I had asked him before what this tattoo meant.
Albie confessed to me that this was a unique emblem of the Hastings Tribe. He also revealed that he was the tribe's young leader and had even jokingly said he wanted me to become his chieftain’s wife.
"Where's my cousin and her boyfriend? What did you do to them?"
I anxiously looked around but saw no sign of the two. Worry gripped me as I feared for their safety.
I remembered Albie once telling me that the people in his tribe held very outdated beliefs. Because there were far more men than women, they practiced polyandry, allowing one woman to have multiple husbands.
Some members of the tribe even used gold veins to lure women in.
But he had clearly assured me that such things no longer happened.
Then what was going on now?
"Oh, you mean those matchmakers? They took the gold we gave them and left to enjoy their lives long ago." A bald man stroked his chin, grinning as he looked at me.
"Matchmakers? What do you mean?"
I scrambled up from the ground, trying to get away, but none of them showed any intention of letting me leave.
Growing impatient, the bald man reached out and shoved my shoulder.