Children of Blood and Bone

Tzain, Amari, and three of Tzain’s magically-awoken friends–Femi, Kenyon, and Imani–sprint across the grass around the Gombe fortress. Femi rips a hole in the metal wall, letting them inside. They are almost caught by a soldier, but tackle and gag him before he can cry out for help. They interrogate him and find out where the prisoners are kept, then hear explosions as other divîners from the bar use alcohol bombs to attack the exterior of the fortress. The group descends but are stopped by guards. The newly awakened maji easily defend themselves. Amari spots her father in the chaos.

Inan watches the fight between the newly awakened magic users and the soldiers and believes that his father is right to hate magic. He realizes the maji are coming for Zélie and starts back towards the cell. He encounters Amari and Tzain and hands Zélie over to them, telling them to flee and that he will do what he can to protect them from the inside.

Zélie is in a haze of pain as the maji transport her out of the city, realizing that she cannot access her magic. Khani, another of Kenyon’s friends, uses the power of the sunstone to heal Zélie and she falls asleep as her pain recedes. Zélie finds herself in the dreamscape with Inan but becomes upset when she sees pity on his face. She kisses him, remembering their time during the celebration before her capture. Zélie grapples with her desire for Inan and the knowledge that he now reminds her of Saran. They have sexual intercourse without looking at each other, believing that when they wake, they will never see each other again.

Zélie wakes up agonized in a tent in is soon joined by Khani. Tzain enters and the two embrace, apologizing for what happened during the celebration. Amari joins them and Zélie learns that the solstice is the next day. She attempts magic but fails. Tzain suggests that the three of them collect Baba and run away, but Kenyon bursts into the tent and is furious at this suggestion because people have died for Zélie. Zélie agrees and Kenyon, Tzain, and Amari begin to argue. In the distraction, Zélie touches the sunstone but feels nothing from it. Although overwhelmed and fearful, Zélie asserts that they need to try to reach the island, believing that she must find a way to make the ceremony work. 

The group travels through the forest to the city of Jimeta, a lawless town filled with mercenaries. They reach a cave belonging to the silver-eyed fox, a man who owns a fast ship that Kenyon believes can deliver them to the sacred island. Zélie keeps with local customs and enters alone, finding the interior of the cave to be large and filled with people. She recognizes the man who pickpocketed her at the celebration, Roёn; he is also the man in charge of the mercenaries. She asks him to take her group to the island. The gathered people mock her and one man touches Zélie, but she slams him to the ground and attacks him with her staff. Although impressed, Roёn demands something of Zélie in exchange, and she claims that if his men take the job they will be employed by the future queen. The mercenaries agree to these terms.

Zélie’s group and Roёn’s mercenaries sail through the night. Zélie tries to find her magic and Amari, sensing something is wrong, holds her hand. They encounter Saran’s battleships and Zélie gives Roёn permission to attack the nearest one as she fights down a panic attack, remembering her torture. Zélie orders that no one be killed, and Roёn assures her that the boat will be cleared in less than five minutes. Zélie is doubtful, but Roёn lowers the ladder, and she finds dozens of royal guards unconscious and tied up. Roёn issues orders to his men and the group takes control of the ship, speeding into the night.

Inan thinks about Zélie until his father joins him on the deck of their ship, pursuing Zélie’s group. Saran tells Inan about his kind-hearted first wife and that the king before him, Inan’s grandfather, wanted to integrate maji into the court nobility. It was for his wife that Saran agreed to help that transition, and it eventually resulted in the death of his family. When he offers his engraved majacite sword to Inan, Inan chooses his duty to the country over Zélie and tells his father he knows how to get the scroll back.

Zélie struggles to sleep after her trauma and is struck by flashbacks that drive her out of the captain’s quarters and onto the deck. There, Roёn questions her, asking about her scars. When Zélie’s response is curt, he reveals torture scars of his own. Roёn addresses her honestly about trauma, asking if she can bring the magic back considering her current state. When Zélie claims that she can do what she says, Roёn resumes his mischievous and flirtatious behavior, telling Zélie she should talk to someone. Zélie seeks out Amari.

Amari combs and braids Zélie’s hair while they chat. When Amari tells Zélie that she can say whatever she needs, Zélie breaks into tears and apologizes for having thought Amari was weak, understanding now that she has experienced Saran’s cruelty. Amari reflects on her own growth from a girl who was once terrified to a woman who almost attacked Saran when she saw him. Amari thanks Zélie for her earlier meanness, knowing that it was what she needed to mature. Zélie confesses that she cannot feel her magic anymore. Amari internally panics, but externally asserts her faith in Zélie and her assurance that they will figure it out somehow.

The next morning, the mercenaries and the maji group dress in naval armor. Roёn shares what he learned from interrogating the sailors: The King’s men will be stationed around the temple on the island, so the plan is to sneak amongst their ranks in disguise and then cause a diversion. With the sunrise, they watch the island materialize from nothing.

The members of the mercenary group feel the potency of magic as they walk across the divine island. They walk amongst the other soldiers unnoticed until they reach the temple. There, they send some of their number to the beach to draw the soldiers away. As the diversion starts, Zélie prays to the gods for help, and enters the temple. Jewels and gold line the walls and 11 golden statues line the central chamber, where there is a pedestal waiting for the sunstone. Zélie moves forward, only to stop as soldiers emerge from hiding places. She sees Saran, Inan holding the majacite sword, and her father.

Saran offers Zélie her father in exchange for the artifacts. Baba tries to communicate that he does not want to be saved, but Zélie tells the others that her magic is gone. She throws the sunstone and parchment to the ground along with a rusted knife, pretending it is the bone knife. Baba asks Zélie why she gave up, then he throws her to the ground as an arrow flies through the air. Zélie is saved but the arrow kills Baba.

Zélie remembers the day her mother was killed as Baba dies in her arms. She experiences flashbacks of his life as his blood becomes magic for her to wield. His spirit blends with hers and she kills two of the guards with shadows, starting a battle. She resolves to kill them all.

Zélie attacks Inan with shadows as he collects the sunstone. He flees her shadows and pulls the scroll out of his pocket, trying to use his magic to destroy it, but fails. Inan yells abuse at Zélie, triggering her power and stabbing through the parchment. King Saran is overjoyed and distracted, which allows a mercenary to sneak up behind him. Inan uses his magic to kill the mercenary, causing the King to realize that Inan was the one who killed Kaea, and that Inan is a maji. Saran kills Inan. 

Amari and Tzain fight together until Amari watches her father kill Inan. She crosses the room and confronts the King. 

Amari thinks of her lost childhood and the innocent people who have died because of her father as they begin to fight. She hesitates when presented with the chance to kill him, and he slashes her across the back and moves for a killing blow. Amari dodges and stabs him through the heart. 

Zélie struggles to remember the spell written on the scroll as the temple shakes around them. The statues glow and she realizes the solstice has arrived. Zélie believes that although her death magic is gone, she still has blood magic tethering her to the Sky Mother. She cuts her hands with the bone dagger and holds the sunstone, calling forth the spirits of her heritage. The spirits use her as a conduit to chant a spell she doesn’t recognize. The sunstone shatters in her hands and Zélie sees the creation of mankind, understanding that all humans are connected as she dies. 

Zélie awakens in the afterlife as her mother appears before her, acting as a representative for Oya. Her mother holds her as she cries and assures Zélie that Baba has joined her. Despite Zélie’s pleas and desire to stay, her mother sends her back to the world of the living, claiming there is still much left to be done.

Zélie wakes up on a rowboat with Tzain, Amari, and Roёn. They assure her that everyone has survived—although Inan and King Saran are dead. When Zélie asks if the plan worked, Amari makes a blue light with her hand and reveals a white streak in her hair. Zélie feels magic in her blood and realizes they won.