Legacy of Orïsha, #2
Children of Virtue and Vengeance
by Tomi Adeyemi
Contents
CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO: ZÉLIE
Overview
As Zélie steels herself for the coming sacrifice, she overhears Roën confronting a mutinous crew. Roën violently forces a stand-down, exposes Harun’s deception, and then relinquishes command. Afterward, Roën and Zélie affirm their bond, and Roën vows to join her dangerous mission despite his wounds.
Summary
Walking Ibadan’s mountain paths, Zélie wrestles with the looming sacrifice her plan may demand. She heads toward Amari’s cell but stops when she hears Harun confronting Roën. Hidden, Zélie witnesses Roën, exhausted and injured, face down five black-clad mercenaries from his crew.
Harun declares the job can’t be stopped and taunts Roën, revealing he fed Roën false information from Nehanda. Roën appears to concede, then suddenly overpowers Harun, pinning him with his metal hand and burning his neck with a cigar until Harun submits. Intimidated, the mercenaries agree to stand down. Roën orders Harun to take the crew but warns of lethal consequences for disobedience.
When the crew retreats, Roën’s façade drops and he doubles over in pain. He calls Zélie out of hiding, explaining he could feel her presence. He admits he can’t run the crew anymore, having compromised himself the moment he fell in love with her.
Zélie acknowledges the brutal side of his mercenary life now laid bare. Recalling his mother’s song, she takes his hand, and they kiss, revealing the tenderness beneath his hardened exterior. They share brief humor about his injuries and loss, easing the tension between them.
Roën brings up Zélie’s imminent plan to “save the world.” Despite his wounds and malfunctioning metal arm, he refuses to be left behind, declaring Zélie his home. He insists on accompanying her when she departs in a few hours, binding his fate to her coming attempt to end the war.
Who Appears
- RoënInjured mercenary leader; crushes a crew mutiny, exposes Harun’s deception, relinquishes his crew, confesses love, insists on joining Zélie.
- ZélieProtagonist; contemplates sacrifice, witnesses Roën’s ruthlessness, rekindles their bond, and accepts his resolve to accompany her mission.
- HarunRoën’s enforcer; admits feeding false intel from Nehanda, leads a mutiny, submits after Roën’s violent show of force.
- Roën’s crew mercenariesBlack-clad subordinates who back Harun’s challenge, then stand down and depart after Roën’s ultimatum.