Page 134 of Children of Virtue and Vengeance

“I’ve never seen another Reaper move like that.” She nods. “I thought she had risen from the dead.” She sits back and looks out at the carnage. “Just when I thought the war would leave us behind.”

Beyond her, I see the first body lying in the street. The man’s red cap sits in the dirt. Blood stains coat his lips and nose. The whites of his eyes are now yellow. His dark skin has turned black, shriveled from the Cancer’s gas.

A young girl escapes the well, falling to the ground the moment they remove her harness. She scrambles faster than her feet will allow, tripping over herself as tears fill her eyes.

“Baba!”

Her shriek makes my ears bleed. She falls onto his shriveled corpse, clawing at his stained robes. I have to turn away as another villager grabs her, pulling the girl away. Her screams are far too familiar.

Just like mine after the Raid.

Why?I hide my head in my hands, trying to understand.What happened to our plan? Why would Amari launch this attack?

Though body after body is lifted from the well, I’m surroundedby those I couldn’t save. The young mother who saved her infant. The divîner who couldn’t run fast enough.

“No…”

I turn as Amari walks into the square. Her hand flies to her chest. She crumples to her knees. At first I think it’s the corpses in the street, but then I follow her gaze. My brows knit at the message painted on the mountain overlooking the village lake.

The red ink is stark against the mountain stone, dripping like blood. Other elders approach from the north, horror dawning as they take in the words.

WE HAVE YOUR ARMY.

SURRENDER OR FACE THEIR EXECUTION.

My heart collapses as I read it, suddenly understanding the monarchy’s true target. These people were sacrificed in vain. We didn’t get them.

The monarchy outmaneuvered us.

We’ve lost this war.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT

INAN

THE STEADY ROCKINGreaches through the blackness first. I blink open my eyes, meeting paneled wood. A constant creak rings through my ears, in harmony with the patter of paws. My body feels like it’s been set on fire as the memories trickle back in.

“Ojore…”

His hatred sears into my core. It all happened so fast. So fast, it’s like it wasn’t even real.

One moment he was there, sharpened blades held to my neck. The next…

I didn’t know Mother could strike that way.

“Oh, thank the skies.” Mother rises from the front of the caravan. She sets down the parchments in her hand, moving to the side of my bed. She looks strange with the blood splattered across her face.

She places her palm against my head. “How do you feel?”

“What happened?” I croak. I attempt to sit up, but the pain is too severe. Mother keeps me on the bed, perusing her collection of glass vials to bring a sedative to my lips.

“It’s alright, Inan.” She strokes my sweat-soaked hair. “You can rest. We did it.”

Her words carve a hollow pit in the little that’s left of my heart. “We captured theIyika?”

“Your plan worked.” She nods. “The maggots who marched past Lagos put up a fight, but without their leaders they weren’t a match for my tîtáns. We’ve captured every single one.”

I try to feel the victory, the warmth spreading through my body. It’s over. Done.

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