Zélie Adebola and her brother, Tzain, prepare to light their father’s funeral pyre. Even though Baba’s death allowed Zélie to forge a new connection to the gods and bring magic back to Orïsha, memories of it still haunt her. As she goes to light the pyre, she drops the torch, causing Tzain to express his frustration. However, Amari brings them another torch.

As Zélie and Tzain light the pyre, Zélie thinks of everyone else they have lost—Baba, Lekan, Zula, Salim, Mama Agba, and even Inan, despite his betrayal—and how many more will die as they continue their fight.

Amari, Tzain, and Zélie return to their ship, where they have been living for weeks since the ritual at the temple. They have sold almost everything on board to survive and have very few rations left. Roën joins them and explains that no one has heard from the queen of Orïsha in weeks. After magic returned, a group of maji who call themselves the Iyika stormed Lagos to take the capital; they have been assassinating nobles across Orïsha.

Amari decides that she needs to make her presence known to the people to gain support for the throne.