DUE TO ZAKKAI and Rafi's unhurried pace, they reach their destination just in time to cross paths with Okafor coming back from the royal palace. He fills them in on the joint decision of the Council and the queen—he and Great Elder Riuki will make haste for Fahrani to counter the Tei onslaught. Since Folabi has returned, he will watch over the Bladesmen until they return.

Okafor lays one hand on each of their shoulders, squeezing firmly with a subtle smile. "These are troubling times, but we must endure. Do not fear. Do not fret. When tempted to worry, remember to pray. Regard one another with brotherly love, and until you see me again, watch each other's backs."

"We will, my elder," the two say in unison, and with that, they separate. The elder goes off to war, Rafi heads to the forge, and Zakkai returns to the infirmary.

The next several days fall back into routine. Zakkai reads to pass much of his time, visited by Furaha and Rafi when time allows them. He takes his midday meals in the dining hall again, bundled arm drawing curious glances from all he passes, but it is a big step toward normalcy.

One morning a week after Okafor's departure, the door to Zakkai's recovery room swings open without being preceded by a knock, and he looks up sharply from his book. Elder Ayodele approaches his bedside with an expression conveying stress and irritation that appears unnatural to him. He fidgets his thick fingers together.

"Both the good elders have left," Ayodele says, his voice breathy, "and the Council descends into madness. It is all confusion and discord."

"What is going on?"

"When fear grips the hearts of the others, Great Elder Karabo always urges us to stand in strength and lean on the power of God. Now, they speak foolishly and have come to agreement on a rash move I cannot stand by in good conscience."

Zakkai frowns. "What are they doing?"

"They act as if we have not seen war before and prevailed. Adewale is stalwart in battle, reliable as they come, but in this he trembles: Enu lost three students while he uprooted the traitors in Pagaso, and a fourth recovers in the infirmary. Yet the Council clamors for more warriors, and so in haste, they have come to a decision I wholeheartedly oppose."

"Which is...?"

"Queen Jokuye is attending to some matters of importance in Rhona, but she will return by this time next week. When she does, she has agreed to Adewale's request to fully initiate Ejike as a Bladesman, alongside his own student, Kheri."

Inwardly, Zakkai hates the notion, but logically, he cannot argue against it. "We do need more warriors, do we not?"

"Not just any warriors." Ayodele's gaze grows hot. "We need more men like Enu and Karabo. I have had enough of the likes of Uda and Kovu flourishing in spite of their sin. Has Enu spoken to you about Ejike lately?"

"Not a word."

"He celebrates your injury! It is a wonderful thing in his eyes, for the brokenness of your body removes a stumbling block for him. No man who rejoices in the hurt of his brother should ever bear the name of Rukisu."

"Correct me if I am wrong, but there is a tilt in your voice like you... like you have a plan on how to remedy this hasty decision of the Council's."

Ayodele laughs, fondness in his eyes. "Not an hour ago, I had no idea what to do, but Furaha always has a wise word ready on her tongue. To accomplish righteousness, I need your help, and together, we must be disruptive."

"Disruptive? I need to hear this."

"Since Adewale so badly wants a powerful warrior, we will give him one. When Ejike goes up to take his vow, you will follow to challenge him."

Zakkai's brows draw together. He points at his arm, still bound in a cast. "I am in no condition to challenge anybody."

"You have another hand."

"Yes, but I never trained with it. I am sure to fail you and make an embarrassment of myself."

Ayodele grins. "We have a week to train. He will be caught completely off guard, flustered, and thrown off kilter. You know how he fights better than anyone. Your only disadvantage is—"

"My only disadvantage is that I may as well be missing a hand!"

"I know I ask no easy thing of you, but I only ask it because I have every confidence you can do it. You have been born for great things, and this is your time to show publicly that this is the case. Besides, God is with you, not Ejike. Leaning on Him, you cannot fail."

Zakkai lets out a long sigh. "How do we begin?"

"Furaha!" Ayodele calls, and after a pause, her footsteps pad down the hallway. When she steps into the room holding Zakkai's scabbard, the elder nods. "Help him get ready, and then show him to our sparring chamber."

Ayodele disappears in a few strong steps, and Zakkai gives Furaha and uneasy smile. Pushing himself to his feet, he watches her carefully slide his slender ebony blade from its scabbard. She flips it around and presents the handle, which he grasps in his left hand.

Holding his weapon with his off hand throws everything off balance immediately. Stepping away from Furaha, he swings it gently through a series of drills. Each move skews too far to the left or a smidge rightward. His alignment is crooked, and it takes every bit of concentration he has to correct the errors.

"I have serious doubts," he confesses, turning back to Furaha. "He asks for a miracle."

Furaha gives him a reassuring smile. "You underestimate yourself, and Desta as well. He is an excellent teacher in his own right. Remember, you do have a week to prepare."

With a dip of his head, Zakkai concedes the point and follows her down the hall. They tread through the lounge next. Passing the door leading into the kitchen, they come to another which she pushes open and beckons him through with a graceful gesture.

Ayodele stands inside, stripped of his dark green robes and armed with a broad tongue of a sword, completely rounded at its tip and sporting battered cutting edge. In some ways, it resembles Rafi's weapon. Yet despite its condition, the fact the weapon bears nicks and dents and its wielder does not is a testament to its effectiveness.

"We will go slow, but give me your best," Ayodele says. "Remember, we will only have one chance to disrupt Adewale's hasty agenda."

Zakkai nods. After breathing in deeply with closed eyes, he presents the tip of his sword and makes his stance firm. His analysis begins. While Ejike's weapon is a saber and Ayodele's is a broadsword, two important factors hold true for both. Neither are well suited for thrusting, and both are most effectively used for hacking and slashing.

So he opens with a stabbing attack. Ayodele's weathered blade winds down from his high guard. The impact of his strong defense nearly knocks Zakkai's weapon from his grasp. Grasping onto his focus, he withdraws and reassesses.

Ayodele now stands with his blade angled out and downward. If his sword had a tip, this angle would present a potential threat, but in reality, it is simply a strong defensive position. No matter what angle Zakkai attacks from, a quick jerk of the elder's arms will bring his weapon to intercept.

So Zakkai baits with an stab to the left, withdraws nimbly and slashes to the right. The idea had been clever, but he had executed sluggishly. Ayodele also moves in a blur, instantly adjusting to the trickery.

Now the elder's stance presents what should be a straightforward challenge. He holds his sword vertically, turned slightly aside, which provides a solid defense to the right and leaves the left open. The most obvious choice would be to lunge for the exposed side, but a defensive fighter will be expecting as much and counter it quickly. Yet contending with the side being strongly guarded will not go over well either.

Then he hits upon it. Engage the blade, gain leverage, and bypass its defense. He yearns to grasp his sword in the right hand and bolt into action, but instead, he hesitates, visualizes the encounter in his mind, and lunges.

Zakkai's ebony blade screeches against Ayodele's battered steel. Their weapons catch each other, and using the connection as a pivot, he twists around and brings his edge around the elder's defense. Stepping back, Ayodele withdraws his weapon and holds it close. Zakkai has not miscalculated, only found himself unable to overcome the elder's skill.

"Not bad at all," Ayodele says. "Your main difficulty is that you use a fencing style in an unskilled hand. We will need to improve your alignment so that these maneuvers bring more effective results."

And so the two continue sparring. Little by little, the skill in Zakkai's head flows into his left hand, though the process is supremely frustrating. Whereas Elder Okafor's strength in dueling is overwhelming strength in the attack, Ayodele excels in an impenetrable defense, further putting Zakkai off balance. Yet he presses on, intent on disrupting the hasty decision made by men of no faith.