Legacy of Orïsha, #1
Children of Blood and Bone
by Tomi Adeyemi
Contents
Chapter Thirty-One: Zélie
Overview
As their ship sinks in the arena, Zélie resorts to blood magic, sacrificing her own blood to supercharge her ashê. She commands water-born animations to expel flooding and mend the hull, saving the vessel. The magic’s violent backlash overwhelms Zélie, leaving her paralyzed and drowning despite the ship’s rescue.
Summary
In the aftermath of heavy cannon fire, Zélie surfaces to see Tzain injured and the ship’s stern slipping under. With only a handful of vessels left in the arena, she dives amid bloody, debris-choked water, attempting to animate with dwindling ashê but finding her magic spent.
Facing the ship’s imminent loss and the end of their quest for the sunstone, Zélie chooses blood magic. She bites her palm, unleashing searing power that surges through her. Empowered by Oya’s presence and the glowing blood, she summons and commands a fresh wave of water animations.
Zélie orders the spirits to save the boat. The animations surge into the cannon holes, force water out, and fuse with the hull, restoring buoyancy and patching the breaches. The ship rises, briefly securing their survival and preserving their mission.
The victory turns as the blood magic ravages Zélie’s body. Numbness spreads, her muscles fail, and she cannot reach the surface. Overwhelmed by the violent ashê, Zélie loses air and begins to drown, even as the ship she saved stays afloat above her.
Who Appears
- ZélieProtagonist; uses blood magic to animate water spirits that save the ship, then is overwhelmed and begins to drown.
- TzainZélie’s brother; bloodied but conscious on deck, urging her as the ship sinks.
- AmariCompanion princess; aboard the endangered ship whose survival hinges on Zélie’s magic.