Chapter 27: Natural Order of Things
Spoiler Notice
This page contains significant spoilers for Chapter 27 of A Soul of Ash and Blood. If you aren’t yet caught up, proceed with care.
Summary
Hawke stands in an alcove of the Great Hall, scanning the painted ceiling depicting eleven gods. He notes the Ascended invented Perus, a false God of Rites, and completely erased Nyktos’s Consort from art and memory—an act he finds deliberate and suspicious. His attention shifts to the weekly audience session as the Duke and Duchess Teerman take their thrones and the Maiden appears. The crowd falls into reverent silence, many openly weeping or smiling at her.
Hawke watches with growing disquiet. The Maiden fidgets restlessly, shifting her weight and twisting her hands—unusual for her. Vikter whispers something calming, but she still seems on the verge of bolting. Lieutenant Smyth sidles up and demands to know how Hawke got Keal’s position; Hawke dismisses him, silently noting that Smyth might have to die eventually. He then admits to himself that seducing the Maiden is very much part of his plan, despite earlier statements to Kieran.
A mortal couple, the Tulises, approach with their infant son Tobias—their third son. Their first two sons died of a mysterious “sickness of the blood” (which Hawke knows is the Ascended feeding). The mother cannot risk another pregnancy. They humbly beg the Duke and Duchess to spare Tobias from the Rite. The Ascended coldly refuse, calling the Rite “the natural order of things,” while the weeping parents drop to their knees. The Maiden’s distress peaks; her breathing quickens, and Hawke thinks she might either flee or intervene. Unable to watch further without breaking cover, Hawke slips out, now filled with a new purpose: he will find a way to save that baby and keep the Tulis family whole, independent of any mission concerning his brother.
Key Events
- Hawke scrutinizes the Great Hall’s gods: an invented god, the absence of Nyktos’s Consort, and the stolen Atlantian colors.
- Lieutenant Smyth confronts Hawke about replacing Keal; Hawke internally vows to eliminate Smyth if necessary.
- Hawke confesses to himself that seducing the Maiden is not off the table and is part of his strategy to earn her trust.
- The Tulis family present their third son and plead for his exemption from the Rite after losing their first two boys.
- Duke and Duchess Teerman refuse without compassion, declaring the child’s fate an unchangeable “natural order.”
- The Maiden shows visible, escalating discomfort—rare for her—and seems close to acting out.
- Hawke leaves the Great Hall, resolving to save Tobias and protect the Tulises, marking a personal departure from his original mission.
Character Development
- Hawke (Casteel): His internal monologue reveals a new layer of independence. Although his mission is tied to his brother, the Tulis family’s plight awakens a separate, protective resolve. He decides to act purely to spare innocents, showing his moral compass extends beyond political vengeance.
- Penellaphe (the Maiden): Her persistent fidgeting and near-panic suggest her composure is fraying. The chapter hints she is no longer the docile figurehead; the injustice unfolding in front of her pushes her toward the edge of defiance.
- The Ascended (Duke & Duchess Teerman): Their callous refusal, masked in false piety, epitomizes the predatory system. They unmask the “natural order” as a lie designed to feed on mortal children.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- The “Natural Order of Things”: The Ascended’s phrase exposes how they weaponize language to normalize atrocity. It becomes a motif for the systemic exploitation Hawke is now determined to defy.
- Erased Gods and Lies: The invented god Perus and the vanished Consort of Nyktos symbolize the Ascended’s historical revisionism and fear of true divine power. The ceiling’s accurate rendering of genuine Atlantian deities contrasts with the false religion they impose.
- The Maiden’s Discomfort: Her physical restlessness serves as an outward sign of inner turmoil and possibly a burgeoning rebellion. It mirrors the unspoken anger brewing among witnessing mortals.
- Silent Awe vs. Horror: The crowd’s reverential silence toward the Maiden is juxtaposed with their shock and sympathy for the Tulises, highlighting the cognitive dissonance in Solis’s society.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point. For the first time, Hawke steps beyond his brother’s rescue and the political chess game. The Tulises’ agony makes the Ascended’s evil unambiguously personal, driving him to immediate, self-created action. The Maiden’s visible distress teases her eventual break from her gilded cage. The scene also deepens the reader’s understanding of the Ascended’s theology: they have rewritten godhood, erased a female deity, and perverted Atlantian symbols. All these threads tighten the story’s tension and set the stage for Hawke’s coming choices.
Study Questions and Answers
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How do the paintings on the Great Hall ceiling reflect the Ascended’s manipulation of religion and history?
The Ascended invented the false god Perus and completely omitted Nyktos’s Consort while appropriating Atlantian colors for their banners. This selective depiction reveals their tactic of controlling worship, hiding a powerful female deity, and rewriting origins to legitimize their rule. -
What does Hawke’s decision to leave the Great Hall before the audience ends signify about his character?
It shows he possesses an innate protective streak that overrides calculated strategy. Despite the risk to his cover, he cannot passively witness a mortal family’s destruction. The moment marks his first independent moral stand against the Ascended, separate from his brother or his people. -
In what ways does Penellaphe’s behavior foreshadow future resistance?
Her constant fidgeting, shifting, and visible agitation—behavior she normally suppresses—signals that the Ascended’s cruelty is eroding her dutiful facade. The suggestion that she might have fled the dais or stepped forward implies she is inching toward outright rebellion, a foreshadowing of her later choices.