Blood at the Root: Act II: Chapters 7-12

by LaDarrion Williams
In this novel, 17-year-old Malik gets the opportunity to go to a magical university after 10 years hiding his powers, but he finds himself digging up dangerous secrets about his community and his late mother.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Act I, Act II: Chapters 7-12, Act II: Chapters 13-25, Act III: Chapters 26-34, Act III: Chapters 35-Epilogue
15 words 23 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. nonchalant
    marked by casual unconcern or indifference
    “It’ll pass.”
    It’s the nonchalant voice for me.
  2. erratic
    likely to perform unpredictably
    “The more you practice, the more your magic sustains and does not become erratic.”
  3. gallivant
    wander aimlessly in search of pleasure
    “Let me be very clear: there are rules to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. You will not go off gallivanting and perform your magic in front of everyone outside of this school.”
  4. studied
    produced or marked by conscious design or premeditation
    Another round of studied glances.
  5. escapade
    a wild and exciting undertaking
    “Donja can’t keep up with his escapades. Me and Donja kinda grew up together. Dating him is definitely not on my to-do list.”
  6. capoeira
    a physical discipline that combines martial art and dance
    “The summer term is how you can get all your core classes out the way so in the fall we can get to the fun [stuff]. I’m talkin’ block parties, capoeira classes, potions...”
  7. insurrection
    organized opposition to authority
    But the reeeeal tea is that Thomas Jefferson felt that the revolution happening down in Haiti was going to cause an insurrection against slavery here in America.
  8. revel
    take delight in
    Gunshots ring through the air, but they’re far away enough for me to revel in this otherwise dead silence.
  9. guttural
    relating to or articulated in the throat
    His guttural screams tear at me like a predator’s sharp teeth.
  10. materialize
    come into being; become reality
    I turn back, seeing them materialize from the woods. They’re marching. Gliding across the field as if their feet don’t touch the ground.
  11. transpire
    come about, happen, or occur
    I look around, confused and choking back the gravity of what just transpired.
  12. martyr
    one who suffers for the sake of principle
    “They kinda look at the Bokors as martyrs.”
  13. renege
    fail to fulfill a promise or obligation
    “When you’re like us—you know, conjurers—and don’t be baptized in the fire, you pay your way in, but when you sorta renege on the deal, just like the Bokors did, consequences. Magic is wild, right?”
  14. duly
    in an appropriate or proper manner
    “Language, but your point is duly noted, Ms. Hall,” Dr. Akeylah says.
  15. maneuver
    move skillfully, as around obstacles or into a position
    They maneuver through the crowd like ebony goddesses coming to play with us mortals.
Created on Tue Sep 02 08:56:20 EDT 2025 (updated Wed Oct 22 17:59:16 EDT 2025)

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