Golden Son

Darrow hands Ragnar another razor and tells him to take the Obsidians to open a hole in the wall to allow more forces to join them. Ragnar accepts the role saying, “I choose to follow you […] And I choose to lead them” (357). The remaining Howlers are offended by Ragnar’s use of the razor. Thistle threatens to cut off Ragnar’s hand, but Sevro threatens Thistle in return. Darrow hands out razors to all the Obsidians, who depart on their mission, and he can feel that the Howlers’s loyalty waning. They will not follow him in the future.

Darrow orders them to remove their armor, and they run 15 kilometers to the Citadel. Sevro, who has gravBoots, flies ahead to steer them away from obstacles. Darrow’s forces arrive, and Sevro informs Darrow that Ragnar has opened the gate, killed the Wind Knight, and almost defeated Cassius. Outside the Citadel, Sevro flies Darrow over the wall, but the gravBoots give out before he can carry the others. Mustang breaks through the forcefield over Agea. As Sevro screams for him to stop, Darrow drops down from the wall and sprints to the shuttle pads to catch Octavia who’s accompanied by Aja, Karnus, and Fitchner. Darrow jumps and grabs onto their ship as it flies off.

Octavia, Karnus, Aja, Fitchner, and six Praetorians are in the ship’s bay. Fitchner suggests they ransom Darrow, but Octavia orders Aja to kill him. Darrow drops a pulseGrenade when Octavia orders the pilot to roll the ship. Octavia tells Fitchner to record Darrow’s death, but when Fitchner suggests they allow Darrow to join them, Octavia decides Fitchner will kill him instead of Aja. Darrow is further injured by Karnus but manages to kill him. He collapses when Aja punches him. Darrow faints and is woken by Fitchner who complains that he had things under control until Darrow interfered. Fitchner tells Darrow that he is Ares. He sets off the pulseGrenade and flies off with Darrow.

Having been treated with skin grafts, Darrow wakes up with Mustang cuddling him. He reminisces about childhood when was awoken each day by the sound of the front door closing when his father left for work. He wakes Mustang, who tells him a week has passed—Octavia was wounded but escaped, and Augustus was saved. Roque earned a significant fleet from his efforts in the battle and people are questioning his future loyalty, although Darrow believes he will remain loyal to them. Mustang appoints herself as Darrow’s Politico, so she can help him navigate the political world.

Sevro is with Fitchner, and Lorn has taken on Victra as his next protégé. The prominent families of Mars have united, and Augustus has offered Reformers a political foothold. Cassius and his mother are missing, and the rest of the Bellonas are dead. Mustang advises Darrow to end his agreement with the Jackal. When the conversation turns to the many deaths, Darrow sobs. Mustang comforts him, then they sleep together.

Darrow and Mustang join their friends, talking and joking. They spend the day together, and when Roque separates from the group, Mustang urges Darrow to follow. Darrow apologizes to Roque again, admitting he took Roque for granted. Roque says he offered Darrow true friendship, accepting both his light and dark sides, and says that he is a better person than Darrow. Darrow lies, saying he would die to bring back Quinn and Tactus. Roque begins to explain why he was assigned House Mars at the Academy, but Sevro interrupts saying something urgent has come up and insisting Darrow join him. Roque tells Darrow to go and that it takes years to repair a friendship. Sevro reveals that Harmony, Evey, and Mickey have been captured by the Jackal.

Darrow and a small crew fly to the Jackal’s location in the mountains, where they meet Victra. Darrow, Ragnar, and Victra go to the Jackal, who complains about the complexities of arranging supply shipments. The Jackal has taken Attica, even though Augustus wanted to offer it to someone else. The Jackal wants Darrow to film more propaganda, and Darrow agrees and offers the Jackal and Victra gifts. He gives Victra a bottle of perfume that smells like “stone before rain” (384). As the Jackal opens his gift, an alarm sounds and a Gray enters, announcing a security breach. A grenade explodes, and Sevro and his Howlers—all in disguise—attack and threaten the Jackal for access codes. Darrow pretends to fight against them, but both sides intentionally miss.

When the attackers leave, the Jackal explains that the intruders came to rescue three members of the Sons of Ares that he is holding captive, believing they attacked him on Luna. Darrow accuses the Jackal of disrespecting their partnership, arguing the attack was too advanced for the Sons of Ares. Darrow asks Victra ask how the intruders gained access to the Jackal. After checking the coms, the Jackal sees a Gold, Sun-hwa, is gone and assumes she betrayed him. Darrow knows that Sun-hwa is dead and on the departing ship that they watch fly away.