CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 29

[KUKHOKONKE]

I am under water, completely submerged and yet somehow I can breathe.
It shocks me so much that for a moment I freeze, floating in the silence of this strange world.
Then I see them.
Mermaids.
Three of them circling me slowly, their bodies moving with an eerie grace. They're sniffing me, studying me just like the twins warned. My heart jumps into my throat. I look up, hoping to see the surface, and it looks so clear, bright like freedom is right there if I just swim up.
"Human, we will not hurt you," one of the mermaids says.
Her voice vibrates through the water, soft but powerful. And my mind stutters when I realise,
one of them is bald.
A bald mermaid.
I never even imagined such a thing existed. It makes all of this feel even more unreal.
"He smells of a woman," I hear another say.
But they're not speaking out loud.
They're speaking to each other telepathically, through their minds.
I swallow hard, trying not to panic. I don't want to be here. I don't want them reading me, studying me.
"I want to leave," I say, but I say it in my mind.
All three of them freeze.
Then slowly turn to me.
Their eyes glow faintly, like they can see straight through my bones.
"You can leave," one of them says. "No one is holding you hostage."
Her words are calm, almost soothing but deeply unsettling.
"We will see you soon, right?" another asks, her head tilting like she's genuinely expecting an answer.
I'm not even sure what she means. I don't know if it's a question or a warning.
But my body reacts before my brain can think, and I just nod, nodding at anyone, at all of them, hoping not to anger them.
"Swim then," one of them says, pointing upward with a hand that is both human and not.
I look up again.
The light looks closer now.
Warm. Safe.
I push my body upward, slowly at first, then faster.
I didn't even know I could swim underwater like this, like something in me suddenly knows how.
I keep going.
Up, up, up… Desperate to leave their eyes behind me.
And praying I'm not swimming into another trap.
My head breaks through the surface and I gasp, dragging in a breath that feels too real, too sharp, too cold. The sun is out.
Then I notice where I am.
I'm not in the dam or the ocean anymore.
I'm inside a waterfall.
The same waterfall I always see in my visions.
Mist hits my face. The roar surrounds me. The rocks look exactly the same, the way the water crashes, the strange glow that always lingers in my dreams. The same waterfall where I once dreamed of Diamond being dragged beneath it.
It's all here. Not a vision.
Not a dream. Real.
And for a minute, I just float there, stunned, wondering how the hell I crossed from the mermaids' world to this place that has lived in my head for years.
After shaking my head, I swim toward the rocks. I climb out, breathing hard, my white robe dripping. I'm safe. I can feel it in my bones, in the air, in the silence of this sacred place.
"You don't listen." A voice speaks behind me.
I turn my head.
It's Ndleleni.
Relief washes over me so fast my knees almost give in. He's here, in his real vessel. Solid. Powerful. Familiar.
I stand up as he steps closer, his expression dark, his presence heavy.
"Who said you must go to the Zungus with those people?" he asks, his voice deadly calm.
I frown and cough lightly, confused and still catching my breath.
"What do you mean? I thought you wanted me to go and free those spirits," I say.
"Yes. Alone," he snaps. "Not with people. Do it alone. You even invited those same souls I warned you about."
Souls?
My stomach twists.
"Mkhulu, I only asked Cothoza for advice. I didn't think he was going to come," I say softly.
"Well, he did. And he took something that doesn't belong to him. If that woman didn't warn you, I don't know where you would've ended up."
God. I didn't know Cothoza was going to do that. I didn't know he'd steal. I didn't know he'd interfere.
Ndleleni's voice booms suddenly, shaking the space around the waterfall.
"Should I take your damn hearing, because you don't listen, Konke!!"
The sound echoes off the rocks, vibrating through my chest. His anger is real. It's ancestral. It's frightening.
But beneath it, I can feel something else.
Worry. Fear for me.
For what could have happened.
I sigh.
I was scared too, and I truly didn't know Cothoza was going to do that with the twins.
"I'm sorry, Mkhulu. I didn't know," I say, my voice cracking. "I'm new to this, you know. I just wanted a helping hand," I admit honestly, feeling small and ashamed.
"You are never alone, Konke. You call us, call me, when you need help. You know I always come through for you," he says.
I do know that but I still sigh. My body is trembling. Maybe they chose the wrong person for this. Maybe Ndleleni and the whole clan should have chosen Fanele. I feel like a failure. I feel like I'm failing everyone.
My breath shakes. My vision blurs. Then I gasp and fall to my knees.
"I'm so sorry, Mkhulu…" I whisper, apologising with my whole chest.
"Yeyi. Yeyi. Kukhokonke. STAND UP!" His voice tears through the waterfall, loud and terrifying.
I sniff and scramble up quickly, staring at him with wide eyes.
"Do not ever kneel for me or for anybody. Do you hear me?" His anger is sharp, almost painful. I nod nervously, my throat tight.
"Ever, Konke. You do not do that," he adds, still furious.
I have never seen him like this. Yes, he is usually rude and arrogant, but today is different. Today he is angry,deeply angry and somehow, the anger feels protective.
"Kukhokonke, forget about those spirits. Cothoza will deal with it, since he decided to steal from the Zungus," he says after a moment.
Huh. I lift my head, confused.
"What do you mean? Won't they hurt me?" I ask quietly.
His eyes darken immediately, like a storm passing through them.
"He knows very well not to mess with you. He will do nothing to you. You mind your business. He did what he thinks is best for himself and his gift. You will continue with your plan of building and planning that initiation ceremony," he says firmly.
I'm still confused. My mind is spinning. Nothing feels like it's making sense yet.
"But Mkhulu, on the day of my initiation, don't you think Cothoza will be needed? Since he's been with me all this time?" I ask curiously.
"He did his part. He won't be needed anymore. The initiation ceremony will go as planned. You will be in water for nine days, learning everything about your gift and everything you need to know. Soon you will be ready to heal people, give them comfort, cleanse them, and all those things. And this; this is where you will cleanse them and give them healing. With this water," he says, his eyes fixed on the waterfall and the endless flow of the water.
"There is a lot you will learn, Konke. Everything is not black and white. Some people will need more than water to heal or to help them with their issues," he adds.
I hear him, but I'm still scared. This was my first task, and I failed. What if next time I do the same? What if I ruin someone's life?
We stay quiet for a moment.
"Mkhulu… are you sure you chose the right person?" I ask, turning to look at him. His face softens for the first time.
"I did choose the right person, Konke. And you chose this too. You will be fine. This journey will never be smooth. It will have its ups and downs, but in the end, the people you help will heal, be okay, and find a reason to live," he says, comforting me.
"Don't take Cothoza as a bad person. Sometimes you have to cross boundaries to get what you want," he adds.
That makes me frown.
"So… will I cross boundaries too? Like…" I can't even say the rest out loud.
"You did cross a boundary. And you will find out soon enough," he says.
Now I'm even more confused.
I sigh hard. I need to go.
"Before I leave… will you help Dad? I'm sure he sees his mistakes. He will never talk bad about you and the birds," I say.
"Birds? Who said those birds are mine?" he asks arrogantly.
What does he mean?
"Then whose birds are those? And why ravens, crows and owls? People will think we practice witchcraft," I say with a shrug.
"Poor birds, being associated with witchcraft. Go home, Konke. And don't do as you please next time," he says and begins walking away.
"Where am I? How will I find my way home?" I ask in disbelief.
He doesn't answer. He just disappears into smoke.
I grunt, looking around at the unfamiliar rocks and the endless trees.
Where the hell am I??

••••

[DIAMOND]

The flat is clean, and I even managed to eat breakfast. I might as well watch some series or take a nap. When Nikky was kidnapped, sleep felt impossible, my mind constantly on edge. But now… now that she's okay, warm, safe, and healthy, I realize how badly my body and soul need rest.
I had asked Mnotho which prison Paul was in, but all he told me was that it's "sorted." That vague answer only fuels my frustration. I wanted to look Paul in the eyes and demand, why? Why did he think kidnapping Nikky was a good idea? She wasn't even dating him. If he had an issue, he should have come to me. Kidnap me, not her. Poor Nikky, she'll carry that trauma with her for the rest of her life, and it's all because of his selfishness.
Sno sent me a text last night asking about Sbo, if he got a job or not. She mentioned there's a company looking for people. I was shocked. She's so focused on someone else instead of herself. I told her I would ask Sbo. But when it comes to Sno, one must always be skeptical. I'll inform Sbo, though I doubt he'll take the job.
This. All of this reminds me of my bigger mission: exposing Sno to Nikky. Nikky deserves to see the truth, that her childhood friend is a demon hiding behind a mask. And I'll make sure she sees it.
When I caught Sno with Sphephelo, Nikky was sick at that time, weak, vulnerable… and you can't just go to someone and say, "Hey, your best friend and your boyfriend are crossing you behind your back," without any proof or anything solid to hold on to. It would have shattered her, confused her, maybe even pushed her closer to Sno because she trusts her blindly.
Now I need to do something before Sno does something too drastic to Nikky. That obsession she has over her, it's not normal. It's frightening. There's a line between love and fixation, and Sno is miles past it.
A small chuckle escapes me as I remember her walking in with that oversized coat and mask, coughing like she was dying. I still don't understand why she didn't just stay home. She looked miserable, and her presence didn't change anything. The party was going to go on perfectly fine without her. If anything, she looked like someone forcing themselves into a space they no longer fit in.
But that's the dangerous part about Sno, she refuses to let go of Nikky, even when she's no longer wanted. Even when she's the one causing harm.

.
.
I don't even know what's going on with this series. Sci-fi series are just boring.
I stand up, dragging myself toward the kitchen, my mind still half in a fog. My phone rings. Maybe it's Nikky, she's finally woken up. I did try calling her earlier, but Mnotho answered. Lol… that man. I hope he doesn't turn into a monster one day. God, I hope not.
The screen says Security. What could they want? Ever since Nikky's kidnapping, they've been calling constantly, any package, any suspicious person, they check immediately.
I answer, trying to steady my voice.
"Morning," I greet.
"Miss Diamond, there's a guy here. He says his name is Konke," the guard says.
I freeze. My chest tenses. Konke? What is he doing here?
No… no, not in a bad way. But I look… rusty. I just woke up. Didn't shower yet, only brushed my teeth. Fuck.
"Uhm, yes, I know him. Please let him in," I say quickly, trying to sound calm, and hang up.
Let me fix myself, quickly. Why didn't he call?

There's a knock on the door as I tie a bonnet over my hair. Urgh. At least I managed to put on some perfume and rinse my teeth with mouthwash. I take a deep breath, steadying myself, and walk toward the door.
I pause for a moment before opening it, my pulse racing.
I pull the door open and there he is.
Konke.
In a white garment, wet, barefoot. My heart skips. Oh my God. I don't even ask questions. I just open the burglar gate for him and step aside, letting him in.
"Hey," he says softly.
I quickly lock both the burglar gate and the door behind him, just in case Paul decides to appear again. I turn to him, and my heart sinks so painfully I feel like it might burst.
"What happened?" I whisper, stepping closer, my hand cupping his cheek. His skin is ice-cold. I flinch at the chill.
"Long story, Dali… can I please shower?" he asks, his voice hoarse.
I nod immediately.
"Of course. Not a shower, you need a bath. Let me run it for you," I say, gently pulling him toward the bathroom. Even his hand feels cold in mine. Jesus.
"Are you hungry?" I ask, panic rising in my chest. God, I really should take Nikky's private cooking class seriously.
"No, I'm okay. I'll have tea," he says as we step inside.
I'll have to use one of Nikky's herbal bath salts. She'll forgive me, I'll get her some soon. First, I need to get my man warm.
I think Sbo left a few of his shirts and trousers here somewhere. That will have to do for now.

_

Nikky won't believe this. I've never done this to any of my exes, not even Paul. Maybe… maybe he did bewitched me somehow, with prayer water, candles, something I can't explain.
"Here's your tea," I say, handing him the cup, my fingers brushing his ever so slightly. "Are you sure you don't want some biscuits?" I add, almost hoping he says yes so I can stay near him longer.
He shakes his head. No.
I sigh, sliding down to sit next to him. Sbo's clothes fit him perfectly, molding to him in all the right places. If Sbo finds out, he'll eat me alive… but right now, all I want to do is wrap him in my arms and hold him tight.
"Thank you. This will keep me warm," he says, quietly, sincerely. The way he says it… it makes my chest flutter and ache at the same time.
"How did you get here? Barefoot?" I ask, glancing down at his swollen feet. All I know is he was supposed to be home, doing his spiritual work.
He sighs heavily, exhaustion in every sound.
"It's a long story… I… myself don't even know how I got here," he says, voice low, soft, and weary. My heart tightens. That sadness, that vulnerability… It cuts me.
"Don't worry," I say quickly, urgency in my voice. "When you're warmer, you'll remember. Drink your tea. I'll go fix the bed so you can sleep."
I stand without waiting for his response, feeling a little giddy at the absurdity of the situation. Wow. Diamond, fixing a bed for a man now.
.
.
My bed is a king-size bed and yes, I bought it with the cash my crew and I stole. Talking about my crew, I think it's finally time I tell them I'm done. No more heists. No more running. No more shadows.
As I smooth the duvet with shaky hands, I feel it, a calm presence behind me, like warm air shifting. I turn.
He's there. Smiling softly.
Stepping closer like he's walking through a memory we both lived before.
"Don't worry about me, Dali," he says quietly. "I'll be fine. Stop stressing."
He leans in and places a gentle kiss on my forehead. My eyes flutter.
Is it that obvious that I'm stressed?
His hand slides to my jaw, soft, calming.
"I can feel it when you're stressed and when you're scared," he murmurs. "We are connected, Diamond. Since the beginning of time."
His lips brush the side of my neck light, reverent and my breath stumbles out of me.
"So…" he whispers near my skin, "please let me in again."
He's not talking about the room.
Not the bed.
He means himself, the spiritual bond, the ancient tie, the place in me he feels he belongs to.
"Let me in again, thembalami," he repeats slowly, the words rolling out of him like a prayer. His lips touch my cheek, warm and deliberate. My body reacts before my mind can catch up, that magnetic pull tightening inside me, dragging me closer to him without permission.
"Konke…" I try to speak, but my voice breaks. Words slip away from me like water through fingers.
"You don't have to be afraid of me," he mumbles against my skin, his hands sliding to my waist, fingers spreading gently, grounding me and unraveling me at the same time. "You don't have to hide from me. I see all of you."
Of course he does. He always has.
My eyes are closed, but I feel everything. His breath on my face. The warmth radiating off his skin. The steady beat of his energy wrapping around me. It's intimate in a way that makes my chest tenses and my knees feel weak.
I force my eyes open. His face is right there, too close, too beautiful, too familiar. His eyes, God. They look like mirrors I've looked into lifetimes ago. Like he knows me from before birth, before this world, before memory.
His hand slides from my cheek to the back of my neck, gentle but claiming, guiding me toward him. And when our lips meet, the world pauses.
It's slow. Deep. Sacred.
Like he's not just kissing my mouth but waking something inside my soul.
My fingers curl into his shirt, desperate, needy, shaky. I start unbuttoning it without thinking. My body knows what it wants. Him. All of him. The fabric falls open and I pull him closer, pressing into the warmth of his chest. His skin against mine sends a rush through me so strong my breath stutters.
He sighs into my mouth, long and soft, like he's finally home.
"Let me in," he murmurs again, voice trembling with something raw.
Isn't this removing his shirt enough of an answer? Isn't the way my hands cling to him loud enough?
He pulls back just slightly, just enough to look at me. His forehead touches mine.
"I crossed the worlds to get to you today," he says, voice heavy with something I don't understand yet, devotion, destiny, something ancient.
His shirt falls to the floor.
My hands rest on his chest, warm, solid, beautiful. I trace the lines of him, the muscle, the scars, the heat, slowly, tenderly. My body tenses as if it's too much and not enough at the same time.
He lifts my chin gently, his thumb stroking my lips. His eyes search mine with an intensity that steals all the air between us. He looks like he's asking for something deeper than permission, something past flesh, past choice, like he's asking for my soul.
"I want you," I whisper.
He inhales sharply, like those three words pull something powerful out of him. His hand moves to my waist, pulling me closer, his breath hot against my lips.
"Then let me in, Diamond," he whispers. "Fully. Completely. Not just your body. Your spirit."
And for the first time, I feel it, my soul reaching for his.
.
.
.
.
Konke's breath warms my lips as his body covers mine, his weight settling over me like something ancient spiritual claiming its place. His skin is hot now, no trace of the cold that walked through my door. Only heat. Only him.
His hand slides behind my neck, guiding my mouth back to his.
The kiss is deep, slow but charged, like every breath we share is pulling our souls closer, stitching us back into something we used to be.
"Look at me," he whispers.
I open my eyes and he's already staring down at me, pupils dark and wide, breath shaking like he's barely holding himself together. His thumb brushes my lower lip before he kisses me again, deeper, hungrier, like he's drinking something only I can give.
His hand slides down my side, over my waist, to my thigh. He lifts my leg slowly, deliberately, hooking it around his hip so my body opens for him. His touch is gentle but claiming, like he's asking and taking at the same time.
"Konke…" I breathe, my voice trembling.
He kisses my neck, slow strokes of his mouth that make my back arch.
"I feel you," he murmurs. "I feel you. All of you."
His fingers slip under the waistband of my shorts, gliding over my skin, warm and calm. When he finally touches me properly, his hand inside my panties, I choke on a breath. His forehead drops to mine, like the connection pulls his body closer without him trying.
"Don't hide from me," he whispers. "Not here. Not ever."
My hips move toward his hand without thinking. His touch is slow but focused, like he's learning every reaction I have, storing it in his soul.
I tug at his waist, desperate for more.
"Please," I whisper.
His breath catches a raw, sharp sound and then he's lowering himself fully onto me, chest to chest, his body pressing me into the mattress. His hand leaves me only long enough for him to slide my shorts down my legs, his lips kissing every inch of skin he reveals.
"Thembalami," he says with a breath that trembles. "You have no idea what you do to me."
He moves between my thighs, settling there like he belongs. His hands slide up my sides, warm and anchoring. When he pushes into me slowly, inch by aching inch, my mouth falls open in a silent cry. His eyes close, his jaw tightens, and a low groan escapes him.
"Bab.." I choke in my cry.
It feels like energy rushes through both of us at once, a heat that starts where our bodies join and spreads everywhere.
He looks down at me again, face filled with something so intense it steals the air from my lungs.
"I'm inside your spirit," he whispers. "Do you feel it?"
I nod, breathlessly, my fingers clutching his shoulders. Digging into his skin.
He begins to move slowly, deep strokes that feel like he's building something inside me, gathering emotion, heat, connection. Every thrust pushes deeper than the last, not just physically but emotionally, spiritually. Like he's syncing our breathing, our hearts, our souls. Our bodies.
My hands move to his back, nails dragging lightly as the pleasure coils tighter in my stomach.
Konke groans softly against my ear, the sound deep and reverent.
"That's it… let me in, thembalami." His pace quickens just a little, still controlled but hungry now, like he can't decide whether he wants to worship me or devour me.
Our bodies meet in a rhythm that feels ancient, spiritual, fated, like we've done this before in a life I can't remember but my soul and body does.
When he feels me tense beneath him, his hand slides down, fingers finding me again exactly where I need him.
I cry out and his lips swallow the sound. Feeling a tear slips on my left eye. It feels so good. He feels so good inside of me.
"Don't hold back," he whispers into my mouth. "Give yourself to me. I'm all yours,"
The climax hits me hard, trembling, clenching, overwhelming and Konke's body reacts instantly. His thrusts grow deeper, desperate, like my release pulls him with me. His groan breaks open against my neck as his own climax hits, his body trembling over mine.
He stays inside me, breathing hard, forehead pressed to mine.
For a whole minute, we're completely still.
Then he whispers, voice rough and spiritual
"You're mine. Not in a cage, not in control but in the places no one else can reach."
My lips part. My breath stutters.
"I love you," I say, voice shaky, soft, honest in a way nothing has ever been in my life. And I mean it. Not because of the ancient spiritual sex we just had, but because something in me finally feels aligned.