Novels by oyeyemi.ajayi

Elira stared at the crumpled paper in Gabrielle’s hand, her breath catching. The edges were stained with blood, the ink smudged but unmistakable. Her name. Written in Julian’s hand."He sent someone to kill you," Gabrielle said, her voice low, trembling with restrained fury.Elira nodded slowly. "I told him I was going to tell you everything. I thought... I thought he’d try to stop me. I didn’t think he’d send an assassin.""Tell me what?" Gabrielle asked, shocked. "What was I supposed to know that you didn't tell me?" Dante stepped forward, his eyes locked on Elira. "You were working with him.""Not by choice," Elira whispered. "I was forced. My father—Varek—he made a deal. Julian promised him a seat on the council if I spied on you. My mother’s name was on a purge list. He threatened to expose her."Gabrielle’s face was unreadable. She turned away, pacing the room. The candlelight flickered across her features, casting shadows that made her look older, wearier."You should’ve told m

Elira’s body crumpled to the floor, blood seeping from the wound in her shoulder. The safehouse was in chaos—Gabrielle screaming orders, Dante dragging the assassin’s body away after he had shot him, rebels scrambling to hide in confusion.Gabrielle knelt beside Elira, pressing a cloth to the injury. "Stay with me," she whispered.Elira’s eyes fluttered, her breath shallow. "I didn’t know he’d send someone," she murmured. "I thought he’d wait."Her voice faded. Darkness took her.She awoke in the candlelit chamber beneath the old library, the flickering light casting shadows across her face. Her shoulder throbbed, bandaged tightly. She held a faded photograph in her hands—her family, frozen in time. Her father, Varek, stood tall in a tailored suit, his expression stern. Her mother, Lysa, wore a tight smile, her eyes distant. Between them, a young Elira smiled brightly, unaware of the legacy she would inherit.Varek had been one of the city’s wealthiest businessmen, a man who believed

Gabrielle sat in the dining area of her home, her fingers trembling as she inked the final lines of the manifesto. Maren watched silently, her eyes flicking between the parchment and the flickering candlelight."It’s ready," Gabrielle whispered.Maren nodded. "Then we make it public."Elira entered, her smile tight. "The assembly is tomorrow. Are you sure this is the moment?"Gabrielle met her gaze. "The city needs truth. No more waiting."Although she wanted to discover the truth about Julian, she also knew that the people deserved better circumstances. For the longest time, people had worked so hard but yet had very little to take back home to their families because of the rather heavy and unnecessary taxes that Julian had imposed to enrich his empire. Elira hesitated, then nodded. "I’ll make the arrangements."That night, Gabrielle couldn’t sleep. She walked the length of the room, reciting the manifesto aloud, testing its rhythm, its weight. Maren sat nearby, scribbling notes, adj

Gabrielle began making quiet appearances in Gravenport’s public spaces—markets, libraries, and old council halls. She had decided that to get Julian, she would need the public to revolt against his hold on Gravenport. She also had to find answers to who exactly her father was and what role he played in the community. Her presence alone stirred whispers. She spoke to merchants and scholars, asking questions, listening. People began to remember Elias Moreau not as a traitor, but as a visionary.Children watched her with wide eyes. Elders nodded in recognition. The Moreau name, once buried, was rising again.In the East District, she helped distribute food. In the West, she attended a memorial for a community leader. Her movements were deliberate, her words few. But the city was listening. An awareness was beginning to form. Old tales about Elias and her mother were told, her elegance, her beauty, and her fiery red hair, just like Gabrille's. She visited the old archives, poring over re

Gabrielle returned to Elias’s study, the journal clutched tightly in her hands. The room smelled of old paper and secrets. She felt more alone now than she would like to admit. Dante being distant gave her a sense of loneliness she couldn't describe. She lit a candle and began decoding the cryptic entries Elias had left behind.There were references to council meetings, veiled warnings, and a map of Gravenport tucked between the pages—marked with strange symbols.Elira knew her father and mother had lived in Gravenport before she was born, but she had always assumed her parents were just ordinary citizens living in the city. She had initially been shocked to discover that her father had ties to the city council board, but the more she dug, the more the facts stared at her in the face. Elira joined her, eyes scanning the pages. "These symbols... they’re council codes," she whispered.Gabrielle’s heart raced. Together, they traced the map to a hidden passage beneath the Moreau estate.

Dante sat in silence, the birth certificate still in his hands. The light flickered across his face, revealing the storm behind his eyes.His father had stormed out of the meeting earlier on after the revelation was made.This was not how he had expected the meeting to go. He only thought the council was going to ensure that the Virelli clan was still secured through Dante. He had asked the council for more time to break the news to Dante but that was not the case today. The council leaders remained seated, watching him. They had dispersed the lower-level members, then one of them, a silver-haired man named Corwin, leaned forward. "You deserve the full truth."Dante didn’t speak.He wondered why his father did not just tell him by himself; why did the truth have to come from the council? Then he remembered that his father was a ruthless and heartless man; he honored his father only by duty, because even as a child, he had always known his father was a vile man, and surely there was a