Page 65 of Children of Blood and Bone

Maybe if we already had the sunstone…

If the royal guard wasn’t breathing down our backs…

If Lekan would just get someone else to do the stupid ritual…

My chest tightens, suffocating under the threat of failure. Baba’s crooked smile returns to my mind, the hope in his eyes.As long as we don’t have magic, they will never treat us with respect.

Weneedthis ritual. It’s our only hope. Without it, we’ll never get power.

The monarchy will always treat us like maggots.

“We are here.”

At last, we reach the top of the stairs and emerge outside into the fading daylight. Lekan leads us to a glittering stone steeple that rises out of the mountaintop, far above the same temple we first entered. Though a few cracked tiles mark the entrance, the site is largely untouched. Towering pillars support the structure, bending into rows of elegant arches.

“Wow,” I breathe out, running my fingers along the carved sênbaría marking each column. The symbols glow in the waning sunlight seeping in through the archways.

“Here.” Lekan gestures to the only fixture in the steeple, an obsidian tub steaming with clear blue water. The liquid begins to bubble as he nears, though no flames dance in sight.

“What is this?”

“Your awakening. When I am done, your spirit will be re-tethered to Sky Mother’s.”

“You can do that?” Amari asks.

Lekan nods, the ghost of a smile tickling his lips. “It was my duty with my people. I trained for it all my life.” He clasps his hands together, gaze soft and unfocused. Then suddenly he shifts, eyeing Tzain and Amari.

“You must leave.” He gestures to them. “I’ve already broken centuries of tradition by letting you come this far. I cannot allow you to observe our most sacred ritual.”

“Like hell you can’t.” Tzain steps in front of me, muscles flexing in challenge. “I’m not leaving you alone with my sister.”

“You should stay,” Amari whispers. “I have no right to see this—”

“No.” Tzain extends his hand in front of Amari, stopping her before she can scurry down the stone steps. “Stay. No us, no ritual.”

Lekan purses his lips. “If you stay, you are bound to secrecy.”

“We vow.” Tzain waves his hand. “We won’t say anything.”

“Do not take this vow lightly,” Lekan warns. “The dead won’t.”

Lekan shifts his glare to Amari; she all but melts. He only relents to grasp the rim of the obsidian tub. The water instantly boils under his touch.

My throat goes dry as I approach the tub and a new wave of steam hits my face. Oya, help me. I can’t even sell a fish without causing the destruction of my entire village. How am I supposed to be the maji’s only hope?

“If I agree to this, you must awaken others.”

Lekan stifles a frustrated breath. “Sky Mother brought you here—”

“Please, Lekan. You have to. I can’t be the only one.”

Lekan clicks his tongue and ushers me toward the tub. “Fine,” he concedes. “But I must awaken you first.”

I take a tentative step into the tub, sliding in slowly until water covers all but my head. My clothes float around me as the heat soothes my every limb, kissing the strain of today’s climb away.

“Let us begin.”

Lekan takes my right hand and removes the bone dagger from the folds of his robe.

---