Page 121 of Children of Blood and Bone

A flicker passes across his face, something I can’t read. He clenches the handle of his sword and looks away. The air grows colder as he pushes his magic even further down.

“For gods’ sakes, Inan. Have some resolve. If your magic could help save Amari, why aren’t you doing everything you can?” I step closer to him, trying to put gentleness in my tone. “I’ll keep your stupid secret. If we use your magic to attack—”

“No!”

I jump back at the force of Inan’s words.

“My answer isno.” He swallows hard. “I can’t. I’m never doing that again. I know you’re wary of the guards, but I’m their prince. I promise you, I will keep them under control—”

I turn on my heel, walking back toward the ledge of the hill’s incline. When Inan shouts my name, I grit my teeth, fighting the urge to smack him with my staff. I’ll never save my brother. I’ll never get back the dagger or the scroll. I shake my head, fighting the swirl of emotions that wants to explode.

“Zélie—”

“Tell me, little prince.” I whip around. “What hurts more? The feeling you get when you use your magic or the pain of pushing it all down?”

Inan jerks back. “You can’t possibly understand.”

“Oh, I understand perfectly.” I get in his face, close enough to seethe stubble dotting his cheeks. “You would let your sister die and see all of Orïsha burn if it meant keeping your magic a secret.”

“Keeping my magic a secret ishowI keep Orïsha safe!” The air warms as his powers surge. “Magic is the root of all our problems. It’s the root of Orïsha’s pain!”

“Yourfatheris the root of Orïsha’s pain!” My voice shakes with anger. “He’s a tyrant and a coward. That’s all he’ll ever be!”

“My father is your king.” Inan closes in. “A king trying to protect his people. He took magic away so Orïsha would be safe.”

“That monster took magic away so that he could slaughter thousands. He took magic away so the innocent couldn’t defend themselves!”

Inan pauses. The air continues to warm as guilt creeps into his expression.

“He did what he thought was right.” He speaks slowly. “But he wasn’t wrong to take magic away. He was wrong for the oppression that followed.”

I dig my hands into my hair, skin growing hot at Inan’s ignorance. How can hedefendhis father? How can he not see what’s truly going on?

“Our lack of power and our oppression are one and the same, Inan. Without power we’re maggots. Without power the monarchy treats us like scum!”

“Power is not the answer. It will only intensify the fight. Maybe you can’t trust my father, but if you could learn to trust me, to trust my guards—”

“Trustthe guards?” I scream so loud there’s no doubt every fighter hidden in this godsforsaken forest hears my voice quake. “The same guards who chained my mother by her neck? The guards who beat my father half to death? The guards who grope me whenever they have achance, just waiting for the day they can take everything when I’m forced into the stocks?”

Inan’s eyes grow wide, but he presses, “The guards I know are good. They keep Lagos safe—”

“My gods.” I stalk away. I can’t listen to this. I’m a fool for thinking we could ever work together.

“Hey,” he yells. “I’m talking to you.”

“I’m done talking, little prince. Clearly you’ll never understand.”

“I could say the same thing!” He runs after me with labored steps. “You don’t need magic to fix things.”

“Leave me alone—”

“If you could just see where I’m coming from—”

“Go—”

“You don’t have to be afraid—”

“I amalwaysafraid!”

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