Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi Page 0,113
think?” Zu asks.
I look between her and Kwame. He breaks into a smile.
“That sounds amazing,” I decide. “It’ll be an Àjọy0 people will never forget.”
“What about the ritual?” Amari asks.
“If we leave right after the celebration, we’ll have enough time. We still have five days to get to Zaria, and using Folake’s boat will cut our time in half.”
Zu’s face goes so bright, it’s like its own source of light. She squeezes my hand, and I’m surprised at the warmth it fills me with. It’s more than another ally. It’s the start of our community.
“Then we’ll do it!” Zu grabs Amari’s hand, too, almost jumping up and down. “It’s the least we can do. I can think of no better way to honor the four of you.”
“Three,” Tzain corrects us. His terseness cuts through my budding excitement. He nods at Inan. “He’s not with us.”
Tightness gathers in my chest as Inan and Tzain lock eyes. I knew this moment was coming. I just hoped we’d have more time.
Zu nods stiffly, sensing the tension. “We’ll let you talk among yourselves. There’s a lot we have to do if we’re going to be ready for tomorrow.”
She rises to her feet, and Kwame and Folake follow, leaving us with only silence. I’m forced to stare at the scroll in my hands. What now? Where do we—are we even a “we”?
“I know this will be hard to digest.” Inan speaks first. “But things changed when you and Amari were taken. I’m aware that it’s a lot to ask, but if your sister can learn to trust me—”
Tzain whips to me, his glower hitting like a staff to the gut. His face says it all: Tell me this isn’t true.
“Tzain, if it weren’t for him, I would’ve been taken, too—”
Because he wanted to kill me himself. When the fighters attacked, he still wanted to drive his sword through my heart.
I take a breath and start over, running my hands over my staff. I can’t afford to mess this up. I need Tzain to listen to me.
“I didn’t trust him, not at first. But Inan fought by my side. When I was in danger, he threw himself in harm’s way.” My voice seems to shrink. Unable to look at anyone, I stare at my hands. “He’s seen things, felt things I could never explain to anyone else.”
“How am I supposed to believe that?” Tzain crosses his arms.
“Because…” I look back at Inan. “He’s a maji.”
“What?” Amari’s jaw drops and she whips toward Inan. Though I’ve seen her eye the streak in his hair before, now the realization dawns.
“How is that possible?”
“I don’t know,” Inan says. “It happened sometime in Lagos.”
“Right before you burned our village to the ground?” Tzain yells.
Inan clenches his jaw tight. “I didn’t know then—”
“But you knew when you cut Lekan down.”
“He attacked us. My admiral feared for our lives—”
“And when you tried to kill my sister last night? Were you a maji then?” Tzain tries to rise but grimaces, hand flying to his thigh.
“Let me help,” I start, but Tzain throws off my hand.
“Tell me you’re not this stupid.” A different kind of pain flashes behind his eyes. “You can’t trust him, Zél. Maji or not, he isn’t on our side.”
“Tzain—”
“He tried to kill you!”
“Please.” Inan speaks up. “I know you have no reason to trust me. But I don’t want to fight anymore. We all desire the same thing.”
“What’s that?” Tzain scoffs.
“A better Orïsha. A kingdom where maji like your sister don’t have to live in constant fear. I want to make it better.” Inan locks his amber eyes with mine. “I want to fix it with you.”
I force myself to look away, afraid of what my face will betray. I turn to Tzain, hoping something in Inan’s words moved him. But he’s clenching his fists so hard his forearms shake.
“Tzain—”
“Forget it.” He rises with a wince and heads for the tent exit, fighting through the pain in his leg. “You’re always screwing everything up. Why stop now?”
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
AMARI
“INAN, WAIT!”
I push through the divîners filling the grassy walkway between two long rows of tents. Their curious gazes add a weight to my step, but they’re not enough to distract me from the questions filling my head. When Tzain left, Zélie ran after him, trying in vain to make him understand. But then my brother ran after her, leaving me all alone in that tent.
Inan stops when he hears my voice, though he doesn’t turn around. His eyes follow Zélie, trailing her