Page 94 of Children of Virtue and Vengeance

Gods.

That would be everything.

“Here.” Inan hands me the parchment, and I start to read. I feel him and Amari holding their breath as I comb over the words.

“It won’t be enough to convince the others,” I say. “But it’ll be enough to bring you to the tab—”

A horn blares, catching me off guard. I whip around as it rises in pitch, ringing from the direction of the sanctuary.

“What’s that?” Amari turns around and Inan’s brows crease.

“I don’t know…” his voice trails off. “I swear, I came alone!”

Shadows extend from my arm, weaving around a branch above me. I let them raise me up through the trees, up through the canopy. I pray the alarm isn’t what I fear.

But as I rise, I see it: the black and gold of Nehanda’s seal. Over a hundred velvet banners flutter in the jungle winds, marking an endless line of military caravans.

An ice I haven’t felt since the night of the Raid chills me from my core.

The enemy’s at our gates.

The war has come to us.

CHAPTER FIFTY

AMARI

“YOU MONSTER!” ZÉLIE SHRIEKSas she unwinds her shadows and descends back to the ground. She lunges with her staff for Inan, but stops when theIyikasiren blares again. Her face falls as she turns around. She flees through the trees. When she disappears, I collapse to my knees.

After saving his life.

After fighting Father on his behalf.

After all the time I’ve spent pleading with Zélie to trust him.

Tears burn my eyes as I curl into myself. I can’t believe he did this to me. To Zélie!

“Amari, I swear.” Inan reaches out. “This wasn’t a part of my plan—”

His voice blacks in and out. I can’t hear him over the sounds of war. Hundreds of creaking wagons speed toward us. A sea of velvet seals flap in the wind. I brought Inan here to make peace with the maji.

Instead he brought our demise.

“You have to believe me!” Inan’s voice shakes. “Only Ojore knew! He promised he wouldn’t tell!”

He’ll do the right thing when it’s easy, but when it matters most, he’ll stab you in the back. You can’t trust him, Amari. All he leaves us with are scars.

Zélie’s words return, destroying me from within. I wanted her to bewrong. I thought Inan was the one person in the world I could trust, the only other person who shared the vision of a united Orïsha.

But there’s no denying it now. No lie he can’t tell.

He’s truly Father’s son.

He’s been a monster all along.

“I-I’ll call it off,” Inan shouts over the blaring siren. “Just give me a chance!”

But staring at him is like staring into a void. I feel myself slipping away, losing the person I want to be to the person my family’s forced me to become.

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