“Magic is a gift from the gods,” he continues, “a spiritual connection between them and mankind. If the gods broke that connection with royals generations ago, I knew their connection to the maji could be severed, too.”
My head spins with Father’s words. If he doesn’t need to see the physician, I will. The only time I dared to ask him about the Or?shan gods, his answer was swift: gods are nothing without fools to believe in them.
I took his words to heart, built my world upon his unwavering conviction. Yet here he stands, telling me they exist. That he waged war against them.
Skies. I stare at the blood staining the cracks in the floor. I’ve always known Father was a powerful man.
I just never realized how deep that power ran.
“After my coronation, I set out to find a way to sever the spiritual bond. It took me years, but eventually I discovered the source of the maji’s spiritual connection, and I ordered my men to destroy it. Until today, I believed I had succeeded in wiping magic from the face of this earth. But now that damned scroll is threatening to bring magic back.”
I let Father’s words wash over me, parsing through it all until even the most inconceivable facts move like sênet pawns in my head: break the connection; break the magic.
Destroy the people after our throne.
“But if magic was gone…” My stomach twists into knots, but I need to know the answer. “Why go through with the Raid? Why … kill all those people?”
Father runs his thumb down the serrated edge of his majacite blade and walks to the paneled windows. The same place I stood as a child when the maji of Lagos went up in flames. Eleven years later, the charcoal smell of burning flesh is still a constant memory. As vivid as the heat in the air.
“For magic to disappear for good, every maji had to die. As long as they’d tasted that power, they would never stop fighting to bring it back.”
Every maji …
That’s why he let the children live. Div?ners don’t manifest their abilities until they’re thirteen. Powerless children who had never wielded magic didn’t pose a threat.
Father’s answer is calm. So matter-of-fact, I cannot doubt that he did the right thing. But the memory of ash settles on my tongue. Bitter. Sharp. I have to wonder if Father’s stomach churned that day.
I wonder if I’m strong enough to do the same.
“Magic is a blight,” Father breaks into my thoughts. “A fatal, festering disease. If it takes hold of our kingdom the way it’s taken others, no one will survive its attack.”
“How do we stop it?”
“The scroll is the key,” Father continues. “That much I know. Something about it has the power to bring magic back. If we don’t destroy it, it shall destroy us.”
“And Amari?” My voice lowers. “Will we have to … will I…” The thought is so wretched I can’t speak.
Duty before self. That’s what Father will say. It’s what he shouted at me that fateful day.
But the thought of raising my blade against Amari after all these years makes my throat dry. I can’t be the king Father wants me to be.
I can’t kill my little sister.
“Your sister has committed treason.” He speaks slowly. “But it is no fault of her own. I allowed her to get close to that maggot. I should’ve known her simple disposition would lead her astray.”
“So Amari can live?”
Father nods. “If she’s captured before anyone discovers what she’s done. That’s why you can’t take your men—you and Admiral Kaea must go and recover the scroll alone.”
Relief slams into my chest like a blow from Father’s fist. I can’t kill my little sister, but I can bring her back in.
A sharp knock raps against the door; Admiral Kaea pops her head through. Father waves his hand, welcoming her in.
Behind her, I catch a glimpse of Mother scowling. A new heaviness settles on my shoulders. Skies.
Mother doesn’t even know where Amari is.
“We found a noble. He claims he saw the maggot who aided the fugitive,” Kaea says. “She sold him a rare fish from Ilorin.”
“Did you cross-reference the ledger?” I ask.
Kaea nods. “It shows only one div?ner from Ilorin today. Zélie Adebola, age seventeen.”
Zélie …
My mind fits the missing piece to her striking image. The name rolls off Kaea’s tongue like silver. Too soft for a div?ner who attacked my city.
“Let me go to Ilorin,” I blurt out. My mind runs through the plan as I speak. I’ve seen a map of Ilorin before. The four quadrants of the floating village. A few hundred villagers, most lowly fishermen. We could take it with—“Ten men. That’s all Admiral Kaea and I need. I’ll find the scroll and bring Amari back. Just give me a chance.”
Father twists his ring as he thinks. I can hear the rejection sitting on his tongue. “If those men discover anything—”
“I’ll kill them,” I interrupt. The lie slips from my mouth with ease. If I can redeem my former failures, no one else needs to die.
But Father cannot know that. He barely trusts me as it is. He requires swift, unflinching commitment.
As captain, I must give it to him.
“Very well,” Father agrees. “Head out. Be quick.”
Thank the skies. I adjust my helmet and bow as deeply as I can. I’m almost out the door when Father calls out.
“Inan.”
Something twists in his tone. Something dark.
Dangerous.
“When you have what you need, burn that village to the ground.”
CHAPTER NINE
ZéLIE
ILORIN IS ENTIRELY too peaceful.
At least, it feels that way after today. Coconut boats pull against their anchors, sheets fall over the dome of ahéré entrances. The village sets with the sun, making way for a calm night’s sleep.
Amari’s eyes widen with wonder as we sail through the water and head toward Mama Agba’s on Nailah’s back. She takes in every inch of the floating village like a starving laborer placed before a majestic feast.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” she whispers. “It’s mesmerizing.”
I breathe in the fresh scent of the sea, closing my eyes as mist sprays my face. The taste of salt on my tongue makes me imagine what would happen if Amari wasn’t here; a fresh loaf of sweet bread, a nice cut of spiced meat. For once, we’d go to sleep with full bellies. A celebratory meal in my name.
My frustration reignites at Amari’s ignorant bliss. Princess that she is, she’s probably never missed a meal in her entire pampered life.
“Give me your headdress,” I snap when Nailah docks in the merchant quarter.
The wonder drops from Amari’s face and she stiffens. “But Binta—” She pauses, collecting herself. “I wouldn’t have this if it weren’t for my handmaiden.… It is the only thing of hers I have left.”
“I don’t care if the gods gave you that wretched thing. We can’t have people finding out who you are.”
“Don’t worry,” Tzain adds gently. “She’ll throw it in her pack, not the sea.”