Page 33 of Children of Blood and Bone

“For magic to disappear for good, every maji had to die. As long as they’d tasted that power, they would never stop fighting to bring it back.”

Every maji…

That’s why he let the children live. Divîners don’t manifest their abilities until they’re thirteen. Powerless children who had never wielded magic didn’t pose a threat.

Father’s answer is calm. So matter-of-fact, I cannot doubt that hedid the right thing. But the memory of ash settles on my tongue. Bitter. Sharp. I have to wonder if Father’s stomach churned that day.

I wonder if I’m strong enough to do the same.

“Magic is a blight,” Father breaks into my thoughts. “A fatal, festering disease. If it takes hold of our kingdom the way it’s taken others, no one will survive its attack.”

“How do we stop it?”

“The scroll is the key,” Father continues. “That much I know. Something about it has the power to bring magic back. If we don’t destroy it, it shall destroy us.”

“And Amari?” My voice lowers. “Will we have to… will I…” The thought is so wretched I can’t speak.

Duty before self.That’s what Father will say. It’s what he shouted at me that fateful day.

But the thought of raising my blade against Amari after all these years makes my throat dry. I can’t be the king Father wants me to be.

I can’t kill my little sister.

“Your sister has committed treason.” He speaks slowly. “But it is no fault of her own. I allowed her to get close to that maggot. I should’ve known her simple disposition would lead her astray.”

“So Amari can live?”

Father nods. “If she’s captured before anyone discovers what she’s done. That’s why you can’t take your men—you and Admiral Kaea must go and recover the scroll alone.”

Relief slams into my chest like a blow from Father’s fist. I can’t kill my little sister, but I can bring her back in.

A sharp knock raps against the door; Admiral Kaea pops her head through. Father waves his hand, welcoming her in.

Behind her, I catch a glimpse of Mother scowling. A new heaviness settles on my shoulders.Skies.

Mother doesn’t even know where Amari is.

“We found a noble. He claims he saw the maggot who aided the fugitive,” Kaea says. “She sold him a rare fish from Ilorin.”

“Did you cross-reference the ledger?” I ask.

Kaea nods. “It shows only one divîner from Ilorin today. Zélie Adebola, age seventeen.”

Zélie…

My mind fits the missing piece to her striking image. The name rolls off Kaea’s tongue like silver. Too soft for a divîner who attacked my city.

“Let me go to Ilorin,” I blurt out. My mind runs through the plan as I speak. I’ve seen a map of Ilorin before. The four quadrants of the floating village. A few hundred villagers, most lowly fishermen. We could take it with—“Ten men. That’s all Admiral Kaea and I need. I’ll find the scroll and bring Amari back. Just give me a chance.”

Father twists his ring as he thinks. I can hear the rejection sitting on his tongue. “If those men discover anything—”

“I’ll kill them,” I interrupt. The lie slips from my mouth with ease. If I can redeem my former failures, no one else needs to die.

But Father cannot know that. He barely trusts me as it is. He requires swift, unflinching commitment.

As captain, I must give it to him.

“Very well,” Father agrees. “Head out. Be quick.”

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