Children of Virtue and Vengeance is the second novel in the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy, following Children of Blood and Bone (2018). At the conclusion of the first novel, Zélie performs a ritual using sacred magical artifacts to bring magic back to Orïsha. However, Inan and King Saran interrupt the ritual and bring Zélie's Baba as a hostage and kill him in front of her. When Roën’s mercenaries distract Saran, Inan uses his magic to fend them off—exposing his magic to his father and infuriating him, causing Saran to stab and, Zélie thinks at the time, kill him. In response, Amari kills her father, leaving Zélie free to complete the ritual.

Throughout this novel, the characters continue to feel the effects of this final fight. Zélie grieves the loss of her father, tempted multiple times to flee Orïsha and be “free” from her duty; Inan and Amari both grieve the death of their father and often make their decisions based on whether it makes them a ”better” ruler than him; and Zélie is unwilling to communicate with Inan, seeking her revenge and feeling that he is to blame for Baba’s death.