Chapter Thirty-Four: Amari

After the arena spectacle, the city of Ibeji celebrates Zélie as “the Immortal,” Tzain as “the Commander,” and Amari as “the Lionaire.” The trio escapes the crowd to their ahéré, where they wash off the blood and catch their breath. Amari, shaken by the life she took, obsesses over the slain captain’s final moments and her fear that she could kill again.

Inside, the sunstone glows beside the scroll and bone dagger, reminding Amari that they now possess all three artifacts with time left before the solstice. She imagines magic restored and Binta’s light living on, giving purpose to their suffering and the arena’s losses.

As Zélie sleeps, Tzain updates Amari on the arena’s collapse: without the betting pot, the slavers’ operation is crippled, and Baako plans to use the winnings to free more divîners from the stocks. When Tzain struggles to bandage his arm, Amari helps, weighed by guilt for his wound but heartened by his gratitude for her role in saving Zélie.

Concerned by Amari’s turmoil, Tzain urges her to leave them in Gombe by claiming she was kidnapped, hoping to spare her further bloodshed. Amari considers the escape but rejects it, declaring her choice to stay and her responsibility to undo the harm her father caused. Tzain accepts her decision, affirming that he wants her there, and their banter softens the moment.

Stepping back into the night, Amari hears the crowd cheer “Lionaire.” This time, the name fits. Embracing her emerging courage and identity, Amari commits to the path ahead and the mission to restore magic.