Zèlie Adebola is a headstrong, stubborn and brave teenage girl who has a short temper and little patience. Zèlie is a fierce warrior, and her choice of weapon is the staff. She learns to fight to be a warrior in the garden so that she will never have to be a gardener in the war. As tough as she seems, Zèlie has a kind heart for she did not step back from helping the daughter of her mother’s murderer. During the raid, Zèlie lost her mother and her people lost hope.
Anguished yet alert, she clung on the first glimmer of hope she got. And worked hard to undo the injustice of the ruthless monarchy and restore peace. Even when all hell broke loose, Zèlie’s fighting spirit gave her people courage. Protective of her family, there is no limit in the sky that she won’t fly for them.
Zèlie is open-minded and free-spirited. At the end of the day, she does what is righteous and makes her happy. Having spent some time with the Crown Prince Inan, who initially was set out to kill them, She understands he isn’t all like his father and falls in love with him. Meanwhile, her friendship with Amari also deepens. She realises that not all royals and nobles are evil and sullen.
Idealistic and credulous, Zèlie overcomes this vulnerability of hers only by the end of the two books. Her audacity portrays her as a troublemaker, but then again it was her audacity and kindness that prompted her to try bringing magic back. The greater good came at a great personal cost and betrayals at different stages crushed her soul. Grief buried her, but seeing Orïsha tear itself apart she rose from the dead to unite the kingdom.
