Children of Virtue and Vengeance: Chapter Twenty-One Summary & Analysis

Inan, Ojore, and Nehanda wait outside the throne room. Ojore cracks jokes, but Nehanda glares and reminds Inan that he must impress the advisors. Tîtán soldiers let her in. Ojore digs into his pocket and pulls out the bronze coin that Zélie gave Inan. He gives it to Inan and explains that he has no idea why Inan would have a coin, so it must be important. Inan thanks Ojore and the doors open. The throne room is full. In front of the throne, General Jokôye and the other four surviving members of the council bow to Inan. Where there were once 30 nobles in front, there are now 11. Inan notices that Jokôye is a tîtán.

Inan vows to win everyone’s approval as he sits on the throne. He announces that he has a plan to liberate Lagos, beat the Iyika, and bring peace to Orïsha. He asks everyone to present their problems. A young woman with children steps up and says that there’s no food. Nehanda whispers to Inan that the market is gone and with the roads closed, there’s nothing for many to eat. Others raise their hands to show that they, too, are hungry. Inan turns to the tax collector, Captain Kunle, and commands him to create rations for every civilian from the palace stores. Inan insists that they’ll be fine once the roads reopen and orders them to set up a distribution center in the marketplace.

Many people present their problems and with the draw of rations, they agree to collect the dead and nobles agree to take in orphans. General Jokôye steps up and declares that Inan’s benevolence is admirable, but the Iyika will soon retaliate. None of the scouts sent into the forest return, and Jokôye insists that they can’t destroy the protective city walls to attack the Iyika without knowing exactly where the group is. Nehanda insists they can discuss this in private, but Inan sweats and insists he’ll come up with a plan.

Inan hears a crash in the entryway and people duck for cover. Inan makes his way out and discovers Ojore holding an Iyika girl. There are stale bread loaves around her. General Jokôye insists that child maji are as dangerous as adults, but Inan kneels next to the girl and asks her name. The girl, Raifa, says she wants a maji sitting on the throne. Inan gathers her loaves, gives them to her, and asks her to tell the Iyika that any maji who volunteer to help with reconstruction will receive double rations. He asks Ojore to take Raifa to the forest safely. Jokôye roars in anger, but Inan insists that the maji are fighting because they’ve been abused—with his kindness, they can create lasting peace. No one seems convinced, but Inan says that any maji who oppose him will die.