Children of Virtue and Vengeance

In her cell, Amari thinks of her father. She acknowledges that she is “no better” than him and wonders if he would be horrified or proud of her. However, the thoughts make her sick that she has allowed “his ghost to become [her] guiding force” (372).

Zélie approaches her cell and acknowledges that Amari, for the first time, looks regretful of her actions. She tells Amari that they brought back all the dead and that they are going to finally destroy the crown. Amari, internally, is unsure of how to feel, as it pains her to think of the monarchy being destroyed. She tells Zélie that “chaos” will follow, but Zélie insists that chaos will be better than “tyranny.”

Amari realizes why Zélie is there: Amari will be their sacrifice to solidify the connection. To Zélie’s surprise, she offers to do so willingly, hoping to make at least some amends for what she has done. Zélie hesitates, saying that she has not yet made up her mind, despite Amari’s insistence. However, Mama Agba comes up behind them and tells them that she is willing to be the sacrifice.

Zélie tries to convince Mama Agba that she can find another way, but Mama Agba insists that it must be her. She tells Zélie that she is old and that they do not have much time. She also reveals that, years ago, her isípayá showed her standing on the mountaintop being embraced by Sky Mother. She realizes now that, all along, it was a vision of this sacrifice for the maji.

The elders gather in a circle, with Mama Agba at the center. She tells Zélie to always remember that everyone she lost along the way fights with her still in her heart. She says goodbye to the elders. Zélie draws her dagger and slices Mama Agba’s palm, using her blood to fuel her magic. As she chants the incantation, the light within Mama Agba expands, reaching out to the 10 of them in the circle. They are raised from the ground in her light until it grows so bright that it tears Mama Agba apart. As they all fall back to the ground, Zélie feels their 10 heartbeats beating as one.

Inan waits in his father’s chambers, looking at himself in the mirror and reflecting on how hard he struggles to do the right thing. His mother’s knock on the door interrupts his thoughts.

She asks Inan if he finally understands, and he tells her that he does—that she has “only done what [she] thought was right” (382). She pours them both a glass of wine and says a toast to the kingdom.

Inan watches as she drinks. He then tells her that he has made the decision to dissolve the monarchy. She laughs in disbelief and then disgust. He tells her that all the pain in the kingdom has come from their family and that it needs to end. She turns to leave and then falls to the ground; Inan poisoned her wine. She attempts to call on her magic but brings only tremors until even those fade. Inan leaves her dying on the ground.

As their group travels along the coast toward Lagos, Zélie and Tzain are shocked when they approach their old home in Ilorin and see that their house stands once again after being burned to the ground. They depart the boat and see that a note with the words “I’m sorry” sits atop it. Zélie finds a stack of letters—all from Inan—and remembers his promise to rebuild Ilorin as his first act as king. She quickly checks the letters, in which Inan confesses his feelings for Zélie and apologizes for all that he has done. She reads them with a strange mix of anger and longing. One letter falls to the floor, and she hears the sound of metal. Inside is the coin that she gave him long ago; she is shocked that he held onto it all this time. In the final letter, he tells Zélie that he is dissolving the monarchy—the true source of “poison” in Orïsha.

Tzain approaches her and asks what she is going to do about Inan. She insists that she will do what she must to save her people. She asks him about Amari, and he tells her that he can never forgive her for what she did.

The group stands on a hill overlooking Lagos. They call upon their magic as they cite the names of those who have died in the war. The ground splits beneath them as they call forth lava, exploding the majacite mines below them. As guards rush out of the palace, they send forth canon fire, but it does nothing to stop the attack of the elders. When hundreds of soldiers have gathered to mount a defense, Zélie calls on her magic and freezes them all in place, ripping their spirits from their bodies—and smiling as she does so.

Inan goes to all the nobles that are gathered for a feast to celebrate the end of the war. He speaks to them of a time before the monarchy ruled, which causes them to begin to realize that something is not right. As they stir, he tells them that he is putting an end to the monarchy. Some try to fight or flee but are held back by guards. As he continues his speech, he hears explosions from outside. He realizes that it is the Iyika and yells for everyone to get to safety.

The elders break into the palace, using their magic to bring destruction. Amari watches with content as the banners are ripped from the wall and the throne itself is torn in half.

She turns and sees her mother stumbling at the top of a staircase, watching in horror. When she sees Amari, she turns angry and uses her magic to knock Amari to the ground. As her mother approaches her, Amari calls upon her own magic, sending her mother sprawling onto the ground. Amari stands over her, hearing her father’s voice telling her to “fight.” However, she stops herself, realizing that killing her father only made her a “monster” and that killing her mother will only do more of the same. Instead, she tells her mother that she has lost and turns and walks away.

Zélie and the others make their way to the basement, where they find the Iyika imprisoned. They work quickly to free hundreds of them, and Zélie is delighted when she sees her Reapers again. She sees Inan running down the hall and leaves to catch him.

Zélie and Inan come face-to-face. Inan chooses not to fight as Zélie approaches him; instead, he tells her where the capital’s wealth is kept and warns her of strongholds with men and majacite located throughout the kingdom. Despite the connection she still feels to him, Zélie places her hand on his chest and feels his life force, slowly draining it from him.

Just as his heartbeat slows, she hears Roën yell to her. She turns and sees him running down the hall. He throws a mask that lands at her feet as he falls to the ground, making Zélie realize that a cloud of gas follows him. Before she can react, it overtakes her, and she collapses to the ground.

Zélie awakens and, after a moment, remembers what happened in the palace. She is angered by the thought of their failure and the monarchy capturing them. She looks around and sees dozens of bodies in the dark.

She climbs over Amari’s body to the window. She looks out and sees only the never-ending ocean in every direction.