Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi Page 0,160

do is comfort her, yet this new reality makes my arms feel like lead.

“When did it happen?”

Zélie closes her eyes and shrugs. “When they cut me, it was like they cut the magic out of my back. I haven’t been able to feel anything since.”

“What of the ritual?”

“I don’t know.” She takes a deep, shuddering breath. “I can’t do it. No one can.”

Her words rip the floor out from under me. I can almost feel myself falling through the hole. Lekan said only a maji tethered to Sky Mother’s spirit could perform the ritual. Without another sêntaro to awaken others, no one else can take Zélie’s place.

“Perhaps you just need the sunstone—”

“I tried that.”

“And?”

“Nothing. It doesn’t even feel warm.”

I chew on my bottom lip, brows furrowed as I try to figure out something else. If the sunstone isn’t helping her, I doubt the scroll will.

“Didn’t this happen in Ibeji?” I ask. “After the arena battle? You said your magic felt blocked.”

“Blocked, not gone. It felt stuck, but it was still there. Now I feel nothing.”

Hopelessness builds inside me, making my legs go numb. We should turn back. We should wake one of Roën’s men and redirect the ship.

But through it all Binta’s face shines through, overpowering my fear, Father’s wrath. I’m taken back to that fateful day a moon ago, standing in Kaea’s quarters, holding the scroll. The odds were against us then. Reality told us we would fail. But again and again, we fought. We persevered. We rose.

“You can do it,” I whisper, feeling it even more when I say it aloud. “The gods chose you. They don’t make mistakes.”

“Amari—”

“I’ve watched you do the impossible since the first day we met. You’ve taken on the world for the people you love. I know you can do the same to save the maji.”

Zélie tries to look away, but I grab her face and force her to meet my eyes. If only she could see the person I see now, the champion prevailing inside.

“You’re that sure?” she asks.

“I have never been more sure of anything in my life. Besides, just look at you—if you cannot do magic, no one can.”

I hold up a mirror, showing Zélie the six thick plaits that fall to the small of her back. Her hair’s grown so curly over the past moon I forgot its former length.

“I look strong.…” She fingers her braids.

I smile and put the mirror down. “You should look like the warrior you are when you bring magic back.”

Zélie squeezes my hand, something sad still leaking through her grip.

“Thank you, Amari. For everything.”

I rest my forehead against hers, and we sit in a comfortable silence, translating our love through touch. The Princess and the Warrior, I decide in my head. When they tell the story of tomorrow, that is what they shall call it.

“Will you stay?” I pull back to look at Zélie’s face. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“Of course.” She smiles. “Something tells me I might actually fall asleep in this bed.”

I roll over to make space and she climbs in, nestling under the panthenaire covers. I lean over to put out the torchlight, but Zélie grabs my wrist.

“You really think this will work?”

My smile falters for a moment, but I hide it.

“I think no matter what, we have to try.”

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN

ZÉLIE

THE SKY LIGHTENS to pinks and tangerines as sunrise nears. Soft clouds move across the colors with ease, almost peaceful despite what today could bring. I’m eternally grateful for the navy’s armor when I grab the helmet that obscures my face. I put it on and tuck in my braids as Roën approaches with his mischievous grin.

“I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to chat last night.” A fake pout fills his face. “If this was about your hair, you should know I’m an excellent braider, too.”

I narrow my eyes, hating that the uniform suits him. He wears the armor with confidence; if I didn’t know better, I would think it was actually his.

“Nice to see a day of impending death hasn’t dampened your spirits.”

Roën’s smile widens. “You look good,” he whispers as he fastens his helmet. “Ready.”

With a sharp whistle he rallies our crew and everyone huddles up. Amari and Tzain push their way to the front, followed by Kenyon and the four members of his team. Tzain gives me an encouraging nod. I force myself to nod back.

“I interrogated Saran’s soldiers last night.” Roën’s voice rises above the sea wind. “They’ll be stationed around the perimeter of the