Page 95 of Children of Blood and Bone

I did it.…

I don’t know whether to search for Oya in the sky or within my own hands. Spirits of the dead answered my call. They bent tomywill!

The water swallows the ship whole, capsizing the vessel. But before my excitement can settle, falling divîners crash into the water.

I spin, taking in the collateral damage. The fallen crew thrashes for the top, kicking toward the edge of the arena. Terror hits when I see one girl plunge through the water with limp limbs. My chest seizes as her unconscious body begins to sink like lead.

“Save her!”

I push the command out, but my connection to the animations withers like the final breath left in my chest. I can already feel the spirit soldiers fading, leaving the hell of this arena for the peace of the afterlife.

As I kick upward, the animations dive like horn-tailed manta rays, surrounding the girl before she can hit the bottom of the arena. Ashêbuzzes in my veins as they pull her up to a floating piece of dirftwood, granting her a chance to live.

“Ugh!”I cough when I break through the surface. Something leaves me as the animations disappear. I send silent thanks to their spirits as I wheeze for air.

“Did you see that?” the announcer booms. The arena erupts, not knowing what took the boat down.

“Zélie!” Tzain shouts from above, a crazed smile on his face despitethe nightmare around us. His grin holds a glow I haven’t seen in over a decade, a light he would have whenever he watched Mama’s magic at work.

“That!” He points. “Keep doing that!”

Pride swells in my chest, heating me from within. I take a deep breath before diving back down.

Then I begin to chant.

CHAPTER THIRTY

AMARI

CHAOS.

Before this moment, I never truly understood the word. Chaos meant Mother’s screams before a luncheon. It meant the scramble of oloyes to their gold-lined chairs.

Now chaos surrounds me, pulsing through every breath and heartbeat. It sings as blood splatters through the air, screams as boats explode into oblivion.

I scramble to the back of the boat and cover my head as a boom rings. Our vessel shakes as another cannon strikes its hull. Only seventeen ships float, yet somehow, we are still in this fight.

Before me, everyone moves with unmatched precision, fighting despite the mayhem. Tendons bulge against the rowers’ necks as they drive the ship forward; sweat pours down the crew’s faces as they load more blastpowder into the breeches of the cannons.

Go, I yell at myself.Do something. Anything!

But no matter how hard I try, I cannot help. I cannot evenbreathe.

My insides lurch as a cannonball rips through the deck of another boat. Injured cries hit my ears like shattered glass. The stench of blood stains the air, bringing Zélie’s old words to mind. The day we came to Ibeji, she tasted death.

Today I taste it for myself.

“Incoming!” Tzain yells, pointing through the smoke. Another vessel approaches, its rowers panting with spears at the ready.Skies…

They’re going to board us.

They’ll bring the battle here!

“Amari, take the rowers!” Tzain yells. “Help me lead this fight!”

Ever the fearless captain, he takes off, disappearing before he can see the paralysis in my feet. My lungs gasp for air; why can’t I remember how to breathe?

You trained for this.I grip my sword as the boat nears.Youbledfor this.

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