Summary

Chapter 1 is told from Zelie’s perspective. She lives in a mythical country called Orisha ruled by King Saran, a Kosidan. Kosidans have no ability to do magic, unlike Majis, who have white hair and develop one of ten sets of magical skills when they turn thirteen. When Zelie was six, the king ordered all adult Majis to be slaughtered. Children Majis under thirteen (also called Diviners) were allowed to live, but they never developed magic because the king had killed magic, too. Zelie’s mother was killed, and then Zelie and her brother, Tzain, and father, Baba, moved to the sea where she is now secretly training to fight under the guidance of Mama Agba, an old woman who pretends to teach the young girls of the village to sew. Zelie spars with Yemi in order to win her graduation right, but...