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Inan
Tzain is Zélie’s older brother and Mama and Baba’s son. He is a level-headed, cautious boy who is also strong and fiercely loyal. Tzain’s first priority at all times is protecting his family. As a result, he is often exasperated by Zélie, who will sometimes take unnecessary risks or let her anger get the better of her. But he is sensitive and caring, too, and is far more patient with Amari than Zélie is. Despite the ways that King Saran has hurt Tzain and his family, Tzain feels compassion for Amari and understands that her father’s crimes are not hers.
Tzain Quotes in Children of Blood and Bone
The Children of Blood and Bone quotes below are all either spoken by Tzain or refer to Tzain. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter Two Quotes
He wants to believe that playing by the monarchy’s rules will keep us safe, but nothing can protect us when those rules are rooted in hate
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Page Number and Citation:
27
Explanation and Analysis:
When guards come to their village demanding taxes, Tzain urges caution and restraint. Zélie, however, feels that there is no point in playing along with the guards, as the guards are protectors and peacekeepers in name only. In actuality, they have no qualms about treating divîners roughly or outright harassing them, because divîners are seen as dangerous, lowly second-class citizens. The guards openly use fear tactics to ensure that divîners remain obedient and afraid. Zélie knows that any appearance of peace, then, is merely a thin veneer over a system rooted in hatred, prejudice, and oppression. The same prejudice that allows the guards to roughly demand taxes allowed for the genocide that King Saran carried out during the Raid. For Zélie, there can be no meaningful peace in a kingdom rife with injustice.
Chapter Five Quotes
You must protect those who can’t defend themselves. Mama Agba’s words from this morning seep into my head.
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Chapter Fifty-One Quotes
Zu’s tears make my own eyes prickle. Kwame’s face pinches with pain. I want to hate him for what he did to Tzain, but I can’t. I’m no better. If anything, I’m worse. If Inan hadn’t stopped me, I would’ve stabbed that masked divîner to death just to get answers.
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Tzain Character Timeline in Children of Blood and Bone
The timeline below shows where the character Tzain appears in Children of Blood and Bone. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter One
...carved iron staff and tells her she has earned her graduation. Suddenly, Zélie’s older brother, Tzain, enters the tent and says they must go home to seer Baba, their father, immediately.
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Chapter Two
Tzain and Zélie dash across the floating city of Ilorin. Tzain scolds Zélie for leaving their...
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...to a market in Lagos. Because it is dangerous for a divîner to go alone, Tzain says he will go with her. They saddle up Nailah, a huge lion-like creature with...
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Chapter Four
Barely speaking to one another, Zélie and Tzain arrive at the bustling capital city, Lagos. Tzain is angry that Zélie left home alone,...
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Chapter Five
...on the spot. She thinks of her mother. Suddenly, Nailah comes flying over the gate, Tzain astride her. Zélie and the girl clamber on. As Nailah leaps back over the fence,...
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Chapter Seven
But Tzain worries that if Zélie has magic, she will be a target. He says they need...
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Chapter Nine
Zélie, Tzain, and Amari arrive at Mama Agba’s home in Illorin. They find Baba asleep there. Tzain...
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...with them all along. In the light, they see a vision of Amari, Zélie, and Tzain climbing a mountain with Nailah. Mama Agba says that Amari and Zélie are meant to...
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...of Illorin is ablaze. Zélie fights her way home through the chaos, desperate to find Tzain and Baba. When she can’t see them, but only their home in flames, she assumes...
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Chapter Twelve
Exhausted and scared, Zélie, Amari, and Tzain make camp for the night. In the dark, Zélie tentatively reaches out to Oya, the...
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Chapter Thirteen
Zélie is angry to see that Tzain gave Amari his cloak to use as a blanket. The trio decides to head to...
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As Amari is changing, Tzain and Zélie catch a glimpse of a huge, ragged scar running down her back. Embarrassed,...
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Chapter Fifteen
As Amari, Tzain, and Zélie clamber up a mountainside, Amari reminisces about Binta. With a pang, she remembers...
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Leaving Nailah outside, the Zélie, Amari, and Tzain enter a metal temple that is still standing. In the dark passageway, their torches are...
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Chapter Seventeen
Amari, Tzain, and Zélie awake to find themselves tied together in a cave. Their weapons and the...
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Chapter Eighteen
Zélie, Amari, and Tzain follow the man down a dark passageway. Zélie knows he is a sêntaro, a kind...
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Lekan leads Zélie, Amari, and Tzain to a vast central chamber decorated with beautiful murals of the gods. As he speaks,...
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Chapter Twenty
The group runs through the temple’s passageways, Tzain carrying a weakened Zélie. As they break outside, Zélie is overwhelmed by the magic she...
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Chapter Twenty-Two
Amari, Tzain, and Zélie have been traversing the desert for days now. As they walk, Amari remembers...
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Chapter Twenty-Three
Tzain, Amari, and Zélie go to the arena that evening. Zélie can feel many deceased spirits...
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Chapter Twenty-Five
Zélie, Amari, and Tzain sneak into the backstage area of the arena. Zélie imagines bringing back a group of...
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...group of guards. When they see the door open, they start to beat him violently. Tzain tries to hold Zélie back, but she bursts out of their hiding place to stop...
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Outside town, Amari and Tzain argue that Zélie’s plan will never work. But she has a secret weapon—she says she...
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Chapter Twenty-Seven
Amari, Tzain, and Zélie board their boat. Secretly, Amari prays they won’t have to compete. The crew...
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Chapter Twenty-Eight
Everyone on the boat gets in position. Tzain tells Amari that she doesn’t have to fight. She’s tempted, but, thinking of Binta, Amari...
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Chapter Twenty-Nine
Overwhelmed by the number of boats, Zélie feels like she’s losing faith in herself. Tzain looks into her eyes and says that their mother was strong, and so is Zélie....
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Chapter Thirty
...though her father trained her to fight, she feels motionless and weak. As Amari cowers, Tzain blocks an attack aimed at her, earning a slash on the arm in the process....
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Chapter Thirty-One
Zélie’s magic is beginning to dwindle, but she knows she must save Amari and Tzain. Knowing she is disobeying her mother’s wishes, she decides to use blood magic to save...
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Chapter Thirty-Two
Only two ships are left. But when Zélie doesn’t surface, Tzain leaps overboard and drags her to the surface. As the other ship’s crew boards theirs,...
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Chapter Thirty-Three
...of all those who died in the competition, many of whom perished at Zélie and Tzain’s own hands. In Amari, who killed the other captain to save her, Zélie sees a...
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Chapter Thirty-Four
...the three teenagers are hailed as heroes in the city. Zélie is called “The Immortal,” Tzain “The Commander,” and Amari “The Lionaire.” Amari feels like an imposter. She is disturbed by...
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...also feels heartened that they are closer to bringing back magic and to avenging Binta. Tzain tries to convince Amari that she should go home to avoid having to kill again....
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Chapter Thirty-Six
Zélie, Tzain, and Amari travel through the lush Gombe River Valley. They come upon a river and...
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Chapter Thirty-Seven
Amari and Tzain watch helplessly while their siblings fight. As they follow Inan and Zélie through the jungle,...
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Chapter Thirty-Eight
Zélie hears Amari’s screams, and she and Inan freeze midway through their fight. Realizing Tzain has been taken as well, Zélie takes off in pursuit of Inan and both of...
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Chapter Thirty-Nine
...to bring more death in his father’s name. Instead he, slashes off Zélie’s restraints. Realizing Tzain and Amari are gone, they both feel shattered and collapse on the ground.
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Chapter Forty
...with guilt. If she hadn’t tried to fight Inan, none of this would have happened. Tzain is always paying for her mistakes. She is filled with determination to defend her family....
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Zélie is determined to find Tzain as quickly as possible. She slams her staff against the hand of the masked boy,...
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Chapter Forty-Two
...tied to a tree. A divîner boy rips off her blindfold; behind him, she sees Tzain, also tied to a tree and bloodied. The boy, Kwame, interrogates Amari about who they...
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...for taking hostages and leaving one of their friends behind. She orders them to bring Tzain to get cleaned and bandaged, but says Amari will stay right where she is.
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Chapter Forty-Six
Amari and Tzain are still tied up in a tent. There are only a few days left until...
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Chapter Forty-Nine
As Kwame throws questions at Amari, he punches and stabs Tzain. Amari cries, thinking of Binta and others who have suffered for her.
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...has brought. She cannot be like him. Instead, she knocks the girl unconscious. Amari braces Tzain against her, and pulls him out of the tent.
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Chapter Fifty-One
Questions tumble out of Zélie, but then Amari stumbles in with Tzain holding onto her for support. As she heals him, Zu begins to explain that she...
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Crying, Zu apologizes for the hurt she inflicted on Tzain. She felt as if she had no choice. Zélie wants to be angry, but she...
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Tzain confronts Inan, saying that he will not trust him. When Zélie tries to convince him,...
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Chapter Fifty-Four
...He says he’ll rebuild the town when everything is over. She laughs bitterly, saying that Tzain believes Inan will kill her long before then.
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Chapter Fifty-Five
Suddenly, Zélie and Inan are pulled violently out of the dream. Tzain throws Inan to the ground. Inan leaves for the camp, and Tzain yells at Zélie,...
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Tzain says that he’s glad their mother didn’t live to see Zélie sink to this level,...
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Chapter Fifty-Six
...With her sadness has returned a deep apprehension about sharing the scroll’s magic. She pictures Tzain’s fear when she struck him, and her own when Kwame was ignited.
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Chapter Fifty-Seven
Tzain seeks Amari out in the busy festival. They tease each other about spending a night...
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Chapter Fifty-Eight
...she looks beautiful. He grabs her hand and pulls her away from the party, where Tzain won’t see them. There is intense chemistry between them, but when he calls her “little...
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Chapter Sixty
Tzain abruptly stops dancing with Amari, as he sees Inan kissing Zélie. When he sees Zélie...
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Amari asks why Tzain can’t forgive Zélie this time, and he explodes. Inan destroyed their home, killing innocent people,...
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Chapter Sixty-One
The guards cut down as many divîners as they can. Panicked, Zélie searches for Tzain. A guard slashes down the defenseless young boy Zélie danced with earlier. Kwame moves past...
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...to truly fight back against the guards and show them they have strength. Amari and Tzain ride over on Nailah, calling to Zélie. But at that moment, someone else’s hands grab...
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Chapter Sixty-Two
Tzain and Amari search in vain for Zélie on the scorched, corpse-strewn field. Inan isn’t there...
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Watching Tzain mourn Zélie, Amari is wracked with shame. She wonders how many families her father, King...
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Chapter Sixty-Five
Tzain and Amari slip through the town of Gombe, where the guard fortress is located. Tzain...
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Tzain warns that his friends here are loyal but guarded. They are happy to see him...
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Chapter Sixty-Eight
The fortress is heavily patrolled by guards. Amari, Tzain, and Tzain’s friends from the bar dash towards the walls. After touching the scroll, three...
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...maji who have suffered and died because of this man. She prepares to strike, but Tzain’s voice calls her back to attention. He reminds her that they need to go. Amari...
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Chapter Sixty-Nine
...a sword with confidence. The Amari he knows would never fight. Inan hands Zélie to Tzain, who is devastated at the sight of the slur carved into his sister’s back.
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Chapter Seventy
Zélie feels nothing but pain and guilt. Seeing Tzain’s face, she thinks that her injuries are hurting him like watching the Raid did. She...
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Chapter Seventy-One
Tzain enters, cowering and uncharacteristically quiet. The sight pains Zélie. He says that he broke his...
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...perform the ceremony. She wants desperately to conceal this. Amari enters too, and she and Tzain reveal that the solstice is the very next day. They are still very far from...
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Tzain says they have to find Baba and escape Orïsha. Amari agrees, saying they will regroup...
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Chapter Eighty-Two
Amari slashes through guards alongside Tzain. The stain of bloodshed is difficult to bear, but necessary. She tries not to think...
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Chapter Eighty-Five
Zélie says they must bring Tzain there, so they can all be together. But Mama says it is not his time,...
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Epilogue
Zélie open her eyes and realizes that she’s at sea with Amari, Tzain, and Roën. She asks if they were successful in bringing magic back. Everyone is silent,...
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