Chapter 25: Tribal War
Contains spoilersOverview
Thirty days in, Titus’s tribe has collapsed into abuse and fear within Mars’s castle. Darrow, angered by screams and Fitchner’s indifference, devises a plan to shift the balance of power.
The scheme misfires when Quinn is captured and mutilated. Cassius’s rash challenge leads to a brutal beating, but he secures Pollux’s help to open the gate, setting up a move against Titus.
Summary
Thirty days into the Institute, Darrow finds Mars’s castle a squalid hovel and Titus’s tribe withdrawn inside. With Cassius, he watches slaves driven harshly by Vixus and hears horrifying screams from the high tower, signaling abuse of the captured girls. Unable to breach the locked gates, they withdraw, furious and helpless.
On the road, Proctor Fitchner descends, refuses to intervene, and taunts them to stop Titus themselves. Darrow resolves to change the numbers and conceives a plan.
The plan begins with a formal apology to Antonia, carried by Quinn to Deimos Tower to set terms. Darrow and Roque go to a rendezvous cache, but Quinn never arrives. At dusk they scout Deimos and spot five of Titus’s men and Vixus hidden in ambush, so they slip away and return to the northfort exhausted.
Lea meets them with news: Titus’s men captured Quinn, beat her, and sent one of her ears to provoke Darrow. Instead, Cassius reacted alone, sneaking to the castle to challenge Titus, believing honor would protect him. It did not.
Cassius returns battered and humiliated, describing a group beating and captivity before Pollux secretly freed him. Pollux has promised to open the castle gate when needed. Despite the setback, Darrow presses on with the plan, and Cassius claims Titus for himself.
Who Appears
- Darrow
Narrator; witnesses Titus’s abuses, rejects Fitchner’s indifference, and crafts a plan to shift the power balance.
- Cassius
Outraged by the screams, rashly challenges Titus, is brutally beaten, but secures Pollux’s promise to open the gate.
- Titus
Brutal leader holed up in Mars’s castle; abuses captives, captures Quinn, and oversees Cassius’s beating.
- Quinn
Messenger to Antonia; captured and beaten by Titus’s men; her severed ear is sent as provocation.
- Roque
Scouts with Darrow, spots Vixus’s ambush at Deimos, and chastises Cassius’s impulsiveness.
- Lea
Delivers news of Quinn’s capture and urges Darrow to kill Titus.
- Fitchner
Proctor who refuses to intervene, goading Darrow and Cassius to stop Titus themselves.
- Vixus
Titus’s enforcer; abuses slaves and lies in ambush near Deimos Tower.
- Pollux
Member of Titus’s tribe who frees Cassius and agrees to open the castle gate.
- Antonia
Target of Darrow’s formal apology; unseen but central to the plan’s diplomatic front.