Children of Virtue and Vengeance: Chapter Sixty-Nine Summary & Analysis

Nâo chants for hours as they hike through the caves. She marvels that they’re almost victorious and Zélie tries to feel her joy, but she feels as empty as when Baba died. Nâo reassures Zélie that nobody blames her for wanting to run, but Roën spits that Zélie is a coward. He snarls that the Iyika die for Zélie, and all she wants to do is run. Zélie points out that Roën left his home, but Roën says he had nothing left—he won’t feel sorry for Zélie since she still has people she loves. Roën shouts that Zélie is a survivor, not a victim, and that she should stop running. He pushes past the girls and Nâo desperately expands their tunnel further. Zélie sees a red spark above Roën’s head and smells oil. She throws Nâo back.