Page 73 of Children of Virtue and Vengeance

“By the gods…”

I blink, bewildered at the sight. Ashêmoves through everyone’s veins like blood, traveling a path intertwined with their skeletons. Emerald light flickers beneath Kâmaru’s heart like a flame. Mâzeli’s deep purple glow shimmers through his dark skin. But when I look to Amari, I can’t believe my eyes.

Her navy light surges through every limb of her body like a torch.

“What is it?” she asks.

I can’t find the words. Ashêradiates from her heart like a star. It’s so dark with power it’s nearly black. With this much ashêrunning through her, Amari shouldn’t be able to survive two minutes, let alone two moons. I reach for her hand, igniting the navy glow in her chest again.

“What are you doing to me?” Amari gasps when the navy light rises to her eyes. Cobalt waves drift through the glassy walls as her magic swells.

As the scroll room changes again, I think of the blue ribbons of light that spiraled from her. The vision Oya showed me in myìsípayá.That day,I didn’t know what I was looking at, but I understood the vast power all those intertwining threads of light had.

I let go of Amari’s hand, turning to the other elders as it all clicks. Suddenly everything makes sense. The source of Nehanda’s vast strength.

“This is what Oya showed me during my ascension,” I breathe. “I think I know how to beat the queen.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

AMARI

“IDON’T UNDERSTAND.” Mâzeli reaches for Zélie’s hand, but nothing happens. Her tattoos dim as Kenyon, Jahi, and Kâmarutake turns trying to cause a reaction.

But when she touches my hand again, the cobalt glow ignites in my chest. I rest my fingers against my sternum and I can feel it: the vibration as my magic swells.

“I can see it,” Zélie says. “Your ashê. There’s so much swirling around your body, more than one person could form alone.” She studies me, seeing something the rest of us can’t. “I think you might be able to absorb tîtán magic like your mother!”

“What?” I squint. That doesn’t make sense. The way Mother moves, the way she casts—even at my strongest, I’ve never come close to that kind of strength.

“Zélie, you were with me on that hill.” I say. “My magic doesn’t work like that.”

“How do we know? You’ve barely spent any time around other tîtáns!” She drags me to the parting wall, forcing my hands open. “When Nehanda attacked at the rally, the other Grounder tîtáns were around her. She sucked their magic into her palms.”

I start to pull my hand away, but stop when I feel something beyondthe wall. My magic swirls in my chest, sending shivers through my bones.

“Can you feel it?” Zélie asks, but I’m not sure if I can say yes. The pulse of distant heartbeats trickles into my ears when I press my hands against the closed wall.

Three… four… five…I count the different rhythms in my head. They grow louder the more I concentrate.

“Just try,” Zélie coaches me, putting her hands on my back. The navy light glows in my chest before softly shining out of my eyes. It builds in strength, coloring the world before me in shades of blue. I breathe deeply and concentrate on each heartbeat I sense beyond the wall.

“That’s it.” Zélie lowers her voice. “I can see the magic growing inside your core.”

My skin starts to burn as my fingers spark with dark blue light. I grit my teeth as my magic swirls.

“Just a little more,” she pushes me. “Open your hands.”

I stretch out my fingers and gasp.

Wisps of blue ashêdrift through the glassy walls.

“By the skies…” I step back, staring at the magic that drifts into my hands. It nips at my skin, but the pain is warm. It almost feelsgood.

“That should be impossible,” Kâmarubreathes. “For any maji or tîtán!”

“They’re not tîtáns,” Zélie says. “Oya tried to show me in myìsípayá. They can absorb the powers of tîtáns who share their magic type. They’re more like cênters.” She creates the term.

“Skies,” I curse, realizing the implication behind her words. “If I’m like my mother…”

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