Page 18 of Children of Virtue and Vengeance

“We’re moving out.”

“With our coin?” Harun asks.

“Our precious princess doesn’t have it.”

“Surprise, surprise.” The news brings a sinister smile to Harun’s face. “But after that mess of a rally, I’m sure we can find people who’ll pay double her debts.”

Harun’s words wash over me like an ocean of ice. With Mother’s declaration, there’ll be no shortage of people who will put a price on my head. People with the gold to pay.

“We can work something out.” I stomp after Roën, pulse spiking in my chest. Armor that once made me feel so powerful now drags down my every step.

Roën tosses his cigarette aside as he marches over to the nearest cheetanaire. But when Zélie shouts after him, the muscles in his back tense. His steps turn rigid as she calls out his name.

“Roën, wait!”

Zélie slides off Nailah’s back, but the impact is too much for her majacite-filled lungs. The moment she lands, she crumples into the dirt.

Roën’s steps slow and he exhales, pressing his fingers to his forehead. I watch bewildered as he turns back to help her; metal drifting toward its magnet.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, tears brimming in her silver eyes. One spills out and Roën wipes it with his thumb, his unbandaged hand lingering on the side of her face.

They stare at each other, and it’s as if we all disappear. Unspoken words pass between their eyes. Roën’s shoulders slump when he rises to his feet.

“Me too.”

With that, he walks away, mounting his cheetanaire. My stomach sinks as Roën and his mercenaries ride off into the darkness, disappearing into the dense forest.

When I can no longer hear the patter of their ryders’ paws, I don’t know who I should fear more. Mother and her legion of tîtáns.

Or him.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

AMARI

FOR A WHILE, everything is still. No one speaks in Roën’s absence. Deep down I know we need to put as much distance between us and Mother as possible, but I can’t bring myself to move. Roën’s threat hangs over my head, joined by Mother’s declaration.

If all of Orïsha is hunting us, where can we possibly go?

“I’ll figure it out.” I force myself to speak the words, though I don’t know if they’re true. “I-I’ll find a way to stop Mother. I’ll get Roën his coin—”

“Take a beat.” Tzain walks over, putting his hand on the small of my back. “You’ve been through a lot. You don’t have to find the answers tonight.”

I want to believe him. To hide in the safety of his arms. But the comfort of his touch doesn’t erase the sound of Zélie’s tears. Despite the pain that rips through my heart, all I want to do is take away hers. I slip from Tzain’s grasp and kneel by Zélie in the dirt.

“I’ll fix this,” I whisper. “I promise. I know my mother better than anyone. If I can figure out her strategy, I’ll know how to counterattack.”

“Counterattack?” Zélie tilts her head as if I’m speaking a foreign language. “She sent adomecrashing down on our heads. How in Oya’s name are we supposed to beat her?”

Zélie’s voice shakes with a terror I wish I could defuse, but I don’t know what I can say. I’ve never heard of a power like the one Mother wielded today. Even as a tîtán, it shouldn’t be possible to rip the magic from someone’s veins.

“Mother’s magic may be strong,” I speak slowly. “Perhaps stronger than any magic that’s come before her. But every great power has a weakness. With time, we can find hers.” I think back to the tîtáns she drained, wondering if that’s where our answer lies. “If we build our forces and learn how her ability works, we can dismantle her advantages. We can make her surrender the throne.”

“And if she doesn’t?” Tzain asks.

When she doesn’t?

I dig my nails into my scalp; I don’t want to speak the words. Mere hours ago, I had the cheers of kosidán, maji, and tîtáns ready to become one. In seconds, Mother turned that unity into chaos.

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