12: Blood for Blood
Contains spoilersOverview
Darrow publicly challenges Cassius at the Sovereign’s gala, wins decisively, and severs Cassius’s sword arm after Octavia exposes her favoritism by altering the duel’s terms. Mustang stays Darrow’s hand, but Cagney’s attack triggers a full melee between Bellona and Augustus. In the chaos, Leto is mysteriously frozen and decapitated by Karnus, revealing the Jackal’s treachery and igniting open house conflict.
Summary
Darrow returns to the gala, pockets the pegasus pendant, and strides across the hall to confront the Bellona. He denounces their honor and invokes the right of challenge, tipping wine onto Cassius to force a duel. The Sovereign sanctions an immediate duel, and Darrow secures Nero au Augustus’s blessing with an old Mars blood rite, framing the fight as house against house.
Before the duel, Mustang confronts Darrow, accusing him of being a pawn; Cassius taunts Darrow about Mustang. As the blades clash, Cassius initially presses with perfect form, but Darrow reveals he trained under Lorn au Arcos and shifts to the Willow Way, battering Cassius, overloading his aegis, and wounding him repeatedly. Darrow taunts the Bellona to inflame their temper.
Octavia intercedes, altering the duel to death or yielding, exposing her favoritism. Darrow immediately attacks and traps Cassius’s arm with his razor, severing it. As Augustus urges the kill, Mustang intervenes, urging Darrow not to lose himself; he relents.
Cassius’s mother incites action and Cagney charges. Mustang deflects the killing blow and Tactus cleaves Cagney in half, collapsing the circle into a melee. Bellona and Augustus lancers clash; Victra floors Antonia; Karnus drags Victra down; the Telemanuses and Leto reinforce Augustus while Grays and Praetorians attempt to disperse the chaos. Mustang orders Darrow to protect Augustus, and he withdraws to defend his liege.
Karnus bull-rushes Augustus, but Leto intercepts and nearly wins when he suddenly freezes mid-strike. Karnus then decapitates him. Darrow sees the Jackal tuck away his silver stylus and, meeting his grin, realizes Adrius sabotaged Leto. The Sovereign departs under guard, and the gala dissolves into open house conflict, confirming Octavia’s partiality and pushing the factions toward civil war.
Who Appears
- Darrow au Andromedus
Protagonist; publicly challenges Cassius, secures Augustus’s blessing, dominates the duel, severs Cassius’s arm, and incites a house brawl.
- Cassius au Bellona
Duelist; taunts Darrow, is outclassed after Darrow reveals Arcos training, and loses his sword arm before being spared.
- Virginia au Augustus (Mustang)
Confronts Darrow’s motives, protects Cassius during the melee, stops Darrow from executing him, and redirects Darrow to defend Augustus.
- Nero au Augustus
Grants Darrow a blood blessing, framing the duel as house conflict; later retreats under protection during the melee.
- Octavia au Lune
Sovereign; alters duel terms to allow yielding, revealing favoritism toward Bellona; fails to contain the chaos and withdraws.
- Adrius au Augustus (the Jackal)
Observes impassively; covertly disables Leto with a hidden device, enabling Karnus to kill him; exposes his treachery.
- Tactus au Rath
Charges to Darrow’s aid, kills Cagney, is wounded, and helps carve a path during the melee.
- Karnus au Bellona
Bellona champion; battles Augustus’s forces and decapitates Leto after Leto inexplicably freezes.
- Leto
Augustus’s ward and finest swordsman; intercepts Karnus, freezes mid-strike due to sabotage, and is killed.
- Imperator Bellona
Cassius’s father; restrains his family from interfering in the duel and watches events spiral.
- Lady Bellona
Cassius’s mother; urges interference, screams for Darrow’s death, and helps spark the melee.
- Victra au Julii
Fights beside Darrow; punches Antonia and is later dragged down by Karnus amid the chaos.
- Aja
Fury of the Sovereign; tries to halt the duel and later moves to intervene as chaos erupts.
- Daxo au Telemanus
Challenges the Sovereign’s legal overreach and fights alongside Augustus’s faction.
- Kavax au Telemanus
Denounces favoritism as perfidy and helps shield Augustus in the melee.
- Antonia
Attempts to stab Darrow but is struck down by Victra and kicked by Tactus.
- Cagney au Bellona
Bellona lancer who charges Darrow and is cut in half by Tactus.
- Pliny au Auvergne
Augustus’s minister; frets and tries to dissuade the duel, sidelined as events escalate.
- The White
Ceremonial arbiter; fails to give the benediction, allowing Octavia to alter duel terms.