why he refused to marry another wife after years of waiting for this barren woman to conceive."
She beat her chest violently.
"She murdered him! She murdered my son!"
Then she burst into tears.
The dibia struck his staff against the floor.
Thud!
"Enough!"
The single word silenced everyone.
"Chielo," he said sternly, "you disturb the peace of this shrine and interrupt my communion with the ancestors. Compose yourself, or you will be sent outside."
Nnadozie gently helped his mother back onto the bench.
"Nne," he said softly, placing a comforting hand upon her shoulder, "be calm. If she truly sent Nnanna to join our ancestors, she will not escape justice tonight."
Chielo nodded through her tears, though hatred still burned fiercely in her eyes.
The dibia turned once more toward the altar.
Raising both hands, he closed his eyes.
"My fathers," he said solemnly, "you have heard her words. She claims innocence. Tell your servant how truth may be separated from falsehood."
The shrine fell into complete silence.
Even the crackling flames seemed to grow still.
Several moments passed.
Then the dibia slowly began nodding.
"Hmmm..."
"I hear you..."
"Yes..."
"It is clear..."
Those gathered watched without daring to breathe.
For several minutes he remained in that strange communion before lowering his hands.
He picked up another bitter kola, chewed thoughtfully, and then spat the bitter juice before the Chi.
After chanting another series of incantations, he opened his eyes.
"My fathers have spoken."
His voice carried absolute certainty.
"They have shown me the path to the truth."
He turned to one of his attendants.
"Bring the Miri Ezioku."
The man bowed and hurried into the inner chamber.
The murmuring among the gathered family members grew louder.
The dibia fixed his gaze on Ego.
"You shall drink the Miri Ezioku."
His voice was calm, but each word landed like a stone.
"It is sacred water."
"It compels truth from the lips of the guilty."
"If you have any hand whatsoever in your husband's death, you will confess before everyone gathered here."
He paused.
"And when your confession is complete..."
"...you will die within moments."
A ripple of excitement swept through the gathering.
Nnadozie rose to his feet.
"Ego," he said, "you still have the chance to speak now. Confess willingly and spare yourself the shame of dying before the gods."
Before Ego could answer, Chielo's bitter voice rang out again.
"No!"
She glared at Ego with undisguised hatred.
"Let her drink it."
"If she truly killed my son, let the gods expose her."
"And let her join him in the land of the dead before dawn."
The entire shrine became silent.
All eyes turned to Ego.
Slowly, she lifted her tear-stained face and looked directly at the dibia.
"I will drink the Miri Ezioku," she said, her voice trembling but resolute.
She drew a deep breath.
"Because I know, before the gods and before my ancestors, that I had nothing to do with the death of my husband."