22/03/2026
Page 4
The breaking point—literally—was the balcony. Our house has a small, precarious ledge on the second floor where the wood has rotted from years of neglect. I saw Dayo leaning over it, laughing at a butterfly, while Abeni stood behind him, her hands hovering just inches from his shoulder blades, her lips moving in a silent, rhythmic chant. I didn't think. I didn't have time to explain. I lunged at him, shoving him sideways with all my strength. We both tumbled, but Dayo fell worse, his leg snapping like a dry twig upon impact with the stone courtyard. I stood above him, looking down with a face I forced to stay cruel, while the neighbors rushed in to help. "He pushed him!" they cried. "Kedar tried to kill his own brother!" I let them believe it. A broken leg meant Dayo couldn't leave his bed. A broken leg meant he was safe from the rituals that required a mobile, vibrant soul. For three weeks, he was mine to protect.