Legacy of Orïsha, #1
Children of Blood and Bone
by Tomi Adeyemi
Contents
Chapter Forty-Three: Inan
Overview
Inan and Zélie track symbols through the forest to locate the masked fighters’ fortified camp holding Amari and Tzain. They debate calling royal guards; Zélie threatens to expose Inan’s magic if he does. Zélie reveals she can raise earth animations and proposes a night assault, planning to part ways once inside.
Summary
Inan and Zélie trek uphill through the forest, following painted symbols to the masked group’s hidden camp while Inan carries an unconscious captive. Inan struggles to suppress his magic as Zélie’s essence keeps breaking through, surfacing her memories and pain, which he forces back down.
At the hilltop, they spot a circular grove concealing a tall, rudimentary wall, guarded by masked fighters and hidden archers. Zélie wants to rush in, but Inan counts numerous defenders and warns that a direct assault would fail. They consider options as urgency for Amari and Tzain grows.
Inan proposes riding to Gombe to bring guards at dawn. Zélie rejects this, arguing divîners inside would be slaughtered and their siblings endangered. She threatens to expose Inan’s secret magic to the guards if he involves them, rattling him with the memory of Kaea’s deadly suspicion.
Pressed for an alternative, Zélie vows to get them inside. She demonstrates new power by animating the earth into a humanlike construct that obeys her. Inan deems eight such creations insufficient against the camp’s numbers, but Zélie insists she will make more for a nighttime attack.
They settle on a plan to breach the wall under cover of darkness using Zélie’s animations. Though aligned for the rescue, they agree to separate once inside, foreshadowing renewed conflict over the scroll even as they move to save Amari and Tzain.
Who Appears
- InanPrince and viewpoint; suppresses empathic magic, scouts the camp, opposes involving guards after Zélie’s threat, agrees to a night breach.
- ZélieMagí; drives the search, rejects calling guards, threatens to expose Inan, reveals earth animations to spearhead a covert assault.
- Masked captiveUnconscious fighter from the masked group; his information and capture lead Inan and Zélie to the hidden camp.
- Masked sentries and archersDefenders of the hidden camp; numerous, well-positioned guards whose presence forces a covert infiltration plan.