Page 4 of Children of Virtue and Vengeance

“An attack?” My chest clenches as I think of Mother holed up in the palace. “How?” I rise to my feet. “When? Why?”

“They’re calling themselves theIyika,” Roën explains. “The ‘revolution.’ The maji stormed Lagos when their powers came back. Word is their attack made it all the way to the palace.”

I brace myself against the wall, sliding down to the grated floor. Roën’s lips keep moving, but I can’t make out the words. I can’t hear anything at all.

“The queen,” I struggle to speak. “Did they… is she…”

“No one’s heard from her since.” Roën looks away. “With you hiding out here, people think the royal line’s dead.”

Tzain rises to his feet, but I put up a hand, forcing him to stay back. If he so much as breathes near me, I’ll unravel. I’ll be less than the hollow shell I already am. Every plan I made, every hope I had—in seconds, they’re all gone. If Mother’s dead…

Skies.

I really am all alone.

“What’re theIyikaafter?” Tzain asks.

“It’s hard to pin down,” Roën says. “Their forces are small, but lethal. They’ve carried out noble assassinations all over Orïsha.”

“So, they’re out for royal blood?” Zélie’s brows knit and we lock eyes. We’ve barely spoken since the ritual went awry. It’s nice to see she still cares about me.

“It seems that way.” Roën shrugs. “But because of theIyika, the military’s hunting maji like dogs. Entire villages are being cleared out. The new admiral’s all but declared war.”

I close my eyes and run my hands through the new waves in my hair. The last time Orïsha was at war, Burners nearly wiped out the royal bloodline. Years later, Father struck back with the Raid. If war breaks out again, no one will be safe. The kingdom shall tear itself apart.

Orïsha waits for no one, Amari.

The ghost of Father’s voice rings through my head. I drove my sword into his chest to free Orïsha from his tyranny, but now the kingdom’s in chaos. There’s no time to grieve. No time to wipe my tears. I vowed to be a better queen.

If Mother is no longer here, fulfilling that vow now falls on me.

“I’ll address the public,” I decide. “Take control of the kingdom. Bring back stability and end this war.” I get back on my feet, pushingmy plans above my grief. “Roën, I know I’m in the red with you, but if I could just ask for a little more of your help—”

“I hope you’re joking.” All compassion disappears from the mercenary’s tone. “You realize that no contact with your mother means you still owe me my weight in gold?”

“I gave you this ship!” I shout.

“The ship you’re still squatting on?” Roën arches his brow. “The ship my men and I stole? I have families waiting to escape across the sea. This ship isn’t payment. It’s driving up what you owe me!”

“When I claim the throne, I’ll get access to the royal treasuries,” I say. “Help me set up a rally, and I’ll pay you double what I owe. Just a few more days, and the gold is yours!”

“You have one night.” Roën pulls up the hood on his rain cloak. “Tomorrow this ship sets sail. If you’re not off it, you’re going in the ocean. You lot can’t afford the fare.”

I intercept his path, but it doesn’t stop him from blowing out the door. The grief I attempt to push down threatens to break as Roën’s footsteps disappear under the trickling rain.

“We don’t need him.” Tzain comes to my side. “You can take the throne on your own.”

“I don’t have a gold piece to my name. In what world will anyone believe I have a legitimate claim?”

Tzain pauses, stumbling back as Nailah passes between our feet. Her wet nose sniffs the grated floor, searching for more fish meat. I think of the meal Roën gifted her and look to Zélie, but Zélie shakes her head.

“He already said no.”

“BecauseIasked!” I nearly sprint across the room. “You convinced him to take a crew of men to a mythical island in the middle of the sea. You can persuade him to help us out with a rally.”

“We already owe him gold,” she says. “We’re lucky enough to be leaving Jimeta with our heads!”

“Without his help, what other choice do we have?” I ask. “If Lagos fell when magic came back, Orïsha has been without a ruler for almost a moon. If I don’t gain control now, I won’t be able to take the throne at all!”

---