Darrow looks at Julian’s corpse and reckons with what he has done. He decides to hold onto the guilt and thus maintain his separation from the unfeeling, ruthless Golds. Darrow sees Roque and Antonia, as well as other winners in the dining hall. They all bathe and dress. Roque explains to Darrow how the Passage reinforces the Golds’ belief in killing the weak to strengthen their kind. 

The other winners of House Mars, looking shaken, gather around the dining table. Sevro and Titus number among them. Cassius approaches Darrow, speaking good-naturedly, and Darrow fears he will discover that Darrow killed his twin brother in the Passage. Cassius brags about his easy kill. Darrow notices that a standout Draft pick, Priam, has been killed.

Fitchner enters, and Cassius silently realizes that his brother will not join them. Fitchner explains that the 600 students who just died were of no use to the Golds. He welcomes them to House Mars and their Institute life, during which they will learn how to impress prestigious Golds. The next day, the students of House Mars will begin fighting a mock war against the eleven other Houses.