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Tzain
A young Reaper. He’s tall, bright, and has large ears that stand out from his head. Mâzeli is enchanted by Zélie from their first meeting and is open about his desire to marry her one day, in addition to serving as her Second. Zélie loves him more as a brother and finds his exuberance charming. Mâzeli is very skilled at raising spirits that then coalesce into one giant spirit, but he struggles with other incantations—though he improves greatly under Zélie’s tutelage. He dies, however, during a surprise attack by the monarchy on the Ijosin sanctuary. Though Zélie connects their life forces to try to save him and fight off the solders, Mama Agba severs the connection, killing the severely injured Mâzeli. Mâzeli’s last words to Zélie are to not be sad for him, but Zélie feels singularly responsible for his death and even briefly considers leaving Orïsha altogether to save others from suffering Mâzeli’s fate.
Mâzeli Quotes in Children of Virtue and Vengeance
The Children of Virtue and Vengeance quotes below are all either spoken by Mâzeli or refer to Mâzeli. 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 Twenty-Five Quotes
Do you accept these people as your own?
Will you use your strength to protect them at all cost?
The burden of her questions expands in my chest as I look to the Reapers gathered around Mâzeli. Bimpe watches with fingers pressed to her lips. Màri frantically waves her hand, almost immune to the gravity of the moment. Though I’ve only known them for a few hours, they already feel like blood. Like home. Being around them feels more right than anything has felt in years.
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Chapter Thirty-Four Quotes
“After the Raid, practicing these incantations was the only part of him I had left.”
My heart sinks in the echo of his words. In my mind, Kâmarū still whispers these incantations, but without the father he loves. Without the magic that was meant to run through his veins.
[...]
As we walk, I think of the other elders and maji, what their lives might’ve been like before the Raid. Mâzeli’s already told me how the monarchy took both his parents away. How his sister Arunima perished from grief.
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Mâzeli Character Timeline in Children of Virtue and Vengeance
The timeline below shows where the character Mâzeli appears in Children of Virtue and Vengeance. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter Nineteen
...for Zélie to take him as her Second. Another girl laughs and calls the boy Mâzeli. Mâzeli promises to serve Zélie and insists that they’ll fall in love and have children....
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...after the monarchy attacked. Baba sacrificed himself to the guards when the monarchy attacked again. Mâzeli picks up the story and says that they waited at Lagos’s borders with other maji...
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Chapter Twenty
Mâzeli takes over the tour and Amari begins to count the sleek soldiers. A beautiful young...
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Chapter Twenty-Two
Amari braces herself as Nâo and Mâzeli lead them through the growing crowd. People look at Zélie like she’s a goddess, but...
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Chapter Twenty-Five
...the title can transfer through challenges or simply passing the title along. Mama Agba asks Mâzeli if he wants to challenge or concede. He concedes as Zélie enters the circle and...
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Chapter Thirty-Four
...A button extends daggers on either end and she imagines stabbing one into Inan’s heart. Mâzeli asks why Zélie needs such a weapon and Zélie says she wants to stab her...
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Kenyon lights a path forward and Zélie tries to act brave for Mâzeli. At the edge of the ravine, Kâmarū and Tahir separate the ledge the group stands...
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...his father. Zélie thinks of how the other elders lived before the raid and of Mâzeli’s losses. Kâmarū catches her eye and says that the fear of being responsible for others...
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Chapter Thirty-Five
...room. As they come to a staircase, they hear soldiers. They try to hide, but Mâzeli trips loudly. Amari leads the maji in running away, thinking that she can’t lead Nehanda...
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Chapter Thirty-Eight
...and terror as Dakarai comforts Jahi, exhausted from the effort of fighting. Zélie gently turns Mâzeli away from the soldier’s severed arm as Amari notes that Inan called his soldiers off....
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Chapter Thirty-Nine
Confused, Mâzeli touches Zélie. Nothing happens. When Zélie touches Amari again, the blue glow swells in Amari’s...
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Chapter Forty-One
...apologizes. Zélie thinks that with him gone, she’ll be free and able to breathe again. Mâzeli calls for Zélie’s attention as Ojore arrives and slices at Zélie. Inan blocks him and...
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Chapter Forty-Three
...Zélie to let her speak to Inan and points out that he let her and Mâzeli escape, but Zélie snaps that she still wants to kill Inan to keep the maji...
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Chapter Forty-Four
...dawn. Zélie stays in bed. She doesn’t feel fit to lead the Reapers after putting Mâzeli in danger at Chândomblé. Mama Agba knocks and enters. She wears the ceremonial clothing of...
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...The other elders are skilled and Zélie hopes to be as good as they are. Mâzeli, Bimpe, and Màri conjure animations and greet Zélie when she arrives. Zélie realizes that they...
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Chapter Forty-Five
...can use it to reach Inan. With a sigh, she goes to Zélie and watches Mâzeli attempt and Màri succeed at breaking their falls with shadows. When the young Reapers run...
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Chapter Forty-Eight
...shadows guide her to a river and then turn into a board under her feet. Mâzeli still hasn’t fully mastered the incantation, but he conjures more shadows as the first ones...
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Chapter Forty-Nine
...he has the power to make good on his promises. Zélie thinks of Màri and Mâzeli and remembers how she used to love Inan. Inan offers Zélie the treaty and Zélie...
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Chapter Fifty-One
Zélie shoves thoughts of Inan and Amari’s betrayal away as she reaches Mâzeli, Bimpe, and Màri, all of whom are terrified. She sends Màri to find the elders...
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Chapter Fifty-Three
Zélie and Mâzeli are thrilled as their shadows destroy soldiers. A siren blares and the monarchy’s forces retreat....
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Chapter Fifty-Four
Zélie and Mâzeli’s incantation brings hundreds of monstrous animations out of the dirt. Though Jokôye’s wind takes out...
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Chapter Fifty-Five
Kâmarū carries Zélie into the infirmary. Zélie holds tight to Mâzeli’s hand as Khani and the other Healers circle. Zélie and Mâzeli’s heartbeats slow; they need...
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Chapter Fifty-Six
...Healer for Zélie, the Healer sends her to the infirmary and says that Zélie and Mâzeli weren’t breathing. Amari enters the infirmary in time to hear Zélie howl with grief as...
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Chapter Fifty-Eight
Zélie sits on the edge of the bathtub, thinking of Mâzeli. It’s been three days since he died, but she can’t bring herself to wash his...
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Chapter Sixty-Three
Zélie watches the party and regrets leaving her room. She can almost hear Mâzeli’s giggle and remembers him asking her to not be sad. Mama Agba appears and begs...
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Chapter Sixty-Six
...want this war anymore. Amari knows he means it, but she thinks of Baba and Mâzeli. Amari declares that this will only end when Inan and Nehanda are dead, but Inan...
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Chapter Seventy
...can almost see Sky Mother when Mama and Baba appear in front of her with Mâzeli. Mâzeli and Zélie reach for each other. Zélie is ready to die, but Mâzeli gives...
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Chapter Seventy-Five
Thinking of Mâzeli, Zélie grabs Roën and summons shadows to carry them quickly to the center of Ibadan,...
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Chapter Eighty-Seven
...Amari’s bindings and the elders name those the monarchy killed, including Zu, Baba, Mama, and Mâzeli. Zélie whispers the incantation and the elders unite. A rainbow of light flows around them....
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