Children of Virtue and Vengeance: Chapters 14–26

by Tomi Adeyemi
In the second book of the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy, Zélie and Amari must fight the monarchy in order to protect practitioners of magic.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–13, Chapters 14–26, Chapters 27–43, Chapters 44–63, Chapter 64–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. convulse
    contract involuntarily, as in a spasm
    My body convulses with grating coughs, fighting me as I choke.
  2. fateful
    having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences
    How much time has passed since that fateful day. What happened to my father and my sister.
  3. upholstery
    covering on a piece of furniture
    My eyes start to adjust to the dim candlelight and I take in the crimson walls; the marbled archways and lush upholstery of Father’s royal quarters.
  4. breach
    make an opening or gap in
    The last time these walls were breached, I wasn’t even born.
  5. subside
    wear off or die down
    The palace quakes with the force, subsiding as black plumes of smoke roll in.
  6. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    Fleeting images of the broken dreamscape fill my mind with each ache.
  7. relish
    derive or receive pleasure from
    Though the pain is sharp, the pressure lifts from my chest; I relish the way my lungs expand.
  8. labored
    requiring or showing effort
    Safiyah hangs her head back with exhaustion, taking slow, labored breaths.
  9. sanction
    approve or show acceptance of
    I know my brother; if he’s alive, there’s no way he would sanction this. He’s been through too much to fight like Father.
  10. amends
    something done or paid to make up for a wrong
    “If I wanted you captured, you’d already be in a leather sack. I’ve tracked you down to make amends.”
  11. riddle
    spread or diffuse through
    “Perimeter’s riddled with mines.” Roën nods. “Triple the strength of what they used at the rally. Any maji would choke to death before they ever broke out.”
  12. parchment
    a superior paper resembling sheepskin
    I snatch the parchment from Zélie’s hands, studying the assortment of red dots.
  13. disdain
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    Though he keeps his voice light, he can’t suppress his disdain.
    “You hate it.”
  14. stifle
    smother or suppress
    I stifle a grunt of frustration and lean against a canopy tree at Roën’s command.
  15. coy
    showing marked and often playful evasiveness or reluctance
    Roën pushes his tongue into the side of his cheek, a coy smile dancing across his lips.
  16. gangly
    tall, thin, and awkward
    My brows furrow as a gangly soldier in golden armor repeats my incantation.
  17. incredulous
    not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
    The young Reaper with the large ears and bright eyes steps forward, an incredulous grin on his face.
  18. staggering
    so surprisingly impressive as to stun or overwhelm
    His words ignite a cheer among the maji that continues as we come face-to-face with a staggering cliff.
  19. reminiscent
    serving to bring to mind
    The soldiers stand out from the divîners in their brassy suits of armor, the sculpted metal reminiscent of Mama Agba’s tailored cuts.
  20. dais
    a platform raised above the surrounding level
    I press my thumb into Zélie’s coin as I ascend the marble steps of the dais that holds the throne.
  21. harrowing
    causing extreme distress
    “I know these are harrowing times,” I address the crowd. “I apologize for all you’ve suffered. All you’ve lost. The wounds I sustained from trying to stop the return of magic left me unconscious, but I’m here now.”
  22. ruddy
    inclined to a healthy reddish color
    I turn to Father’s tax collector, a balding man with bushy brows and ruddy cheeks.
  23. sustain
    supply with necessities and support
    “But how do you plan to sustain the palace? The military? Yourself?”
  24. incentive
    a positive motivational influence
    With additional rations as incentive, new workforces spring up.
  25. benevolence
    disposition to do good
    I admire your benevolence, but these are bandages, not solutions.
  26. insignia
    a badge worn to show official position
    She gestures to the red insignia on the girl’s chest that marks her as a member of the lyika.
  27. incite
    provoke or stir up
    “Your Majesty, you spit in our faces!” Jokôye roars, inciting her soldiers’ cheers. “These maggots have destroyed our home. They’ve killed the people we loved—”
  28. revel
    take delight in
    Mâzeli revels in the attention.
  29. amnesty
    a warrant granting release from punishment for an offense
    But if Inan’s willing to grant amnesty to the Iyika, we may not need to fight.
  30. abomination
    an action that arouses disgust or abhorrence
    “The abomination you call magic doesn’t earn you a place at this table. It certainly doesn’t earn you the right to have an opinion.”
  31. ascension
    a movement upward
    “I look forward to working with you on the council. We’ll hold a Reaper challenge and make your ascension official tomorrow.”
  32. shanty
    a small crude shelter used as a dwelling
    We ride past the remains of the divîner slums, and I don’t know whether the destruction tells me to move forward or turn back. There was something beautiful in the rainbow shanties that surrounded my city.
  33. abound
    exist in large quantities
    In a second, chaos abounds. Soldiers drag me back as Mother’s tîtáns storm forward, deploying every majacite bomb they have.
  34. seethe
    be in an agitated emotional state
    “Are you satisfied, Your Majesty?” Jokôye seethes at my back.
  35. mull
    reflect deeply on a subject
    I pinch my lips together as I mull over her words.
  36. condemnation
    an expression of strong disapproval
    I attempt to turn Zélie’s explanation around, searching for a solution instead of a condemnation.
  37. billowing
    characterized by great swelling waves or surges
    When I’m clean, they help me into a billowing red skirt, its train so long it glides across the stone floor.
  38. concede
    be willing to yield
    “Elder of the Reaper clan. You are faced with a challenger. Do you want to concede or accept?”
  39. bolster
    support and strengthen
    The shouts should bolster me, but instead sweat gathers along my temples.
  40. guttural
    relating to or articulated in the throat
    A guttural roar escapes the lyika leader’s throat as her soldier falls.
Created on Fri Mar 06 18:20:18 EST 2020 (updated Wed Mar 11 13:05:19 EDT 2020)

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