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“It’s not like she’s defenseless,” Kenyon scoffs. “With her magic she’s more powerful than any of us.”
How would he know? He hasn’t seen it.
Dozens of masked mercenaries clad in black leer at me as I pass,
Why are they masked in their own home?
A stocky man steps out of the fray. His muscles bulge beneath his black fatigues. “Stop wasting our time with these lies,” he growls. “Roën, get this girl out of here or I wi—”
No one asked you to listen! She’s not there to talk to you. Mind your business or shut up and let the adults talk.
“You’re not the first to attempt this, love. Kwame already tried to bring magic back. From what I hear, it didn’t go so well.”
It was going to be her he was helping dumdum. You were there at the celebration, you had to have heard talk. He must have told you it was her.
“Right now.” Roën smiles. “But our boat’s small. You’ll have to sit next to me.”
Lord.
“Don’t be foolish.” The mischievous glint in Roën’s gray eyes reignites. “Let’s take the closest ship.”
Sounds like a plan.
“They’re in our way. And by the looks of it, they’re headed to this island, too. What better way to get there than on one of their own warships?”
So they were already in front of them? I thought the ships were coming from behind.
I grab my staff with shaking hands and flick to expand it.
Why are you doing that right now?
Though I can’t sense the spirits of the dead right now, I don’t want to imagine how many spirits would swarm around Roën.
That was ridiculous to saw considering she was around him before when she had magic and didn’t see a thing.
I didn’t know it was possible to fit so perfectly inside someone else’s arms.
Her arms are definitely not what he’s thinking about fitting perfectly inside of…
“My first wife,” he finally answers. “Alika. She was too softhearted for her own good. She wanted me to be someone who could create change.”
That’s not a bad thing though.
picture the face that might’ve accompanied that name. From the way Father talks about her, she must have been a kind woman, one with an even kinder face.
Yeah, and she’s your mother.
“For her, I supported my father. I chose love over duty.
Because she was also maji.
Father extends his sword to me and my stomach clenches, unable to believe the gesture.
Dummy, he’s slyly trying to weaken you with the majacite.
Duty over self. Orïsha over Zélie.
Ridiculous
ignoring the way it blisters my skin.
But wouldn’t your father see that?
“They’re not your gods.” I shake my head. “They didn’t choose you.”
Wow. You just said they did to convince him to help you! You can’t say that, like that, now!
“When they cut me, it was like they cut the magic out of my back. I haven’t been able to feel anything since.”
Did she forget about what they put in her neck before cutting her back? Does Amari not see a scar on her neck as well?
Lekan said only a maji tethered to Sky Mother’s spirit could perform the ritual.
And who’s to say this disconnected her from the Sky Mother?
“Perhaps you just need the sunstone—” “I tried that.”
Or the damn scroll. The thing that unlocked her in the first place.
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.
And you’re suddenly an expert on maji and the scroll? You won’t know unless you try.
We should wake one of Roën’s men and redirect the ship.
Wake one of his men? One of his men is currently steering the ship. Make sense.
“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.”
🤣🤣🤣
Roën’s voice rises above the sea wind. “They’ll be stationed around the perimeter of the island and within the temple itself. There’s no way to avoid them when we dock, but if we don’t draw attention to ourselves, we shouldn’t arouse suspicion.
How did they get to a magical island that only appears once a century at a specific time and set up a perimeter?
As the sun peeks over the horizon, the island materializes before our eyes. At first it’s transparent like a mirage out at sea. But as the sun rises, the island solidifies into a large mass of fog and lifeless trees.
So again, how does Saran have a perimeter set?
Each of us has been wronged by the guards, by this monarchy that’s sworn to protect us. Today we strike back for us all. Today we make them pay!” The shouts of agreement ring through the air;
They are shouting when they are supposed to be stealthy?
“They may have a thousand men in their army, but not one of them has the support of the gods. We have magic on our side, so stay strong, stay confident.”
Wouldn’t it make sense to let them touch the scroll and sunstone?
MY THROAT DRIES as I watch an endless sea of soldiers patrol the perimeter of the island.
Again, make sense. The island literally just appeared.
I keep my hand readied on my staff.
Shouldn’t she be carrying a sword?
Guards stream out of the temple, taking off toward the southern shoreline. So many men race out that I quickly realize I can’t fathom the temple’s true size.
When the hell did they…Smdh. Illogical.
When the first flood of soldiers passes, Roën leads us in, pushing against the heavy air.
Saran is likely inside with Inan.
I flick open my staff as hidden men emerge.
But you’re holding the scroll and sunstone…
I see Saran, a smirk of satisfaction on his face. Then I see Inan, face pained, majacite blade in his hand. The sight rips straight through me; a betrayal colder than ice. He promised. He swore he wouldn’t get in my way. But before I can truly break, I see the worst of it. A sight so alarming, it doesn’t even seem real. My heart stops as they bring him forward. “Baba?”
Inan told him to use her father! That’s how he planned to get the scroll? Yeah, Amari needs to be the next ruler. Inan is too far gone.
“We’re already dead!” I shriek. My voice echoes against the dome, revealing the truth I wish I could change. Gods, please! I plead one last time, but nothing happens.
She’s ridiculous.
I’m halfway across the floor when Kenyon yells, “We saved you!” His screams bounce against the walls. “People died for this! People died for you!”
Yep. So many.
Before Inan can mutter another treacherous word, I take off Baba’s gag and walk away.
What? Why is her guard not up!? Why would she trust Saran to keep his word? Or even Inan at this point?
At least it’s over. At least you’re alive. You can leave on that boat, find a new—
Leave? The island is covered in Saran’s men! Why do you think he’d let you walk out alive? Any of you who dared to rebel against him!
Even with the sunstone’s surge, I can’t stop her. No one can. I’m dead. I died the moment her father hit the ground.
Yep. Good that you know. He should have never been brought there.
He was supposed to live. She was supposed to be saved.
And you trusted your father after all you’ve discovered that he lied about…
Focus, Inan. I force out a deep, long breath and count to ten. I can’t give up. Magic is still a threat. One only I can end.
Idiot.
The scroll has no mind for me to control, no body for my magic to paralyze. My magic can’t eliminate the scroll.
Where is Saran? Zelie said Inan was the only one running away.
If I do this right, the scroll shall crumble, too.
So he’s going to sacrifice himself just to kill magic. Wow. He’s not the brightest bulb.
“If you trusted me, worked with me, he’d still be alive. Him.” I swallow. “Mama Agba—”
So they did kill her! Shit. So he should have known er father was not walking out of there if they killed her!
You did it.… The fact doesn’t sink in. It’s over. I won. Orïsha is finally safe. Magic will die for good.
Smdh
Like in Chândomblé, my magic pierces through the mercenary’s head, paralyzing him in place. I freeze him long enough for a guard to cut through his heart.
Wonder if it was Roen or Kenyon.
Father jerks back, recoiling like I’m a monster he can’t trust. His lips curl back in disgust. Everything in me shrivels.
So he really didn’t know?
away. I did it. I killed magic.” Father kicks the mercenary over with his feet. He claws at the turquoise crystals left in the assailant’s hair.
Oh, he did know! He suspected Inan had touched the scroll and killed Kaea, otherwise why would he check that body?
His blade rips into me. Father’s eyes pound red with rage. My hands clutch at the sword, but I’m too weak to pull it out.
Ha!
He pulls out his sword with a mangled scream. I drop to my knees, clutching the gushing wound.
Shouldn’t Zelie be still watching this? She was looking dead at Inan when Saran called out to him.
Before I touch him, Father crushes my hand under the heel of his metal boot.
How? He feel to his knees and is reaching up. How does he step on his hand?
