Dios Apate Minor

Mercymorn

**Dios Apate Minor** is a plot created by Augustine, on behalf of Harrowhark Nonagesimus, to distract the Emperor so that she can arrange for the death of Gideon without his knowledge or interference.

## **History**

Shortly after their arrival on the Mithraeum, Gideon the First, for reasons known only to himself, decides that Harrowhark Nonagesimus's existence is a danger to The Necrolord Prime and the Empire. Accordingly, he begins to plot her murder. He attacks her at least fifteen separate times, and each time being stopped by either Harrow herself, one of her Lyctor siblings, or even John himself. When asked why he will stop a murder attempt but not put an end to the endeavor all together, John claims that Gideon has made a pact with *"an authority [John has] no power to gainsay"* and he cannot and will not ask him to forsake that vow.

During one attempt at her murder, Harrow discovers that Gideon's Lyctoral power lies in the ability she calls "thanergy void"—or the stripping of thanergy from objects, people, and wards. After watching him walk through her wards and turn them to dust, Harrow stops sleeping and devises a plan to kill him by putting her own bone marrow into soup, feeding it the residents of the Mithraeum, and using her necromancy to explode Gideon with a construct built from the marrow. Though her execution is flawless, John comes to Gideon's aid and heals him. Though Harrow begs him to intervene, supplicating herself to his will, John simply sends her to bed.

Following the ill-advised soup plot, Harrow regrows Ianthe Tridentarius's amputated arm and gains a favor—Ianthe will help her to destroy Gideon.

## **The Plot**

Ianthe requests the help of Augustine the First in the plot to distract the Emperor. He agrees, telling Ianthe he believes John has been too lenient with Gideon the First, and that Resurrection Beast Number Seven can be defeated by three Lyctors. Ianthe relays to Harrow that Augustine can provide her with an hour's time in which to make her move.

After spending the night in Ianthe's room, the only place Harrow feels safe from Gideon the First, the two receive a letter from Augustine requesting their presence at a formal dinner, accompanied by a message to meet at Augustine's chambers ten minutes beforehand. Harrow is horrified but allows Ianthe to dress her in a gown that once belonged to Valancy Trinit. At the meeting, Augustine tells Harrow that Gideon will leave the dinner on cue and head to the training room, but refuses to disclose what form that cue will take, as John will sense her waiting.

Mercymorn the First then arrives at Augustine's rooms, where she accepts the terms of Augustine's offer before he tells her the plan. After she makes her vow, Augustine tells her "*Dios apate*, minor," at which Mercymorn is furious, but goes forward with assisting nonetheless.

Augustine's plan begins with getting everyone "profoundly drunk." Well into the evening, Augustine and Mercymorn begin toasting their cavaliers. Ianthe then suggests a toast to their enemies, prompting John to tell Harrow and Ianthe about Blood of Eden's successful hunt of a Herald, the corpse of which the group turned into effective weapons against necromancers. Augustine then suggests Gideon join them in drinking to Commander Wake, causing Gideon to leave the dinner. The next toast is to "the women we've left behind," seemingly upsetting John, then both Augustine and Mercymorn toast the Emperor. More toasts and conversation ensue about their cavaliers, until Augustine finally proclaims that he doesn't hate Cristabel and barely hates Mercymorn. After this, Mercymorn kisses Augustine. Augustine and Mercymorn then kiss John, and Ianthe ushers Harrowhark from the room.

## **Aftermath**

Harrow and Ianthe express their horror at Augustine and Mercymorn's methods outside the room. Ianthe makes an attempt to kiss Harrow, who turns away. Once Ianthe leaves, Harrow pursues Gideon the First to the training room, which she finds empty. She assumes she will find him with the body of Cytherea the First, but discovers both the body and the lyctor are absent, leaving Gideon's discarded spear and a trail of blood. She follows the trail to the Mithraeum's incinerator, in which she finds a nearly-dead Gideon the First. Harrow sees the body of Cytherea at the incinerator controls. The body activates the switch and leaves. After some hesitation, Harrow breaks open the chamber and drags Gideon from inside.

Gideon, eyes closed, tells Harrow to use fresh blood wards on her door every night, stating "You'll be safe from us." He then asks, "Just tell me . . . why you brought along the ba--", cut off by the entrance of John, Mercymorn, and Augustine. When questioned about the attack by Cytherea's body, Gideon claims that he remembers nothing, and admits that he sometimes forgets things.

Later, in her own warded room, Harrow overhears an argument between Mercymorn and Augustine. Mercy warns Augustine never to bring Cristabel into such a plot again. Augustine asks where she put Cytherea's body, to which Mercy denies having touched her.

## **References**

1. ↑ "Harrow the Ninth," Act II, Ch. 20
2. ↑ "Harrow the Ninth," Act III, Ch. 29
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Harrow the Ninth," Act III, Ch. 30
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Harrow the Ninth," Act III, Ch. 31