Chapter 86: Darrow: Nivalnight

Summary

• Darrow, the protagonist, is waiting in a chamber beneath the House of Bounty's speaking floor, anticipating the arrival of allies Cassius and Lysander.
• Diomedes has just been voted Hegemon and arrives to inform Darrow that it's time to proceed without Lysander, who is late.
• Diomedes has revealed to the Moon Lords Lysander's involvement with Atlas and shared Darrow's heroics but kept the contents of the box Darrow carries a secret.
• Darrow follows Diomedes to the speaking floor, observing the ceremonial rituals and noting the presence and demeanor of the limited Moon Lords who survived an invasion.
• Darrow presents the head of Volsung Fá, a common enemy, as a gift, earning the Moon Lords' implicit acclaim despite their earlier contempt for him.
• He then apologizes for his past actions against the Rim during the Battle of Ilium, but receives no acknowledgment or forgiveness from the Lords.
• Diomedes speaks to the Lords about the importance of their alliance with Darrow and suggests forming a triumvirate to oppose Core Golds like Atlas and Atalantia.
• There is heated debate among the Lords about the proposed alliance, trust in Lysander, and the path forward after suffering losses from the invasion.
• Gaia, Diomedes' grandmother, passionately calls out the Lords for their hypocrisy and voices support for the necessity of compromise to survive.
• As Diomedes receives mysterious news via tightbeam from the Lightbringer, Darrow grows anxious about the absence of both Cassius and Lysander.