Page 46 of Children of Blood and Bone

Guilt adds to my exhaustion, dragging me back to the ground. I could apologize for the rest of my days and it still wouldn’t be enough. But before I can sink further into my guilt, a flurry of movement catches my eye. Amari stirs underneath a large brown cloak, waking from her royal slumber. The sight puts a bitter taste in my mouth, reigniting the image of Inan.

Knowing her family, I’m surprised she didn’t slit our throats in our sleep.

I search her dark hair for a streak to match her brother’s, muscles relaxing when I find none. Gods only know how much worse this would be if she could trap me inside her head, too. I’m still glaring at Amari when I recognize the cloak she’s using as a blanket. I rise and crouch by Tzain’s side.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

He ignores me and keeps exercising. The bags under his eyes warn me to leave him alone, but I’m too angry to stop now.

“Your cloak,” I hiss. “Why’d you give it to her?”

Tzain fits in two more crunches before muttering, “She was shivering.”

“And?”

“And?” he shoots back. “We have no idea how long this trip will take. The last thing we need is her getting sick.”

“You know she’s used to that, right? People who look like you making sure she gets her way?”

“Zél, she was cold and I wasn’t using my cloak. That’s all there is to it.”

I turn back toward Amari and try to let it go. But in her eyes, I see her brother’s. I feel his hands around my throat.

“I want to trust her—”

“No, you don’t.”

“Well, even if I did, I can’t. Her father ordered the Raid. Her brother burned down our village. What makes you think she’s any different?”

“Zél…” Tzain’s voice trails off as Amari approaches, always delicate and demure. I have no way of knowing if she’s heard us or not. Either way, I can’t pretend I care.

“I think this is yours.” She hands him the cloak. “Thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Tzain takes the cloak and folds it into hispack. “It’ll be warmer as we get into the jungle, but let me know if you need it again.”

Amari smiles for the first time since we’ve met, and I bristle when Tzain smiles back. It should take more than a pretty face for him to forget she’s the daughter of a monster.

“Is that all?” I ask.

“Um, well, actually…” Her voice grows quiet. “I was wondering… what are we planning to do for, um—”

A deep groan escapes Amari’s stomach. Color rises to her cheeks and she grips her slim belly, failing to cage in another roar.

“Excuse me,” she apologizes. “All I ate yesterday was a loaf of bread.”

“A whole loaf?” I salivate at the thought. It’s been moons since I’ve had a good slice. Though I can’t imagine the stale bricks we trade for in the market could hold a candle to a fresh loaf from the royal kitchen.

I itch to remind Amari of her good fortune, but my own stomach twists and turns with emptiness. Yesterday passed without one meal. If I don’t eat soon, my stomach too will growl.

Tzain reaches into the pockets of his black pants and pulls out Mama Agba’s weathered map. We follow his finger as it trails down the coast from Ilorin, stopping just outside a dot marking the settlement of Sokoto.

“We’re about an hour out,” he says. “It’s the best place to stop before we head east to Chândomblé. There’ll be merchants and food, but we’ll need something to trade.”

“What happened to the coin from the sailfish?”

Tzain dumps out my pack. I groan as a few silver pieces and Amari’s headdress fall to the ground. “Most of it was lost in the fire,” Tzain sighs.

“What can we trade?” Amari asks.

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