Golden Son

Darrow regrets trusting Tactus against his initial instincts. A Blue pilot tells Augustus there is little chance of escaping Octavia’s fleet. While Augustus resigns himself to the idea they will all die, Darrow forms a plan and commands the pilot to fly closer to one of the ships in the fleet, the Vanguard. Darrow and Sevro climb into robotic suits called starShells, and Victra kisses Darrow while helping him with his helmet. Mustang fires Darrow and Sevro like missiles at the Vanguard. They fly through space, and crash into the bridge of the enemy ship.

Darrow confirms Sevro is alive then vomits in his helmet from the impact. Several members of the Vanguard crew are sucked into space before the emergency system seals the bridge. Darrow feels guilty for killing lowColors. A group of Golds, Grays, and Obsidians attack Darrow and Sevro who fight back, protecting the Blues. Once the attackers are killed, Darrow demotes the Blue captain and orders the others to allow Mustang’s ship to come into the hangar.

Darrow announces to the entire crew that he is renaming the ship the Pax. He says he will not empty the ship, as the rules of war dictate, and he asks, in return, that the lowColors of the ship fight against the remaining Golds. He tells them they need each other: “If I vent you into space, there will be no one to stop them from killing me. So you see, you are my salvation, and I am yours” (192). The lowColors attack their Gold overlords, but a group of remaining Golds use a heat drill to break into the cabin. They are stopped and killed by a Stained who calls Darrow a “godchild.” The Stained, Ragnar, enters the bridge and offers his services to Darrow. Darrow ceremonially accepts and wipes the blood Ragnar offers onto his brow.

Darrow requests a volunteer Blue captain. Although multiple Blues step forward, he gives the role to the first, a woman named Orion, who addresses Darrow as “boy” and has experience working in the low-level docks. He asks her to get them to Augustus’s fleet with minimal casualties, and he lets her take command of the ship.

In another announcement, Darrow explains that Octavia broke the Compact of the Society by attempting to kill Augustus, which is why he has retaliated by taking the ship. Ragnar fights in the hangar, and Mustang, the Howlers, and the Telemanuses join the fight. With Orion commanding the ship, they fight their way through Octavia’s fleet. Mustang tells them Quinn is dead. Sevro flees, and Roque demands Darrow look at Quinn’s body. Darrow gives the Jackal a recording device the Sons of Ares had given him, so the Jackal can create propaganda against Octavia. Exhausted, Darrow helps tend the wounded, after which Mustang fetches him to meet with Sevro.

Darrow tells Sevro that Quinn cared for him, which Sevro knows. Sevro explains that Fitchner added Quinn to the Howlers because she was kind and he thought she could “temper” the others. Sevro scorns the Society, and Darrow, “I came for you because [my father] told me what you are” (207). Nervous, Darrow questions his meaning, and Sevro tells Darrow to turn on the jamField so they cannot be overheard. Sevro forces Darrow to guess who sent him, and Darrow guesses Mustang, then Lorn and Fitchner before Sevro spits in his face and threatens to leave. In a leap of faith, Darrow guesses Ares.

Sevro gives him a whisperGem, a small crystal containing a message from Ares, who explains Harmony has betrayed the Sons of Ares. Ares orders Darrow to continue his current path of sowing chaos among the Golds and says they haven’t reached out before because Darrow was being watched by Pliny, the Jackal, and Octavia’s spies. Dancer, who is alive, sends a secondary message that Darrow’s family is safe. Darrow sobs and hugs Sevro. Sevro does not care that Darrow is a Red, nor does Sevro support the Golds, arguing that the “only people to ever treat me decently are people who don’t have a reason to. LowColors. You. I think it’s time to return the favor” (210). No one else knows Sevro is in the Sons of Ares, and Sevro argues that while some may support the mission, Roque and others will not.

Victra comes to Darrow to take him to the largest room. Although her mother and sister are siding with the Sovereign, Victra supports Augustus and Darrow. Darrow questions why Victra came to escort him to the room, suspecting ulterior motives; however, Victra wanted to check on Darrow because she cares for him. She kisses him, then they talk and exchange small truths about themselves—Darrow tells her he enjoys music and fruit, and Victra says she likes the smell of stone before rain. That night, Darrow cannot sleep, and he wanders through the ship and finds Mustang in the mess hall.

The chef, a Brown, brings food to Mustang and Darrow and acts shocked when Darrow thanks him. Darrow remarks that Mustang doesn’t like bacon, and she admits that she has been eating it every day because it reminds her of Darrow. They talk, and the conversation turns to failings in the design of the Society. Mustang tells Darrow about a Gold and an Obsidian who went to a Carver for alterations so they could conceive a child and who were later executed for the crime. Since such stories are hidden, the people who commit similar feats think they are the first. Mustang wonders when the Sons of Ares will find and publish the stories the same way they broadcasted Eo’s story. Mustang’s relationship with Cassius was part of her plan to protect her family and Darrow; she manipulated Cassius into loving her, and she was happy with her plan until she saw Darrow at the gala. Mustang warns Darrow not to trust the Jackal, saying, “He is the monster they don’t know how to write stories about” (221).

Darrow returns to his room, and Ragnar, who stands guard, warns him a Gold is inside. He enters and finds the Jackal. They reaffirm their alliance and discuss the need to eliminate Pliny and the desire to spread war among the Golds.