Legacy of Orïsha, #1
Children of Blood and Bone
by Tomi Adeyemi
Contents
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Amari
Overview
Tzain commands the enslaved crew into a cohesive fighting unit while Amari overcomes her terror and decides to fight, inspired by Binta’s memory. Zélie prepares the incantation at the bow. Entering the arena, they discover the battle has tripled in scale to thirty boats, sharply raising the stakes.
Summary
As the arena match approaches, Tzain swiftly organizes the enslaved divîner laborers into rowing and cannon teams, displaying calm leadership and a clear battle plan. Amari freezes at the gangway, haunted by memories of drowning and the certainty that the coming fight could be her death.
Tzain urges Amari to stay behind to preserve the secret of the ritual if the others fall. Amari refuses, reasoning that her father and Prince Inan will pursue her regardless. Clinging to Binta’s memory, she chooses to fight, taking her post at a cannon crew.
The ship surges into the arena amid the crowd’s bloodthirsty cheers. Nobles throng the front rows, while Zélie steels herself at the bow, silently practicing the incantation. The stakes crystallize for Amari as she locks eyes with a terrified divîner on an opposing vessel.
Scanning the field, Amari realizes the contest has escalated drastically: where there were ten boats the previous night, now thirty crowd the waters. The team faces overwhelmingly greater odds as the games begin.
Who Appears
- AmariNarrator; battles fear, rejects staying behind, commits to fight in honor of Binta.
- TzainStrategist and leader; organizes rowers and cannon crews, urges Amari to stay safe.
- ZéliePrepares the incantation at the bow, focused despite fear as the arena match begins.
- Enslaved divîner laborersCrew the ship’s oars and cannons under Tzain’s direction, newly hopeful and organized.