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Twelve Months Read and Review Part One

Twelve months by Jim Butcher

This is the longest read and review yet it’s 59 pages long. It's going to be several parts. I also played some bingo while reading this book. Here's the bingo cards. The first is from @dresdenfilesbigbang and and I made it with my friends. Let's see if I get bingo.

“Pain is a fire.” pg. 1 Poor Harry :(

“black baseball hat over my shaggy hair” pg. 12 Harry is wearing a hat?! It’s the end times

“That’s Harry Dresden. Wizard

The looks I got weren’t friendly ones.” pg. 13 Poor Harry and bingo spot

“Lara’s summer-sky-blue eyes” pg. 15 Oh?

“I took her cool fingers in mine” pg. 15 What why isn’t Lara getting burned? Lara got burned last time she touched you back in Peace Talk

“Tips appreciated. It was an artifact I’d stolen from the vault of Lord Hades himself.” pg. 16 Ha

“I know you want to. You’re a protector.” pg. 17 Yep

“In my experience, you always have to get really careful when the monsters offer to help.” pg. 17 Yep

“I tried to track Justine,” pg. 18 Oh

“What’s with your eyes?” I asked.

She tilted her head, her deep blue eyes narrowing. “How so?”

“They’ve been blue all day,” I said. “I’ve seen them grey. Silver sometimes. Sometimes white.”

“Ah,” she said. She seemed to consider it for a moment and then said, “When you see that, you’re seeing my Hunger peeking out.”

“You are before our date,” pg. 21 Oh?

“Why won’t you meet my eyes for more than a second?”

“Bad things can happen when a wizard does that,” I said. “It’s called a soulgaze. I see you as you are.” pg. 22 Lara didn’t you get into a soul gaze with Carlos back in White Knight?

“You’d get to see me back.”

“Would that be so terrible?”

“People have screamed and fainted,” pg. 22 Yep and poor Harry :(

“Lara likes girls, too. Go seduce her yourself.” pg. 23 Bi Lara?

“Did you,” I asked very quietly, “just threaten my daughter?” pg. 25 Bad idea

“Maggie was a different story.

She needed her father.” pg. 26 Yes she does and so does Bonnie

“at precisely eight o’clock, someone started pounding on the castle’s great door.” pg. 27 Oh?

“Harry

What you asked for and a little more.

-Lara” pg. 28 Oh?

“I’m Bear!” pg. 28 Hi Bear you’re new

“When I said she was a large woman, I meant larger than me. Seven feet tall if she was an inch.” pg. 29 Tall lady!

“Riley” pg. 29 Riley hi buddy!

“Freydis told me to tell you a seven is better than any man has done since Hastings” pg. 29 Good for Harry

“Bob whistled. “Harry. You don’t just call up One-Eye himself.”

“Good God,” I said. “We’re not summoning him. I’ve got more sense than that.” pg. 31 Do you though? Do you really have more sense than that? You already summoned the Erkling

“This is Harry Dresden, Wizard,” I said.

“Oh,” she said, her tone clearly disappointed.” pg. 31 Ha

“For a second, I wished it could have been a little one.

About five feet tall and blond would do.” pg. 32 Poor Harry poor Murphy :(

“Mort?” pg. 34 Mort? He’s here??

“Fitz” pg. 35 Fitz?!

“The White Council of Wizardry had kicked me out on my ass in the aftermath of the battle. Apparently they found a rogue wizard with his own city-killing Titan in a Poke Ball a little intimidating. They were not notable for their kindness and tolerance.” pg. 36 Yep

“I think he’s Council material.” pg. 36 Good for Fitz

“I heard,” Mort said quietly. “My condolences. She was a remarkable woman.” pg. 37 Yes she was

“Oh, they’re definitely a freight train of dicks” pg. 38 Loving all the White Council bashing

“They’re all good kids,” I said quickly. Even you, Harry, once upon a time.” pg. 39 Yes they’re all good kids

“Jesus, Harry, the death rate in town has tripled or quadrupled at least.” pg. 39 Oh no :(

“Halloween is going to be the spooky season for real this year.” pg. 40 Yep and you’re birthday

“Some of them have been going after people they think are connected to the supernatural.” pg. 40 Oh no

“Talk to Artemis Bock” pg. 40 Haven’t heard from you in a while I think Dead Beat

“Harry . . . thank you. You do a lot that people don’t see. I know what that’s like. So thank you.” pg. 41 Aww

“I felt responsibility piling up on my shoulders like lead weights.” pg. 41 Poor Harry

“August came with furious heat that year.” pg. 42 It’s going to be interesting to see how these chapters cover a whole year

“Ghouls had been drawn to the vast stench of death” pg. 42 Boo

“Elementary Magic” pg. 43 That’s Ebenezer’s book

“My hands didn’t hurt. The mantle of the Winter Knight saw to that.

Thinking about the people I’d lost did.

Karrin.

Susan.

Wild Bill.

Yukie Yoshimo.” pg. 43 Poor Harry

“Means taking your mental health damned seriously.” pg. 44 You wanna take your own advice there Harry

“The Wardens are paying you a visit” pg. 44 Boo

“Carlos Ramirez” pg. 45 I’m still mad at you >:(

“Ilyana” pg. 45 You’re new

“I’m famous for that,” I drawled. “Saving the Council time and trouble.” pg. 46 Ha

“She grew up in the Morgan school.” pg. 46 Boo

“You heard him,” she said to Carlos. “He threatened us.” pg. 47 Someone’s trigger happy

“My God,” Ramirez said, blowing out a breath. “You actually think you were a team player.”

I waggled a hand. “Relatively, sure.” pg. 47 Ha

“We’re going to be coming by once a month or so. We won’t be announcing ourselves. I’ll expect you to make time to talk to us when we do.” pg. 47 Boo

“I nodded. I paused to visibly consider. Then I looked up, smiled pleasantly, and told him, “No.” pg. 47 Ha you tell him

“We’re standing in Merlin’s fortress” pg. 48 Like the actual original Merlin or are you using it to mean that Harry’s in charge here?

“She has a twin sister. Went warlock, bad. Then the warlock sister set Ilyana up to take the fall with the Council. Luccio worked out what happened just before the sword fell.” pg. 48 White Council continues to be bad at their job. Could they not tell that Ilyana wasn’t the one who did the black magic?

“I’m going to lose sleep over that thought,” I said. “The Merlin not liking something.” pg. 49 Ha

“We’ll find them. We’ll bring them home. And settle up with Drakul and his people. Just like I said.”

Ramirez offered me his hand.

I crossed to him and shook it.” pg. 49 They seem to be civil. I'm still mad at you Carlos >:(

“What did you do to the Water Beetle?” I complained.” pg. 50 Ha he’s upset that they fixed the Water Beetle

I miss the Blue Beetle

“This is America,” I said. “I can complain about anything I want, no matter how irrational.” pg. 51 Ha

“You’re feeling bad because you’ve got a new house and a new boat when so many people have so little.”

“I’m feeling bad because I’m part of the reason they have so little,” pg. 51 Yep that’s Harry alright

“Stop torturing yourself. Please. You aren’t the only one who gets hurt when you do it.” pg. 51 Ouch

“Detective Lieutenant Rudolph” pg. 53 Eww :( (Spray bottle)

“It’s fucking foolish of you to protect yourself with the same amount of prejudice just because the threat has breasts.” pg. 53 Yep

“Which meant that she was being watched very, very, closely. Or worse kept on a very short leash.” pg. 54 Oh no

“Even the light pressure made the burn from Sir Butters holy sword, Fidelacchius ache.” pg. 55 Ouch

“You never look down here,” she said. “You’re normally very aware where you put your feet.”

I glanced over my shoulder at her without slowing down. “You have feet as big as mine, you get used to looking out for other people’s toes.”

“You do,” Lara countered. “Not everyone would. There is no shortage of people who enjoy stepping on toes.”

“I don’t have to be those people,” I said. “I just have to be me” pg. 57 Yes

“To see someone with so much power use it so carefully,” she clarified. “It is unusual to see it in a person of your . . .”

“Idealism? I suggested. “Clumsiness? Trauma?”

She smiled. “Youth.” pg. 57 All of the above

“We’re talking the stairs,” I said casually.

Lara arched an eyebrow. “How many stairs?” she asked.

I beamed at her.” pg. 58 Ha

“Maybe we should decide right now just to be direct and honest with each other.”

“Something wizards are famous for,” she said wryly

“Something vampires are famous for” pg. 58 Ha

“If I had to pick a single word to describe you, Dresden,” she said, without heat, “it would be dangerous.”

“I’d have thought it would be funny,” I said.

Her lips quirked at one corner. “I might go as far as amusing.” pg. 59 Ha

“You can’t pick a favorite,” I said. “They’re books. They’re pieces of someone’s mind and soul. They’re almost friends.” pg. 59 Yes! I love how much of a book lover Harry is

“From very far away, something echoed through the dank, cool air. A cry or shriek. It was answered by dozens of muffled sounds that shuddered through the walls of earth and stone. Some ululating. Some were basso moans. Some were smothered howls. All of them were alien and weird and full of rage and pain.

Empty Night,” Lara gasped. She pressed her arms closer against her torso, and her blue eyes flicked with lighter shades. “What was that?” “I think . . .” I closed my eyes and communed with the island, “I think something is flying overhead. Over Demonreach.” pg. 60 What?

“Harry? Is that you?” pg. 63 Thomas!

“You are what you eat” pg. 64 Huh so what does that say about Justine and Thomas?

“I raised him, you know” pg. 66 Interesting

“Subjectivity, I’m a hell of a lot older than I would be if I told you that I was born before the Messiah.”

“Jesus,” I said, blinking.

“That’s the one,” she said, nodding. “I was at the Crucifixion. There was quite a crowd actually.”

I stared at her for the second and then said, “wait . . . capital-C Crucifixion?”

She folded her huge arms, watching the game, and nodded calmly.

I didn’t quite know how to respond to that. So I asked, “What was that like?”

“Smelly,” she said quietly. “Sad.” She glanced at me. “Not for me. I didn’t know the man. But the people in his life suffered deeply.” pg. 69 Cool that Bear is that old and ouch about it being sad

“You don’t sleep much.”

I grunted.

Bear tilted her head studying me. “Sometimes I hear you talking. Even laughing.” pg. 69 What?

“Thomas Raith will answer for the life he took with his own.”

“A life for a life,” pg. 71 Hmmm

“The city had pulled our permit for it when they had retracted all the other benefits Marcone had wrested out of them,” pg. 75 Marcone mention I hope he shows up

“That’s fu-“

I glanced at him. Fitz was learning mental discipline. I’d had him quit cursing two weeks ago.” pg. 76 Interesting to see how Harry teaches Fitz and how it differs from Molly’s training

“On the streets I knew outfits guys, too.” pg. 77 Oh

“One fire coming up” Fitz said, and lifted his hand.

I caught his wrist. “Fitz,” I said. “What happens when there’s a fire in a closed room?” pg. 77 Ha, Fitz really said ‘I didn’t ask how big the room was I said I cast fireball.’

“He paused. “Smoke?”

“Air gets burned up, too.” I said. “And fire tends to be a little hard on buildings sometimes. Fire’s for outdoors and emergencies only.” pg. 77 Ha, you would know how hard on buildings fire is Harry

“You’ve read McCoy. What would he say?” pg. 77 Interesting that Harry doesn’t seem to say that Eb was his mentor (or that he’s his grandfather)

“Yeah,” he said. “Forza.”

I tilted my head and looked at him.

“I figure Italian kinda learned from Latin, only it’s not old as sh- as hell,” Fitz said. “Like me and you.” pg. 77 Aww

“The first time I tried force I threw myself into a chain-link fence. You could play tic-tac-toe on my back with markers for a week.” pg. 78 Ha

“How come I’m so hungry?”

“You just picked the output of maybe twenty minutes of exercise into about a second of effort,” I said. “Your body is trying to catch up. You draw a lot more energy from your body until your will works up to the job. Probably why wizards are generally skinny.” pg. 79 Interesting

“September had come with considerable rain.” pg. 80 Already in September

“Detective Lieutenant John Stallings” pg. 80 Stallings!

“Last two months, we’ve lost a hundred officers” pg. 81 Oh no

“Bear was teaching them pankration an Ancient Greek style of martial arts” pg. 84 Cool

“She lost her last baby tooth.”

“Did you-“ I began.

“Collected it, ground it to dust, scattered it,” Michael said, his voice soothing. “I remember.” pg. 85

“She keeps a little light in her window at night, you know. In case you come to see her and need it to find your way.” pg. 87 Awww

“I know you want to be there for people, Harry,” he said. “That’s who you are. But if you don’t get yourself squared away, you’re not going to be able to provide for anyone.” pg. 85 Aww

“How’s Maggie?” I asked him.

He grimaced. He studied my face for a moment and visibly decided to relent. “She wishes you’d visit more.” pg. 85 What?! Does Maggie not live with Harry anymore?!

“Sometimes I start screaming and I can’t stop. Nothing sounds good. Nothing looks good. Nothing tastes good. Nothing smells good. It’s all gray.”

“And?” he said gently.

I was quiet for a long moment. “And I miss her, man.” pg. 87 Poor Harry

“But I do know that I have put my faith in you many times over the years of our friendship. And I have never once regretted doing so.” pg. 87 Aww :)

“You walk in shadows, Harry. But you’ve always carried your own light. Your path has turned dark and winding, and you aren’t sure where you are at the moment. But you’ll find your way. When it’s time. When you’re ready.” pg. 87 Awww

“I have come to thank you,” he said. “There are many people in this city who struggle. They cannot take care of anyone else. You have opened your home to us. This a very big thing. I wanted you to know that we are grateful. We will do whatever we can to return your kindness.” pg. 89 Aww

“He looked at Michael and nodded toward me. “Good man there.”

Michael passed Matias a bottle. “Yes. He is.” pg. 89 Yes he is!

“October came, still warmer than it should have been.” pg. 90 October is here

“The ladies had a knitting circle going, though they called it crochet. I wasn’t sure of the difference. I did learn to crochet a little, enough to make a red-and-blue scarf for Maggie for the coming holidays.” pg. 90 Aww

“She’s good for you” pg. 91 Yes Maggie is good for Harry

“The other kids don’t have anywhere else to go, and don’t have me for their dad” pg. 91 Poor Harry and poor Maggie

“Children can be a trial, even at the best of times,” Bear said. “But you won’t get better by sitting still.”

“You don’t say that when I’m meditating,” I said.

Bear scowled at me.

I smiled. I rarely scored a point on the Valkyrie.” pg. 91 Ha

“He’ll be here at midnight,” Bear said. “Alone under guests right.”

“Ballsy bastard,” I noted. “Given the last major violation of guest right happened right here in this very building.” pg. 93 Yep

“He was a ghoul, but he looked like a big beefy man with grizzled mutton chops to his jawline, dressed in a white linen suit and a pink Miami Vice shirt along with gold chains around his neck and rings on every finger.” pg. 93 Eww I don’t know if it’s because it’s I’m a yankee, or if it’s based it’s LaChaise but I don’t like the connotations and stereotypes with that white suit

“I met his eyes for a long moment and nothing much happened. You’ve got to have a soul to set off a soulgaze. He was just a thing. A clever, dangerous thing.” pg. 94 Oh

“Count yourself fortunate I’m being polite,” I said. “Until sunrise, you and your people have safe passage out of town. After that, any of them left here are fair game.” pg. 95 Yep

“I fell back onto the bed, gasping, my heart pounding against my chest. The gorgeous woman from the party, I hadn’t caught her name, collapsed atop me. She was shaking and made soft, gentle sounds on every exhale.” pg. 97 What?

“Lara smiled down at me and leaned in for a slow kiss.” pg. 97 What’s happening??

“It’s been a year” pg. 98 No it hasn’t been

“She wasn’t afraid of my eyes anymore. She’d gazed upon my soul and I upon hers, and she wasn’t afraid.” pg. 98 What no you haven’t??

“This is a dream” pg. 98 Hopefully all that was a dream

“Mister the cat” pg. 98 Mister!

“The empty spot across from me had most of the money and most of the properties.

No one was there.” pg. 99 Oh dear

“It was that other guy. That other me.” pg. 99 Harry’s ID

“I miss her, too,” he said. “She was a hero. It felt good to have a hero protecting us.” pg. 99 Murph :(

“You know, you don’t talk like this to anyone else,” the other me pointed out. “Not to Mab. Not to Marcone. You didn’t even talk like this to the ghoul. You’ll curse them, but you save the real venom for yourself.” pg. 99 Poor Harry

“Then why doesn’t Lara burn when she touches you?”

The air turned to crystal.

“You were with her,” said my other self. “You haven’t been with anyone else. If she loved you and you loved her, it should scorch Lara when she touches you. But it doesn’t. Don’t you think there’s some reason why?” pg. 100 I wonder why as Harry did burn Lara back in Peace Talk

“I collapsed to the tile floor shaking when I was done, my throat burning.

I felt weak.

I felt sad.

I felt lost.

I felt hollow.

I felt like tomorrow had stopped existing.

There was only a constant now, a single ongoing hour of pain.

Of loss.” pg. 101 Poor Harry

“And that was the first time since Murphy died that I slept until dawn.” pg. 102 Poor Harry and I think this was the first Murphy has been mentioned by name in the book 100 pages in

“What I need is a good costume for Halloween.” pg. 103 Oh I wonder what Harry will go as costume wise for Halloween?

What’s Fitz doing here on the ghoul hunt? Is he ready for this?

“Stay within arm’s reach of you,” he said dutifully. “Stay under my veil. Warn you if you’re about to get flanked. Don’t try anything unless there’s no other choice.” pg. 105 Good plan we must protect Fitz

“The problem, for me, was that sitting and doing nothing left too many thoughts running around my head.” pg. 105 Yep

“My head snapped up,” pg. 106 Game time

“I swept the end of my staff at the nearest one, the one who’d been posing as a sentry, reaching out for the hatred I had for ghouls and what they did to innocent people and . . .

. . . nothing happened.

No rage flooded through me. No power kindled inside me. No magic flowed through me into the staff. And when my lips formed the word, “Fuego” absolutely nothing happened. No power

No fire.

Nothing.

I just felt tired.

“Fitz!” I spat. “Run!”

And two score ghouls descended upon me.” pg. 109 OH NO :0 :(

“I’d been set up. And I should have seen it coming.

Bear had been one hundred percent correct.” pg. 111 Bear is right

“I sank my teeth into a muscled forearm and tasted something fetid and disgusting.” pg. 111 Go Harry??

“Get up, Dresden!” she snarled. “Get on your fucking feet!” pg. 112 Get up Harry!

“In an instant that felt like a long minute, the Chooser of the Slain met my gaze, and I felt the soulgaze begin” pg. 112 Oh

“And I matched her wild grin” pg. 112 Oh add that to the list of people who have seen Harry’s soul. No freak out like with others

“Propellant.

And gun oil.

A man screamed, “Give it to them, boys!” pg. 113 Yay

“Daniel Carpenter, eldest son of Michael Carpenter, suddenly crouched down beside me, his handsome face concerned.” pg. 113 Bi Harry moment 71 and bingo spot

“A Celtic cross made out of what looked like high-quality silver bounced against his chest.” pg. 113 Oh

“Maybe twenty-five or thirty guys most of them dressed like Daniel, came out of the night, all of them armed, all of them wearing the same silver Celtic Daniel.” pg. 113 Oh

“Od’s bodkin, Dresden, that was the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.” pg. 114 Yep

“Father Forthill” pg. 115 Father Forthill it’s been awhile

“Michael Carpenter” pg. 115 Michael!

“This is Rabbi Aaronson” pg. 115 Hi

“It was a shofar, a traditional Jewish instrument” pg. 115 Cool

“The Brotherhood of St. Brigid” pg. 115 Cool

“We’re here to help,” he said.

Four words. None of them long.

The truly important words never are.

I bowed my head before I started crying.

“Thank you,” I told him.” pg. 117 My heart

“I took Maggie trick-or-treating on Halloween.” pg. 118 Aww

“Maggie was the most beautiful child on this or any other planet on the bottom end of the bell curve for height and weight, and looked a lot younger than she was. She had dark hair and dark eyes like her mother. And me, I suppose.” pg. 118 Awww

“Maggie had chosen to wear a Princess Leia costume.” pg. 118 Aww and of course Maggie chose Princess Leia

“Mouse, an enormous mound of fluff and muscle with a wagging tail, padded along next to her with a plastic bowl that had been painted to to resemble R2-D2’s head held onto his noggin with an elastic strap. He also wore a sign around his neck that said BEEP BOOP BLEEP” pg. 118 Aww

“Harry Carpenter, Michael’s youngest, who had grown up with Maggie for a good long while and who for a good long while and who was for all practical purposes her brother, wore a Luke Skywalker getup, complete with a glowing blue toy lightsaber that had somehow survived an hour in my presence without shorting out.” pg. 119 Aww

“It’s probably like Hogwarts,” Harry said.

“It’s not Hogwarts,” pg. 119 Ha

“Can I go talk to them, Mister Dresden?” He always called me that to prevent confusion.” pg. 120 Smart

“Happy birthday Dad” pg. 120 Aww

“I’m worried about you,” pg. 120 We all are

“It’s because of Karrin” pg. 121 Sobbing

“She died at the hands of that goddamned bottom - feeder Rudolph,” she said, her voice steady and cool. “And somewhere deep inside, you think you deserve to go out the same way.”

“That’s ridiculous,” I said.

“Ghouls are bottom feeders,” she said. And at one point someone taught me that magic only works if you think it could and should happen. Somewhere deep down, you thought you had it coming. From the bottom feeders in our world. Just like her.” pg. 121 Ouch

“You poking around in my head again”

“Goddammit,” she said and turned away. Not before I saw the tears forming.” pg. 121 Ouch

“I don’t know what to do about it.”

“You have to talk about it,” she said. “That’s the start.”

“To you?”

“To someone,” she said. “That’s the start.” pg. 121 Yep get some therapy please

“Talking to the wrong person in my family. Dad’s the expert on forgiveness.” pg. 122 Yep

“Are you going to throw yourself to the lions tonight?”

“Well,” I said lightly, “it is the third date.” pg. 122 Ha

“Man instructed me that I was to order you to do so,” she said. “Consider yourself so ordered.”

I scowled at the manor. “You’d think she’d know how I react to being ordered around by now.” pg. 122 Yeah but Mab is definitely up to something

“I still think you should have been Gandalf the White,” pg. 122 Is Harry Obi-Wan? Qui gon?

“And we turned to walk into the lions’ den, the White Court Halloween party.” pg. 123 OH NO OH NO OH NO

I don’t know about Harry but I’m getting flashbacks to Bianca’s party way back in Grave Peril

“Laugher and chatter drifted through the air as we entered, and an automated moving spotlight tracked across my face, and suddenly I was standing before a furious, wounded Titan again, the Eye of Balor gathering energy and power and madness into a concentrated burst that would strip the flesh from my bones before blasting them to ash.” pg. 123 Ouch disassociating :(

“The runes in my staff were glowing with a sullen green-gold light, and I realized that I had drawn power into it, ready to unleash havoc.” pg. 123 Poor Harry

“A wizard is never late,” I muttered. “He arrives as soon as he’s dealt with his PTSD.” pg. 124 Good to see that Harry recognizes he has PTSD baby steps

“Freydis” pg. 125 Freydis! Hi

“All things considered, I would have thought you’d have gone for Gandalf the White. What with mostly dying and so on.”

“I wagged my chin, a motion greatly exaggerated by the long false beard. “But then I couldn’t do this.” pg. 126 Ha

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, his voice somewhat strangled. “Drakul.” pg. 127 OH NO :(

“He was invited,” Lara said. “It would be an insult not to. But he never shows up.” pg. 128 Oh

“Dracula is like his spoiled drama-queen kid,” pg. 128 Ha

“Eyes like black holes raked over the ballroom, unimpressed with the hedonism - and locked on me.” pg. 129 Oh no

“All three of us twitch-jumped except for Molly and Lara.” pg. 129 Ha

“Please. You’ve personally done more damage to me than any three supernatural nations through that writer. Call me Vlad.” pg. 129 Oh Vlad respects Lara

“I wanted to punch the guy already.” pg. 130 Same

“It was a team effort,” I said. “I was just battling cleanup.”

Drakul’s face went blank for a moment. Evidently, he wasn’t up on his baseball parlance.” pg. 130 Ha Bingo spot

“Drakul laughed. It was a warm, genuine sound.” pg. 130 Hmmmm

“Goodness no. That certainly makes you interesting, but I always make it a point to survey the rest of the field before the game begins.” pg. 130 Ohh

“My location. Please inform whichever passionate fools the White Council boasts this month that they may call upon me at their convenience. Alternatively, I can make time for a meeting of their choosing. Anytime. Anyplace.

Wow.

No one did that.

No one just dropped an open challenge to wizards of the White Council.” pg. 131 Whoa

“Oh, I’m well-known for that,” I said. “My maturity.” pg. 132 Ha

“My,” Lara said. She lifted her champagne flute to her mouth and took a quick drink. I almost couldn’t see her hand trembling.” pg. 132 Oh Lara is scared of Vlad

“He seems like a wimp,” pg. 132 Ha

“Well, well,” the ghoul said. “If the two of you ladies don’t make the most delicious sight.” pg. 132 Eww

“I’m not,” I said cheerfully, beaming. “Get fucked and die, ghoul.” pg. 132 Ha

“This is indeed a celebration. You are both in fact guests. I am in fact the host of said gathering.” pg. 133 Like that has ever stopped Harry from starting a fight

“Twit,” Lara breathed quietly.” pg. 134 Ha

“I exhaled slowly. My body was still convinced I was about to tangle with a ghoul.” pg. 135 Yep

“My heart was racing. Hell’s bell’s, I hated ghouls.” pg. 135 Yep

“I get that you’re hurting,” pg. 135 Oh isn’t that what Marcone said to Harry back in Battle Ground?

“And then she tore off the big false beard and kissed me.” pg. 135 Ahhh :0

“I’ve been really drunk before.

I’ve been tranquilized by a number of drugs.

I’ve been exposed to a couple of kinds of ecstasy of magical origin.

I’ve even been kissed by a young, weak White Court vampire once.

And once by Lara herself.

This was different.

Everything went away.” pg. 136 This is definitely different. Is Lara feeding on Harry? Is that was it’s like?

“I lay there trying to focus my eyes. My lips quivered and tingled. My body ached with pleasure that slowly faded away over the next twenty minutes or half an hour.

And that was just from a kiss.” pg. 136 So definitely Lara feeding on Harry

“What happened?” Molly asked quietly.

“She threatened me,” I said, my voice rough. “Take me home.” pg. 137 Ohh

“It was a week into November, and it was after midnight.” pg. 138 It’s November already?!

“I picked up the dice and held them out. She blew on them and I threw them for her. Six. I advanced the race car that many spaces.” pg. 138 Is this Murphy? Is she a shade/ghost?

“If I was insane . . . would I know it?”

“When I talked to counselors,” she said, “they would usually say that words like sane and insane weren’t very useful.” pg. 139 Yep

“You’ve got Maggie,” she said. “You’ve got the new kid. You’ve got Will and Michael, and so many other people, Harry. You need to reach out to them. You need to take care of yourself. You need sleep.” pg. 140 Yes

“If your daughter had been through something like this, would you want to punish her?

“Of course not,” I said automatically.

“Why not?”

“Because she wouldn’t deserve. . .” I took a deep breath. “Oh.” pg. 140 Yeah oh

“She started humming a quiet tune. I didn’t recognize it.

I didn’t drift off to sleep so much as plummet there.

And I slept until morning.” pg. 141 Aww

“I’m sorry. I tried to use magic that night. With the ghouls. I kept gathering it, but I couldn’t hold it all together. It just. . . slipped right through my fingers.” pg. 142 It’s okay Fitz

“Kin was a general term for people who had supernatural beings somewhere a few generations back in their ancestry. Generally speaking, it got applied to people who were pretty much no different from vanilla mortals, except for being a little weird and having family knowledge of the supernatural world” pg. 144 Huh interesting

“They called us freaks,” Bess said quietly. “And then they beat us with broom handles.” pg. 145 Oh no

“We don’t have to listen to you,” he said. “You don’t run this town.”

“Of course I don’t,” I said. But I’ve seen a lot more of how bad it can get than any of you have. I’m begging you. Let me send help.” pg. 148 Please let Harry help

“Will had started off his werewolf career as an idealistic kid. He was a warrior now.” pg. 149 Yep they’ve all come so far

“Ramirez and the Russian,” pg. 150 Sanya?! Is that you?

“I frowned and peered at him in the gathering dark. There was no mark on his face.

“Bruises take about a minute to go away,” he said. “Split my lip, it’s better in two. And rare meat is freaking ambrosia.”

“How?” I asked quietly.

“All the shifting lately,” he said. “And since the night of the battle I’ve . . . I don’t know. Felt things differently.” He met my eyes. His reflected light, like a wolf’s. “A lot of things changed that night.” pg. 151 Huh

“I’ll think about it,” I relented. “Will, I. . . thank you. For your help lately. I know I’m not firing on all cylinders right now. So . . . thank you.”

His expression softened. “Hell, man. You’ve had our backs since we were a bunch of dumb college kids. How can I not be there for you?”

He held up his hand.

We clasped hands, Arnold and Carl Weathers-style.” pg. 151 Aww

“She stepped out onto the rooftop and stared at me for a long moment, pale eyes raking over me.

“Like some kind of animal,” pg. 152 Rude

“Then she took a deep breath, stepped forward, and placed her bare hand on my stomach.

I let her.

She stared at me for a moment, frowning. Then shot me a suspicious glare.

“You don’t sense any black magic, eh?” I asked her, my voice a low growl. “Go a little higher or lower, and this could get unpredictable.”

She jerked her hand back as if burned.” pg. 153 Good stop touching Harry

“When you’re here as a guest. If you take liberties touching me again, I’m going to take it as a betrayal of guest-right and throw you off my roof.” pg. 153 Ohhh

“I kind of miss Morgan sometimes,” I said.

“So do I. He was a pain in the ass.”

“But you always knew where he stood,” I said.

“Amen to that.” pg. 154 Never thought I’d see Harry say that

“You need a damned vacation. A year at a monastery. Something.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Well. I’m not going to get it.” pg. 155 Yep

“Did you threaten to defenestrate my partner just before I came up here?”

“No,” I said defensively. “There are no windows up here.” pg. 156 Ha

“God, Dresden,” he said. “You don’t make things easier.”

“And here we’re all had it so smooth and gentle lately.” pg. 156 Ha

“I scooped her up and tossed her in the air and caught her again and started tickling her on the way down. She let out a squealing peal of giggles.” pg. 157 Aww

“And.

Oh.

My.

God.

That felt good.

It was like stepping out into the sun after a long, cold night.” pg. 157 Aww

“And I felt something ease in my chest and belly.” pg. 158 Aww

“The beard suits you,” he said.” pg. 159 Harry has a beard?!

“But that doesn’t mean I can’t have a civil conversation on behalf of my best friend.”

The coffee made me choke up a little.” pg. 160 Aww

“A friend of mine,” he said, “once told me that when you didn’t know what to do next, you gather more information.” pg. 161 Didn’t Harry say that?

“Miracles happen, Harry. You’ve seen them. You’ve done them.

Something bitter and snarky started to come out of my mouth but died partway.

Because he was right.

Michael was right.” pg. 161 Yes Michael is always right

“You’re carrying an awful lot of weight, brother,” pg. 161 Yep and I like that Michael calls Harry brother

“In my head the dice rattled on a Monopoly board.” pg. 162 Poor Harry

“Maybe. I haven’t felt this bad . . . ever. Not even when the Reds turned Susan.” pg. 162 Ouch

“I heard the screams coming from inside St. Mary of the Angles by the time we were ten feet from the door.” pg. 164 Oh no

“The screams kind of put me off, though. They were high-pitched, desperate, animalistic. I couldn’t tell if it was a woman or a man making them. I recognized agony. Recognized it in my soul. And for a second, a dark, quiet room and shut myself inside.” pg. 164 Ouch

“The moment I looked at the victim, I felt the nauseating greasy feel of black magic swirling around the poor bastard and I was pretty sure I knew what was happening to him.” pg. 166 Oh black magic

“Every few inches, I passed another line of black magic, as if something had coiled around his body like a snake. I took a deep breath, pressed my hand closer and could feel the phantom sensation of needle sharp barbs pressing against my skin.” pg. 167 That’s the Kravos curse right?

“Remember Micky Malone?” I asked him.

“Back when we fought Leonid Kravos. I remember you told me about him,” Michael said.

“I’m pretty sure this is the same curse.”

Michael frowned. “The one Kravos threw on him?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Maybe his Book of Shadows survived him. Or one of his cult lackeys walked away with more knowledge than I’d thought he’d give out. This is more intense than the one Mickey though. By a good way.” pg. 169 Not that curse it’s terrible

“I kept my hands and my thoughts closed around it - and my mind was a hell of a lot stronger than it had been fifteen years ago. Fifteen years of pain and loss, of joy and victory, of steady work and desperate innovation had given my will steel and character that simply had not been possible when I was younger.”

The curse was stronger.

But so was I.” pg. 171 YES!

“I was exhausted but I started cackling a little. Which is a wizard’s prerogative.” pg. 172 Yes it it

“The witch of November came two days after Thanksgiving” pg. 173 Oh

“Knight of the Bean” pg. 173 I do love that there’s a Baron of Chicago, Wizard of Chicago, and Knights of the Bean.

“I suppose a kiss is a beginning at least.”

The memory of Lara’s kiss made me feel queasy.

Well.

Also queasy.” pg. 176 Ouch poor Harry

“I have told you before that in my calculations replacing you at this point would be less productive than continuing to use you. Those calculations have not changed. I have to intention of replacing you.” pg. 176 Oh then what’s her plan here?

“I believe you recall the nature of our act of conclusion, when you pledged yourself to me.”

I swallowed. I’d been through easier battles. I still had dreams about that one. Sometimes flashbacks. Mostly it was a big, terrifying erotic blur.” pg. 177 Horrifying I’m still mad at Mab for that don’t think I’ve forgotten it

“And you are free of the White Council of Wizardly fully capable of charting your own destiny without their constant manipulation and interference.” pg. 178 Yep True

“Did you set her up to die, Mab?”

I said her name properly. With intent. I’d heard it from her own lips, after all. A shudder rippled over her, by my words, by my will.

If I’d slapped her in the face she’d have been less enraged.” pg. 179 OHHH

“Frost all over the books. That hadn’t been called for.” pg. 181 Sacreligous >:(

“I just wanted it to stop. Hurting.” pg. 183 Poor Harry

“Her eyes were sapphire blue” pg. 183 Oh I’m just count all the times Harry says what eye color Lara is

“I’m not really a party person.” pg. 184 Yep that’s an understatement the century

“I owe you an apology as well” pg. 185 Oh?

“For a very long time, I have been working to rise above the. . . the base nature of my heritage. I want you to know that it is a road I will be following.”

I stared at her in total silence for a minute.

“That’s a big statement,” I said.

“It is.”

“I hope you realize how big.”

“I do.”

“It is, of course,” I said, “exactly what you should say to get me to like you and lower my guard.” pg. 186 Yep

“Me, a wizard, the walking, talking personification of ‘knowledge is power,’ is asking you to give me power, possibly over you and your whole Court,” I said. “And only a few years after I wiped out the Red Court. Every single one of them.” pg. 187 Yep

“While I was waiting for Lara to decide, December came to see us, and with it came the old man.” pg. 190 Oh Eb’s here?

“We hadn’t really spoken since the battle. Since just after he’d shown me he was willing to kill me.” pg. 190 Yeah :(

“Hoss.”

“Sir,” pg. 191 Oh Harry still calling Ebenezar sir?

“I waited for him to speak. I wasn’t the one who had acted shamefully.” pg. 192 Yep

“Your mother. And Raith.” He spat into the snow after he said the word. “I tried to get her away from him. She wouldn’t hear it. She was already. . .”

“Addicted?” I suggested.

He shrugged a shoulder. “Your mother liked to live dangerously. Lord Raith gave her plenty of that.”

“Maybe it would be hard to tell,” he said after several steps. “Even for her. Sometimes you just find your poison. The one that goes right past your reason. Your logic. Your morals. I’ve it plenty over the years. Sex. Opium. Heroin. Alcohol.” pg. 192 Ouch

“You killed me,” I said quietly.

“Not exactly,” the old said. “You were already a step ahead.”

“Yeah,” I said. “But you didn’t know that at the time.”

He grimaced. “You’re right,” he said. “You’ve gotten stronger and better a lot faster than anyone expected. Even me.” pg. 192 Ohh interesting

“Damn the Merlin.”

I frowned. “Why do you say that?”

“For kicking you off the Council,” he said irritably. “For leaving you vulnerable to creatures like Mab. Like Lara Raith.” pg. 193 Preach

“I’ve had three wives, over the centuries,” Ebenezar said. “Three dozen apprentices. A hundred friends.” He winced, and his voice creaked. “But just the one child.” pg. 193 Oh

“I thought of what I would do to protect her. What I had done.” pg. 193 Yep total inhalation of the red court

“Thomas is my brother,” I said. “My friend. I know you hate the idea of him. But if you raise your hand against him, I swear to God Almighty and by my own power that I will break it off at the wrist. Sir.” pg. 194 Ohh

“Someone once taught me,” I said slowly, “that winning a fight and surviving a fight were the same thing.”

He snorted. “Suppose I did,” he said.” pg. 195 Harry quoting Eb

“And at some point, he had his arms around me and I had bent over to hug him back. The damned stubborn old fool.” pg. 195 Awww :)

“Christmas morning,” I said. “I need you. Maggie needs you.”

“I’ll be there,” he said. His arms tightened. “I should have been there. So many times.” pg. 196 Awww

“December went by in a heretic, happy blur.” pg. 197 I wonder if there will be call backs to the short story or the law novella?

“Christmas Eve was something special.

We showed up at the Carpenters’ place around sundown. I was visited by several different kinds of spirits. Santa came by. Maggie got some great presents. So did I.” pg. 199 The short story call back

“My grandfather gave her a red stocking cap he’d knitted himself, and I felt the simple thermal enchantment on it that would keep her comfortably warm in all but the most bitter gales, at least for the first couple of winters. She promptly put it on and then put the red-and-blue scarf I’d crocheted for her with it,” pg. 199 Aww

“Molly appeared” pg. 201 Molly!

“She was in her human glamour” pg. 201 Oh?

“Have you decided yet?” Molly asked quietly.

“Decided what?”

“If you want to live or not,” pg. 202 Oh poor Harry :(

“Most people get a really nervous look when they get anywhere close to asking me something like that,” pg. 202 Poor Harry

“Lara said, silver eyes glimmering.” pg. 209 Oh

“I don’t suppose it’s occurred to you that I might be concerned about you using magic to subjugate me in a similar fashion.”

I blinked.

It hadn’t.

Lara sighed. “I didn’t think so.” pg. 210 Ha of course Harry didn’t think of that

“I’m kind of iffy,” I said frankly. I paused and added, “Except when everything is on the line.”

“I’m well aware of that.” pg. 211 Yep

“The sorcerer-kings of that day were an elite society,” Lae continued. “Always questing for greater power in the dark arts.”

I grunted. “The White Council’s history class teaches that the Council arose to challenge the sorcerer-kings of the ancient world.” pg. 211 Interesting

“Laris and his circle had been plumbing the depths of the dark arts and they . . . opened a portal to the Outside.” pg. 211 Ohhh Interesting

“A mad god. The Hunger. The first Hunger.” pg. 211 Interesting

“leaving Laris to face the Hunger alone except for his daughter and appearance Thana.” pg. 212 Don’t like that.

“The Hunger was bound into the prison of Latis’s body and wil, but it also took possession of him. It did unspeakable things to Thana before she turned the tables and bound Laris in irons for the rest of his natural life.” She shifted her weight from one hip to the other glancing up at me. “The Hunger had the last laugh. The child it sired on her was Sethre the first of my kind, born knitted in soul to an infant Hunger - a larva of the original dark god.” pg. 212 Poor Thana :(

“Outsiders.

The Hungers were baby Outsiders.

And I was starborn.” pg. 213 OOHH

“Lara’s New Year’s party was being thrown in the first parts of Chicago to be restored- the Gold Coast.” pg. 216 Another party let’s see how this one turns out. So far no fires.

“Every once in a while the past few months,” I said, “I’ve felt something overhead.”

She sniffed the air and said, frowning, “I don’t feel anything. You sure?” pg. 217 Weird that Bear doesn’t seem to sense them

“You heard anything from Gard?”

“Her client doesn’t really come to parties. He’s loads of fun.” pg. 218 Marcone! COME ON JIM, GIVE ME MARCONE!

“I looked up and Lord Raith was standing just inside the door.” pg. 219 OH NO :( >:( Get back

Spray bottle

“Lara hasn’t been yours, or little, for a very long time,” I replied. He spread open the fingers of one hand and rolled his wrist. “Ah. I suppose I have a unique perspective on the matter.”

“Uh-huh,” I said. “Sure you do.”

His eyes narrowed. “Still disrespectful aren’t you?”

“I give respect where it’s due,” pg. 220

“Evidently, he wasn’t up on his baseball parlance.” pg. 220 Bingo slot

“Did my part,” I said.

“Must have cost you something,” he said. “How is that little blonde you were with?”

Something hot and ugly flared in my chest. It must have shown on my face. His smile sharpened.

“Oh, Dresden.” Raith murmured in a patently false tone. “Please excuse me. I had no idea.” pg. 220 Someone better hit him with a steel chair I swear.

“A predator,” he said calmly.

“Ah,” I said. “Like you can’t be anymore huh?” pg. 221 Ha get him Harry

“That put my hackles up. There was a definite taunting tone in his voice. He was needing me over something and enjoying it. And I had a bad feeling that I should damned well know what it was. But I didn’t. And in situations like that, I was beginning slowly to realize that the best way to appear to know more than I did was to be silent.” pg. 221 The Thomas strategy

“Good dog,” Raith said calmly, without looking at Freydis. “Though easily distracted, eh?” pg. 222 Slap him Freydis

“She shook her head. “Guy makes my skin crawl.” pg. 222 Same

“The smell of the spray paint was sharp in my nose and I’d gotten flecks of it all over the pants of the tux and the expensive shining shoes.

I suppose my magical style was not precisely formal.” pg. 225 Ha yep

“Really. I expected it to be . . .”

“Flashier?” I asked.

She frowned. “Well. Less . . . like you’d gotten the things for it at a hardware store.”

“I’m not particularly wealthy,” I said. “Few more months of running the castle and I’m broke, in fact.”

She blinked at me. “You’re kidding.”

I shrugged. “Never really been a priority.” pg. 226 Yep

“I focused on imagining my brother’s face. On the loyalty I felt for him.

I loved my brother

I missed him.

And if anyone was going to help him it was damned well going to be me.” pg. 228 Aww

“I felt a sudden desire to let out a mad cackle and suppressed it.

I’d felt this energy before.

Outsiders. Hidden right there in front of me.” pg. 229 Ohh

“Hell’s bells.

It worked.

It could be done.” pg. 230 YOOO!!!

“eyes flying open suddenly a deep rich blue.” pg. 231 Oh

“Lara was staring at me in something between horror and awe.” pg. 231 Yep the general look people give Harry

“Empty night,” she breathed. She shook her head, stunned. “Harry. I’m. . . I’m not Hungry.” pg. 231 YOOO IT WORKED!!!

“Oh, wow. I just thought he was a really good dog.”

“He’s mostly that.” pg. 233 Mouse is the best!

“February came and it wasn’t as cold as it might have been.” pg. 261 Oh is Mab doing something with the weather?

“Why do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Whole hero thing,” he said. “I mean. Seems like it costs a lot. Not money.”

“I don’t do the ‘hero thing’” I sighed. “Look. I’ve got powers others don’t. I’m strong in ways they aren’t. When there’s something that needs doing, someone in danger, sometimes I’m the only one who can do anything to help. That’s when I do . . . what I do.” pg. 234 Peter Parker principle

“Stop learning, start dying,” pg. 234 Yep

“Don’t have a lot of personal resources,” I said.

“With me you get personal,” he said.

I grunted.

“And you had less of them when I first showed up.” pg. 236 Yep

“Then I said, “Murphy. Karrin Murphy. She died in the battle.”

Just said it. Out loud.

She was dead.” pg. 237 Sobbing

“I had an older sister,” he said, his voice somehow smaller younger. “Before you met me. Caught between two gangs. She got hit in the stomach and bled out in an alley.” He blinked his eyes several times and couldn’t quite stop a tear from falling. “I miss her, too.” Pg. 237 Poor Fitz sister poor Fitz. Presumably this happened before Marcone took over

“I hadn’t talked about it much.

She’d been gone for more than six months.

Maybe it was time to do the healthy thing.

Maybe it was the best thing for me.” pg. 237 Yes talk to people get some therapy please I’m begging you Harry

“They came to ask for help again on Thursday night, and the third victim of the week was Daniel Carpenter.” pg. 238 Oh no

“It has to be stopped,” he snarled the anger, focusing on me. He took a step toward me.” pg. 239 Carl needs to chill out and calm down

“I took another breath through my nose, closed my eyes, and exhaled slowly. That had come out a lot harsher than I’d meant it. “Yeah, okay. Might be true but it wasn’t called for.” pg. 240 Harry’s growing. Character growth and progress!

“And black magic left . . . stains. A residue. It could be sensed.

It could be tracked.” pg. 241 Ohhh

“On patrol, after sundown,” Forthill supplied. “Over by McAnally’s”

My stomach twisted a little.

Over by the bazaar.” pg. 241 Oh no

“That’s Bock Ordered Books.” pg. 244 Ohh

“That brought up the thought that perhaps the Coins of the Knights of the Blackened Denarius were connected with Cowl somehow, and one of my eyes started twitching.” pg. 245 Ha and come on mention Marcone because he’s a denarius as well

“The practice of dark magic is . . . intoxicating. Sometimes addictive. It’s also not fantastic for one’s sanity.” pg. 246 Yep

“But I wasn’t a Warden.” pg. 247 Thank goodness for that

“But I wasn’t on the White Council anymore either.” pg. 247 Good you’re better without them

“It also sent the tall bookcases on either side slowly tumbling over into their neighbors in a great clatter of wood and falling books.

I mean there’s a reason wizards have labs and libraries and they’re in different rooms.” pg. 249 The horror the poor books :(

“Stars and stones,” I said wearily. “Guys? About the time you’re taking countermeasures for the number of animal sacrifices you’re pulling in your rituals shouldn’t someone be asking if maybe things are going a little too far?” pg. 249 Yep it’s getting out of hand

“I fixed Bock with a quiet stare.

He flinched.” pg. 249 Ohhh get him Harry

“I slammed the end of my staff on the staff on the floor triggering the release of more force. It let out a rumbling cracking and snapping like thunder and sent splits out through the floorboards of the old building.” pg. 250 Cool go Harry

“I didn’t exactly feel good about it. I’d leaned on them pretty hard. I mean for their own good yeah. I’d been playing pillow fight compared to what the Wardens would have done to them. And it had required leverage and power to get them to even consider changing course.

But I still felt like a bully.

Speaking of which I would have to have a word with Daniel.

And Carl.” pg. 254 Poor Harry hates being bully

“I went after Michael’s son, a step behind and to one side where I could watch his back for him.” pg. 256 Let’s go

“What’s the wizard doing here?” Carl spat” pg. 257 Rude

“What they say about his family is right. Maybe they’re become a little too friendly with the unnatural.”

Daniel went still.” pg. 257 SOMEONE BETTER PUNCH CARL >:(

“And before he could say “us,” Daniel shuffled up, laid a long right cross through the chin of the guy on Carl’s right and dropped him to the ground like a bag of lawn clippings. Then Daniel twisted into a left hook throwing the punch as much with his hips and legs and abs as his arms, and drilled a shot into Carl’s left side that dropped him to the ground with a breathless gasp of pain.” pg. 258 YES LETS GO!

“Daniel Carpenter was a large man, a soldier, a professional at violence, and evidently a trained boxer.” pg. 258 Bingo slot

“I told you not to interfere,” Daniel said, his tone either amused or annoyed.

“Did you? Well. I’m getting older. Hearing isn’t so good.”

“You’re a wizard. You live to be a zillion.”

“Eh?” I said. “Speak up there, kid.” pg. 260 Ha

“Experience, kid. I’ve done well trusting Carpenters.” pg. 260 Aww :)

“February came and it wasn’t as cold as it might have been.” pg. 261 Mab being weird about the weather maybe

“Shaved,” I said. “Haircut. Maggie thought it looked messy.” pg. 263 Aww Harry got a haircut

“And the Sword that only smites the wicked did this to me.”

“My God,” she said. “You not even Catholic.”

I frowned. “Eh?”

She smiled at me. “I suppose we don’t have a monopoly on carrying shame, but we’re definitely number one.” She paused and mused, “We. You’d think I’d not be Catholic anymore given circumstances. But here we are.” pg. 262 Sobbing

“A great many people died that night,” the shade said quietly. “Mortals. Supernatural folk. It was a war. And no one was in control of what was happening.”

“I should have been,” I said viciously. “I should have been.” pg. 264 Poor Harry

“That’s so compassionate.”

“Sometimes the most compassionate thing you can do for someone is give them a gentle firm boot to the ass,” she said seriously. “Wake up. Events are in motion. There’s not a lot of time. There are massive things on the wind. And we need you. Make things as right as you can and move the fuck on.” pg. 268 Getting hit by a truck with grief

“I went to bed exhausted.

And before I knew it I’d fallen asleep.” pg. 268 Get some sleep

“Lara and I had our February date the week before Valentine’s Day. Which was Thomas’s birthday.” pg. 269 Thomas :( poor guy

“My French a relic of my time in the public educational system is comme ci comme ca at my very best.” pg. 269 I feel that with my Spanish

“Boeuf means beef right?” pg. 269 Yes Harry Bowuf means beef

“Lara was watching me with amused pale blue eyes.” pg. 269

“For me absent other factors such as major metropolitan battles I tend to feed once or twice a week. My sister’s on most days. My father-“ her face twisted - “would do so as a ritual once a year or so.” pg. 270 Huh

“So, feeding everyday is less destructive to the ah subject.”

“Daily instinctive feedings are smaller bites, if you want to think of it that way.” pg. 271 So what Thomas does with his salon?

“But you haven’t fed in five weeks,” I said. “And your eyes are still blue.” pg. 271 Ohh

“Or maybe it was me - the whole starborn thing was still a wild card. Or maybe it was about my magic specifically that the Outsider had been in tune with enough to feed upon.” pg. 271 Interesting and bingo spot

“The plan was to cut it out of him.”

Her pale blue eyes widened. “That would . . . He’d . . .”

“Be just a guy,” I said quietly.

Lara took a slow breath through her mouth. “Never to feel Hunger again,” she said quietly. She shook her head. “How would . . . I can’t even imagine how much his life would change. “Empty night.” pg. 272 Whoa :0

“Inari and her husband seem happy. She’s had three children.”

“Oh yeah?” I asked, finding myself smiling. Man that chase had been a long time ago. “Good for them.” pg. 272 Good for them and yeah it’s been a long time since they appeared

“It could be,” she began slowly, “that this kind of . . . um.” She paused, her expression faintly annoyed. “I’m sorry. I find it’s very awkward to be discussing these kinds of particulars with someone who isn’t in the Court. I haven’t felt this way since I was quite young.” pg. 273

“It’s been centuries since you felt awkward.” pg. 273 Huh

“I whistled the opening bars of the M*A*S*H theme song.” pg. 275 He’s such a nerd :)

“Plain human Thomas can’t help Justine,” he said quietly. “Bring my demon out with me.” pg. 279 Poor Thomas

“Maggie was riding her bike casually around the castle’s rooftop in circles the next weekend. Bonea was there too, the little intelligent spirit enjoying the sunshine from the safety of her carved wooden skull glowing eye lights barely visible.” pg. 280 MY GIRLS! :)

“Can I do fighting practice with you guys sometime?” pg. 281 She should learn self defense

“Her smile widened as she looked over at me, and my heart went all soft.” pg. 281 Aww

“That was an excellent cross-reference, Bonea,” I said.

“Yay!” Bonea said, and the little wooden skull wiggled at the praise.” pg. 282 Aww

“Now it was time to learn.”

“Time to be made stronger by what I had faced.

Time to live.” pg. 284 Yep

“I sat with that for a long while and felt it. Felt it glowing in my chest like a small bright star. And I liked how it felt.” pg. 284 He’s healing!

“I’m officially tired of this! It’s about time you showed yourself or else leave me the hell alone! It’s potpie night and I’m hungry!” pg. 285 Ha

“Then there was a flapping leathery sound” pg. 285 Dragon?

“He had a face like a lion” pg. 286 Manticore??

“He might have been made of warm grey granite, if it had been a fluid living substance.” pg. 286 Gargoyle???

“Yeah,” I said, a bit embarrassed. “I, uh . . . kind of invited it to come down.” pg. 287 Ha

“You,” rumbled the creature, staring hard at Bob. “What is a failed experiment doing here?”

“You!” Spat Bob zipping back and forth in anxious little movements. “Who ordered the uptight anal-retentive burger?” pg. 287 Ex lovers? (I kid I kid)

“You’re just jealous cause Etienne the Enchanter spent more time on me than you!”

“We were not faulty,” the creature said. Perhaps very very slightly smug about it.” pg. 287 Ha

“I had not thought to return to this place.” pg. 288 Ohh so Basil has been to the castle

“Not like those cheap things Ancient Mai does. Basil here is one of Etienne the Enchanter’s master projects- a spirt of earth.”

“Like you’re a spirt of air?” pg. 288 loving the Ancient Mai dig. Oh is there a spirit of Fire and Water? Is Harry going to collect them as well?

“We were created,” Basil intoned gravely, “to protect the castle” - he held up one finger - “of a good-hearted wizard” pg. 288 Aww

“Kindness. Hope. Even a little faith.” He straightened and met my gaze calmly. “We have been watching you for months. In great pain, you nonetheless make kind choices. Care for others.” pg. 289 YES!

“And I, and my brother have come to offer our allegiance to you, wizard.”

And the gargoyles dropped smoothly to one knee in front of me.” pg. 290 OH!

“One-Eye tried to recruit them after Etienne passed. They refused him.” pg. 290 Ohhh I do like the fact that Odin tried to get the gargoyles and they declined but are offering their services to Harry

“Basil,” Basil said touching his own chest and then went down the stair steps in order of height. “Bay. Thyme. Cardamon. Sage. Parsley. And Cinnamon.”

“Etienne liked to cook,” Bob said sourly.

“The Spice Goyles” pg. 291 Ha

“But in my chest the tiny star kept burning.

Hell.

Maybe sometimes, good things happen, too.

Even to me.” pg. 291 My heart

“We all kind of washed up together here.” I told him seriously. “Still making a home of it, I think. And I’m a sucker for strays.”

“We did not stray,” Basil corrected with conviction. “We deliberately sought you out.”

I felt myself smiling lopsidedly. “Right,” I said. “You’re going to fit in fine.” pg. 292 Yay!

“You kind of have to admire their ethic,” Will noted, staring across the street. “It’s like twenty-five degrees and windy.” Will had been lifting a hell of a lot of weight. Steam rose off his skin. It would be a bit before he cooled off enough to worry. “Not everyone who protests is up for that.” pg. 293 Yep gotta love the tenacity

“Free hot chocolate. Enjoy. And a smiley face to make it a friendly offer rather than a decree.” pg. 295 Aww :)

“No one had cocoa” pg. 296 Aww :(

“I got together for a talk with Michael, Sanya, and Butters” pg. 296 The knights back together again!

“I’m watching him,” Michael said easily. “He’s fine.”

I blinked and looked at Michael.

“I’ve got three crews working,” Michael said gently. “Normally I rotate between them. But I wanted to make sure your new home was done well.”

“And babysit me daily?” I asked.

“Happy coincidence,” Michael said grinning. I made a rude sound and he laughed. “Hah. I like it. You sound more like you every day.” pg. 29 Ha and yay Harry getting better

“Because there are two times when you give a man a hard time. First when you want to start trouble with him. And second when he’s your brother and you do it because you want him to know that everything is okay.

I was among brothers.” pg. 300 Yay brothers :)

“Northern post-Civil War celebration,” she said.

I stopped and blinked down at her. “Huh.”

“What?”

“You were there for the Civil War,” pg. 302 Lara what side of the civil war were you on? I need to know. Were you a confederate? >:(

“Lara waved a hand. “You know the svartalves,” she said. “They show little.”

I stopped at the door down to the lab and gave her a look. “Come on. I’m not that dumb.” pg. 303 Yep Harry’s smart

“Lara’s pale eyes glowed brighter paler as she studied me for a silent moment.” pg. 304

“I found myself staring at the notes of silver in her eyes. Her gaze was simply intense and beautiful. I tore my eyes away as things began to get more intimate” pg. 304 Soo Harry’s definitely going to soul gaze Lara

“I’m. Very. Hungry. Harry.” pg. 305 Oh no

“The summoning circle in my lab had been upgraded.

Significantly.” pg. 305 Good

“I liked feeling things that weren’t loss and grief and regret and fear.” pg. 306 Poor Harry

“This stuff? Slow and careful and tenacious? This is what I am good at. It’s how I made my bread and butter, and you know how hard it is to be a small entrepreneur in this town. If I wasn’t sure this was going to work we wouldn’t be here right now. This is what I do.” pg. 307 He’s confident :)

“Lara lifted her eyebrows eyes growing more like mirrors. “I adore a confident man.” pg. 307 You and me both Lara. It’s nice to see Harry confident

“She fled.

I stared after her for a long while.

What the hell?” pg. 313 Huh weird what’s up with Lara?

“Queen of Air and Darkness straddling my hips.” pg. 315 NOPE Get back >:(

“I had gone to sleep naked. And she wasn’t wearing anything under the gown. I could feel.” pg. 315 BAD I don’t like it here and I’m calling this a bingo spot

“When Mab had taken me a Winter Knight in a ritual where she’d infused me with the power of the Winter mantle we’d had sex. I mean technically Tab A, Slot B, it had been the act. But with Mab, sex wasn’t a storm of passion. It was more like a nation-wrecking, topography altering hurricane that changes names on maps. Honestly I couldn’t remember much, and I think my sanity was probably safer that way. The idea of more of the same didn’t make me excited - it made me flinch from the thought.” pg. 315 Seems like Harry and I are having flashbacks to that. Did Harry dissociate or is he surprising the memories? And I’m still mad at Mab for this >:(

“(I mean, sure my body had other ideas but bodies aren’t to be trusted with such choices .)” pg. 216 Yep

“That need will make Ms. Raith . . . pliable.” My eyes widened.” pg. 316 What?

“I stared at her in horror.

“This whole time,” I said low, “you were using me. To enslave someone.” pg. 317 Oh no

“You would never have been able to deceive her if you’d known. Such subtlety is not among your gifts.

You’re right,” I growled.

And I punched Mab in her slender throat.” pg. 317 AAAAAHHHHH!!!! :0 :0 HARRY!

“I felt good. Intensely good.

Insanely good.

Like it had with Rudolph.” pg. 318 Oh no

“A wicked man, in service to a wicked Queen.

Mab’s voice echoed in my head.

And inside my chest, in that little warm spot that still burned, a quiet voice said, No. That’s not going to happen.

And I recognized the voice.

Because it was me.

Lies. Mab cannot change who you are.

Right. She could manipulate me, obviously. She could deceive me. But she couldn’t change me.

Only I could change me.” pg. 320 Yes remember that Harry

“And I realized that Molly was being proactive. Of me.

I looked aside at her with a lopsided smile. pg. 322 Aww :)

“And you thought I’d have agreed to wholesale abuse of the Third Law because it was practical?” I asked. “That would be all I need. The White Council coming after my head.”

Molly grimaced. “The law only applies to mortals. Lara isn’t human.”

“Wow,” I said quietly, “is that so not the point.” pg. 323 Yep Lara is still a person

“Carlos began when I opened the smaller door. Then he saw Molly and froze as if he’d been smacked with a wet fish.” pg. 324 Oh dear this is going to be awkward

“She made the fifth member of a standard squad who walked behind her, two by two, boots striking the ground in time.

I reminded that sound, from back when I was sixteen. Tromp, tromp, tromp. They’d marched me places for my trial after they’d arrested me when I’d killed my old mentor in self-defense. It stirred up old, old fears.

And anger.” pg. 325 Oh no

“You expect me to believe you’d start a war,” Ilyana snarled, “over a handful of petty warlocks?”

“I’ve started a war for one soul,” I said gently. “You think I won’t fight for half a dozen?”

Ilyana blinked, but the older Wardens behind her rocked gently at that statement. They traded uneasy glances, and I could feel their resolve wavering.” pg. 327 YOOO

“Why?” Bock asked me.

“Why what?”

“You came down here. Stood up for us. Why?”

I scowled.

“Someone stood up for me once,” I said. “Or I wouldn’t be here.” pg. 330 Yep pay it forward

“I saw terrible things happen.” He nodded and looked at me. “And I saw good men fight them.” pg. 335 Yes Harry’s a good man

“If the monsters from the old stories are true, if beings of evil run wild in this world then it stands to reason that the opposite is true. The old stories are full not only of bad things. But good things, too. Good wizards.” He nodded at the gargoyles. “Protectors. The Little Folk we see sometimes. Powers of light that fight the darkness.” pg. 335 Yes good people exist and can help

“I nodded my chin up and down quietly and held back tears. “That’s true. I don’t know if I’m one of those.”

“I do,” Matias said calmly. “I have seen you do it. I do not say that it is easy for you. Or anyone. Doing the right thing is sometimes difficult. Sometimes frightening. But I see your little girl’s dog is more than just a dog - and he is good. I see Michael Carpenter and he walks like there is always light around him.” He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “And I see you with them gathering around you. I know you lost someone. I know what that looks like. I know you lost someone. I know what that looks like. I know you have been going through pain. Grief.” pg. 335 Welp guess I’ll go sob now

“Good men hurt. And they heal. And when you heal, when the pain has dwindled, it can make you harder, more bitter, more rigid. Or it can make you more . . . gentle. Understanding. Yes?”

“Gentle . . .” I smiled faintly and shook my head. “Not what I’d call me.”

“Then you are wrong,” Matias said quietly. “Gentleness is power that chooses to restrain itself. That is under control. Gentleness is someone strong who makes the choice to be careful with that strength. And that is you.” pg. 335 Still sobbing

“I just wanted to tell you goodbye,” I chocked out finally. “I . . . I won’t be calling you after tonight.”

“Seems about right,” she said gently. “I’ve been waiting for you to get here. Oh Harry. I’m so sorry. For all the things you never got to say to each other.” pg. 336 Well I guess I’ll continue to sob

“You knew,” I said gently. “You knew I was calling her shade.”

“Happens sometimes,” he said. “She was kind of trapped around you, even before you started making a conscious effort. Sometimes it takes people time to let go.”

“And that’s why you brought Fitz to me,” I said.

“Fitz needed and needs your help,” Mort said. “But if he could keep an eye on things, talk to her shade sometimes, make sure it didn’t get unhealthy for either of you while he was getting helped . . .” Mort shrugged. “Two problems sometimes make a solution.”

“Damn,” I said quietly. “That’s . . . some real wizard stuff there Morty. You’ve come a long way.”

He grinned at me. “We both have.”

He passed me a bottle. We clinked them and drink.” pg. 337 Yay

“They made her blue eyes look electric.” pg. 339

“Harry,” she said gently, “I don’t want to offend you. I honestly don’t. But you couldn’t have tricked me like that. You didn’t get the better of me.” pg. 340 Yep

“And despite my best efforts,” she said, “it would seem I really am going to marry someone much like my father.”

I winced.” pg. 340 Ouch

“I don’t like being used,” I said, my voice turning a little hard. “I don’t like being manipulated. I don’t like it when someone tries to control me. What’s in it for me?” I shook my head. “I get to be my own man. I get to be free.” pg. 341 Yes!

“Look into my eyes,” I said quietly.

She did. They were intensely blue.

Intensely blue.

Intensely . . .

She drew in a short breath. Her eyes went wide.

And the soulgaze began.” pg. 344 HARRY’S SOULGAZEING LARA!!! HOLY COW AAAAHHHH!!!!

“You’re unlike anyone I’ve met,” she said quietly. “And I’ve met a great many.”

“It’s nice to be weird,” I said.

“If you can really do it,” she said. “If you can get Thomas out of this. Yes. I’ll stand with you.”

“And we’ll figure out how to shake you loose. Then we’ll take on Mab,” I said.

She flashed me a sudden, ferocious smile. “Even after that I can’t tell if you’re serious or insane.”

“No reason it can’t be both.” pg. 346 Yep definitely both

“Damn. Took me more than two years to get as far as you have the past few months,” I said gently m. “You’re got a gift, kid.” Well done.” pg. 348 Go Fitz!

“Anything happens to me,” I said, “I’ve got a number for you to call. It will get you to Carlos Ramirez. He’s a Warden with the White Council. You meet with him, alone, and tell him everything. He’ll look out for you.” pg. 350 Oh?

“Hmph,” I said. I turned slowly around, looking at the sitting room, imagining a comfy chair or couch in front of the fireplace. Surrounded by books, reading. My cat on my lap.

Mister, my old gray tomcat came prowling into the room, took one look at the fire, went over to the floor beside it, and stretched out luxuriously. His purr rumbled through the room.

“Huh,” I said. “I guess that’s settled then.” pg. 352 Aww

“I’ve been healing” I said.

“As have I,” Mab murmured. “Last summer was a difficult time for us all. I greet thee this eve.”

I blinked a little at that.

I mean sure I’d seen Mab take on an army virtually single-handed, at the absolute lowest point of her seasonal power. I’d seen her impaled upon cold steel. I’d seen her struck down by a Titan.

But . . . it honestly had never occurred to me that she might actually have been affected by her wounds. That the Queen of Air and Darkness might have been hurt. Might have needed time to restore herself.

That she might have needed to hide her pain.” pg. 355 Oh?

“Wealth?” she said, a coy smile on her frozen-mulberry lips. “Influence? An army? Slaves? The perfect lover?”

I blinked again.

She was . . . Stars and stones. She was joking with me.

Man making a joke was perhaps more frightening and disorienting than Mab slamming my head against an elevator wall.” pg. 356 Oh dear

“Lara,” I said. “Last summer when she touched me, she was burned. On Halloween, she wasn’t. I don’t understand why.” pg. 357 Yep same what’s up with that??

“Twice,” she said, “you have loved. And twice death has claimed that love.”

I grunted.

The protection granted from the White Court by love is not a mechanical process. It is an interaction of energy. Where that energy exists, it threatens the White Court. It exists under specific circumstances. When those circumstances have changed, it exists no more.”

“You’re telling me death defeats love?” I asked dully.

Mab regarded me. “Poetry does not suit you, my Knight. To accept love and give it back in equal measure, once must believe one is worthy of it. By your own judgment of yourself, you have failed. Twice.” pg. 357 Ouch and if I’m understanding correctly is True protection against the White Court only works if you think you’re worthy of it??

“One day,” I said quietly, “I’m going to be free of you.”

Free.

Little word.

It hung in the air between us.” pg. 357 YES FREE!

“If I wasn’t so brave and manly, I might have been feeling a sense of horrible dread.

But. . .

Somewhere, deep down, there was also a small, fierce, bright light of hope.” pg. 359 Yes hope!

“It’s worse than more of them,” I groaned.

“Counter protesters,” Bear confirmed.” pg. 364 Poor Harry, he doesn’t want to be involved

“I tried to scowl at him but . . .

. . . but I couldn’t.

It . . . it felt really good that they’d shown up to support me.” pg. 365 Yay support

“No,” I said in a quiet, steady monotone. “Let’s establish something. You deal with me. You have no connection to her. None. Ever. And if you or anyone in your Court tries to harm her? I. Will. Kill. You. All.”

Lara went entirely marble-statue still.

I faced her, meeting her gaze.

She nodded slowly. “If you can.”

“So far,” I said, “so good. I’m a hundred percent at dealing with entire vampire courts who touched my little girl.” pg. 369 Yep

“I would be vexed,” Mab mused. “He is frequently vexing. But only a fool grows angry at a dog for barking, an adder for biting, a scorpion for stinging. It is their nature.” pg. 373 Yep Harry’s going to Harry

“Precision is as much needed as power.”

“Super,” I said. “Great. Right in my wheelhouse. Dammit.” pg. 376 Ha

“Then I gestured with one hand, murmured, “Flickum bicus” and set the ritual candles and incense alight.” pg. 377 Why is this making me emotional?

“I bowed my head, pressed the forefinger of my right hand to the spot between and just above my eyebrows and breathed out to whoever or Whoever might be listening, and said, simply, “Please.” pg. 378 Harry said please! He’s only genuinely said that twice. Once to Marcone to help the thralls back in White Night and then to Uriel in Changes to help Maggie.

“Then I opened my eyes, and with it, my Sight.” pg. 378 Oh dear I hope that goes well

“And I Saw his Hunger.” pg. 379 Game on

“Thomas dropped like a dead fish.” pg. 381 Oh no :(

“Yes, the Hunger growled, in my head. Now you understand. Empty Night. The end of all motion, all joy, all passion, all fear, all pain. The end of all. The absolute, perfect, unblemished silence. Empty Night, wizard.” pg. 382 Oh no

“As much as I liked to think of myself as a rebel to the forms of the White Council, I didn’t lightly break the Laws of Magic, and I’d never, ever screwed with time. Neither had anyone I ever knew. I had no idea how heavy a lift it was - but I knew how powerful Mab was, and if it had taxed her, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be messing with that one anytime soon.” pg. 384

“And all I had to do was not fight.

I thought about it.

But I had promise to keep.

And then I started giggling.

I mean, seriously. Me. Not fighting.

That would be something suspiciously close to sensible, and that had never been my style.” pg. 385 YES! HE’S BACK BABY!!

“The Hunger’s inhuman face twisted in something between frustration, pure confusion - and fear.” pg. 385 Harry can be scary

“Winter wasn’t Empty Night.

It was the war against it.

The wisdom and the will required to fight it.

The strength to stand fast, even when all was dark and seemed hopeless holding to the truth that ahead were better days.” pg. 385 Oh no

“Not today!” I bellowed, and slammed my staff on the floor again, and far above me from a clear blue sky, a bolt of lightning as big around as a tree trunk slammed into the stones around the entrance, coursed down through the earth, leaving a streak of green-gold glowing runes carved into the stones by the same man who built the island and the castle alike, old Merlin’s craft and will and blazed through the crystal line wall with the sheer, fiery power of the living world.” pg. 386 Let’s go!

“I haven’t walked through the wastes of war and death and my own soul to lose you now.” pg. 387 Go Harry!

“Bring forth my gifts!”

My head whipped around toward her. Gifts. From the Queen of Air and Darkness.

What fresh hell was this?” pg. 388 Oh no that can’t be good

“And bound upon its surface, and partly within it, was a very, very pregnant Justine.” pg. 388 Oh no

“Hear me, Raith!” Man’s voice rang out. She drew from her belt a bronze knife.

A knife I remembered from a Red Court ball long, long ago.

Medea’s bodkin.

“I have your haunted love!” Mab caroled. “I have your unborn son! And if you do not arise, I swear by stars and stones that I will end both lives in a single stroke!” pg. 389 OH NO! THAT PARTY CONTINUES TO HAUNT HARRY, ME, AND THE NARRATIVE >:(

“QUEEN OF WINTER,” boomed Demonreach’s voice from within the depts of the hood, “THOU SHALT CRASE THY ACTION.” pg. 391 Go Alfred!

“Oh, my knight,” Mab tittered. “Didst thou actually think thou couldst draw a bigger gun than me?” pg. 391 Yes??

“Spirt,” rasped Mother Winter. Her voice was the sound of dead leaves in the wind, of scale, of insectile chitin skittering along bleaching bone. “Stand not between the Queens of Winter and their promises.”

I felt my jaw drop open.

Hell’s bells.

Man’s boss.

The Crone Queen of the Winter Court, here in the mortal world.

It hadn’t happened for centuries.” pg. 392 AAAHHH!!!

“I turned back to Thomas. He still lay where he had fallen, but his eyes were open and focused upon the tableau. Tears filled them. His face twisted with pain. With exhaustion.

Hell’s bells. I knew those eyes.

I knew what was behind them.

I’d stared down at them in glasses of booze and my shaving mirror for months.” pg. 393 Poor Thomas poor Harry

“Sure, I get that,” I said. “You got an empty you can’t fill. But tell me. Suppose you did that. You got to eat me and everyone else on this rock. Then what?”

Confusion entered its tone. “What?” pg. 394 Harry confusing everyone all the time

“Because ultimately, they needed morals in order to exist.

And the more of us they ate, the more intently upon Thomas.

Done, it purred.” pg. 393 Yay??

“CPR is physically demanding to do. Like, really really demanding. You have to be in shape yourself to breathe and pump blood for two. You have to push not quite hard enough to break ribs, but hard enough to compress the heart and lungs beneath them and get blood oxidatived and moving. For a minute, then two, then three, Lara kept it up like a machine.” pg. 397 Good job Lara

“Thomas lay beneath me on his back, naked, wracked, withered. Tears streamed from his unfocused, deep blue eyes.

“Harry,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry.” pg. 398 Poor Thomas :(

“Remember,” I breathed.

And I brought up my memories of my brother and me. The first time I’d met him, dressed as a goddamned butterfly. Our time living together in my tiny apartment, the frustrations and the laughter and the arguments and the peace. I shared with him my memories of him and Justine, their joy in each other, their quiet love, the peaceful home they shared. I called up my memories of him and me building the Wharsup Dock on Deamonreach, listening to an ancient AM/FM radio while eating chips and sandwiches for lunch while we cooled our feet in the waters of Lake Michigan and randomly pushed each other into the water during the labor.” pg. 398 Aww

“And then I bought out the real magic.

I showed him his courage, his heroism, from my point of view, battling literal forces of darkness with sword and pistol and courage and skill, laughter on his lips and a snarling smile on his face. I showed him what I saw when I looked at him, a man of deep bravery and conviction, who fought demons within and without with equal courage. I showed him his strength, his courage, his kindness to me and to my Maggie. I showed him who he was in my eyes. The one I depended on. The one I could always go to for help. My brother the hero. My brother.

My brother.” pg. 399 My heart

“Thomas,” I said, and the sheer will in my voice made the empty space shake. “This isn’t your time. This isn’t your place. This isn’t your end.

“Get up,” I breathed.

He started to twitch, convulse, his chest spasming, spine and abs flexing weakly.

“Get up,” I called quietly.

His mouth gaped open and closed again like a landed fish.

Like he was trying to remember how to breathe.

“Get up!” I cried.

There was a sudden rush of wind, then a torrent, then a gale, and I was suddenly back on the floor of the summoning chamber on Demonreach, my hand coming off of Thomas’s head as his body arched into a bow and he gasped and thrashed and began dragging in ragged breaths.” pg. 399 THOMAS IS BACK!! And Harry said ‘Get up’ three times

“Harry?” he gasped. “Lara?”

“Here,” we both said at the same time.” pg. 399 Aww

“Lara’s eyes were filled with tears. They spilled down her cheeks. Her voice throbbed with intensity. “You stupid, romantic, ridiculous boy,” she said. She cupped his face between her hands. “You scared the hell out of me. You’ve given me so many headaches. I should strangle you.”

And then she leaned down and clasped him close to her, sobbing.” pg. 399 Very human reaction

“I laughed. Harder than I should have. And with the laughter, I felt some of my weariness fall away. I felt strength coming back into me. I felt my chest heave and draw in a deep, clean breath and felt tears blur my eyes for a moment, and then clearly vision.” pg. 400 Yay

“And then I faced the Queen of Winter.” pg. 400 Here we go

I’ve got 63 pages left!

“She stared at me for a long, long, moment before she said, grudgingly, to Mab, “Tears. Laughter. He’s still soft.”

Mab’s frozen mulberry lips spread into a slow, wide, wide smile. “Give me time.”

The crone snorted. “He’s far too mortal.”

“That shall change,” Mab murmured, bouncing the bronze knife against one silk-covered thigh. “By and by.” pg. 401 Oh boy

“It was a fake-out,” I said. Then I blinked slowly. “You . . . The one thing you can’t do is directly kill mortals. That’s why you have a Knight.”

Mab smirked.

“You lied,” I whispered.

“Is that what you think?” Mab replied, lips curling. “You haven’t considered the technicalities.”

“Technicalities?”

“The woman bears not one but three lives within her at the moment. The child’s Hunger, of course - and the entirety possessing her. I could have struck at either, and the other lives lost would have been mere . . . What is the mortal phrase?” She smiled more widely. “Collateral damage. The cost of war.” pg. 402 Glad that didn’t happen

“I expect you to use your reason,” I said. “The entire point of signing the White Court on is a build alliances. You can’t do that by being an absolute asshat to the people whose support you need.”

Mother Winter’s gimlet eyes swirled to me, and her gnarled old fingers ripped along the handle of their cleaver, securing their grip.

“An absolute what?” pg. 402 Ha

“Mab glanced aside at the crone. “I told you I was willing to tolerate much of his insouciance.”

“For this weak, sentimental fool?”

“Do not be deceived by his demeanor as others have,” Mab said. Ethniu lies bound within these very caverns because of him. He has mastered the island yet remains unmoved by its temptations. And already, in his youth, he has overcome the resistance of not one, but two Outsiders and bound their allegiance to him while yet he suffers the psychic wounds of bearing a banner of will and leading others to their deaths.” pg. 403 Yep

“Ethniu was a spoiled little princess,” spat Mother Winter. “And Hungers are among the least of those Outside with whom he must contend. If this is the strongest the mortal world can offer, then perhaps this cycle will be its last.”

“Perhaps it will,” Mab agreed. “But that is not for you to decide. Nor me.” She tilted her head and stared at me unnervingly. “Note that he stands ready to do battle against us both, through he knows it hopeless.”

“That merely indicates his stupidity,” spat Mother Winter.

“Stupidity.” Mab mused. “Courage. The only difference is the outcome.”

“Pah,” the crone said. She lifted a weathered age-spotted hand and drew her hood back up over her face. “He comes of a line of thieves.”

“But daring ones,” Mab mused. “Effective ones.” pg. 403 Very daring

“Tell me, young bantam,” she said, and her rough voice was very soft, very smooth, something that could haunt a man for a lifetime. “Have you begun to dream the dreams yet?”

“What dr-“ I began.

And quicker than thought, she reached out with her open palm and struck my forehead.

It wasn’t the force of the blow that knocked me flat. It was a vast, echoing explosion that happened nowhere except between my ears. Imagine both ears popping, along with your jaw, along with the dizzying sensation you get when you suddenly stop spinning around, all happening at once. Now multiply it by several million. I could not feel the cold, cracked crystal floor of the chamber beneath me.” pg. 404 OH? What dreams?

“Mother!” Mab said sharply, though her voice sounded distant and frail. “How dare you!” pg. 404 Ha

“do you really think you can challenge me?” Mab lifted her chin.

And then she squared off on Mother Winter.” pg. 404 OHHH

“Arise, my Knight,” called the Queen of Air and Darkness. “Arise! ARISE!” pg. 404 She said it thrice

“Alfred,” I growled. “Prepare a cell for our guest.” pg. 405 It’s going down!

“Mother Winter went completely still.” pg. 405 Oh is Mother Winter afraid? Or hesitant?

“When over the eons I have fought thousands upon thousands, back into the dawn of Creation itself?”

I started calling Soulfire into my thoughts and will, and the runes in my staff suddenly flared with light, pure light, the echoes of the First Light, when darkness was on the face of the deep.

The crone hissed. She didn’t exactly flinch from the light. But she lowered her head until her hood shielded her eyes.” pg. 405 Someone doesn’t like Soulfire

“Then something creepy happened.

Mother Winter started to cackle. It was a dry, raspy sound. The sound of sandpaper on skin. The sound of broken glass scraping away at leather. The sound of dried stalks of grain falling before a scythe. It sent aches, real pain like I was no longer used to feeling, running through my joints and limbs, cramps and arthritis and ague all at once, and I had to fight to stay standing straight.

“Bold,” Mother Winter muttered. “Bold.”

She turned to Mab and swept into a stiff somehow mocking bow.

“Perhaps,” she croaked, “he will do after all.” pg. 406 Oh Mother Winter approves?

“Honestly,” Mab said, her voice rather startlingly human. “I don’t understand why Mother feels such a need to be so dramatic.”

I turned my head to her slowly and started to say something. But I must have been growing as a person or something. Because I took a deep breath instead and shut my mouth.” pg. 406 Ha he’s growing character development

“I must be growing even more, because I thought it might be impolitic to point out that Mab’s idea of safeguarding her own daughter’s interests has included asking me to assassinate her and standing by doing nothing while she died, precisely because Maeve had been compromised by Outsider influence.” pg. 407 More character development! Love to see it.

“Harry,” Thomas said, voice tight, desperate. “She’s going to torture Justine.” pg. 408 Yep it’s sad :(

“And a horrible thought hit me.

The Outsiders had been trying to crack into Demonreach for a while now. I assumed because they wanted to release the horrors that lay imprisoned in its tunnels.

But what if they’d gotten to Mab, the way they had to the Leanansihe?

What if she was about to trick me into letting more of them in?

Paranoid?

Yes, definitely. But I was up against beings that deserved paranoia.” pg. 409 Justified paranoia but I don’t think Mab is infected

“Mab was a nightmare herself. The queen of every dark and horrible storybook tale ever told.

But she was Mab. Always and absolutely.

I didn’t like her.

But I trusted her.

I respected her.

If Mab had fallen, we’re all screwed anyway.

And if I couldn’t extend trust for the sake of saving an innocent child and its mother, what was left that was worth fighting for?” pg. 409 Nice that Harry respects and trusts Mab but I don’t not after the stone table and waking him up earlier in the book

“Mother Summer. The crone Queen of her Court.” pg. 410 OH I guess everyone is invited to the party

“She wrecked the cottage,” Mother Summer said mildly, amused, “and threw her cleaver through the window. I haven’t seen her that worked up in ages. I think it was probably good for her to finally get out.” pg. 411 Ha, Harry made Mother Winter lose her cleaver twice now

“And Mab held out her arms.

Mother Summer’s expression firmed. “A moment. Let him hold his child.”

Mab lowered her arms and bowed her head.

My stomach sank.

Because I realized what was coming.

What I had asked for.” pg. 411 Oh no

“He took the child uncertainty, as if fearing the baby might simply explode if he did something incorrectly. Lara was beside him, showing him how to support the baby’s head and body.” pg. 412 Aww and come on Thomas your kid isn’t going to kill. You gotta support the head. Don’t let it flop around

“And I realized that I had a nephew.

I had more family.

I swallowed a lot. And blinked a lot. I didn’t cry, what with how manly I am. But the kid got blurry. Probably some kind of vampire thing.” pg. 412 Aww :)

“I’ll never be able to talk to her about him,” Thomas said. “Never be able to share how much I miss him. . . Because it would hurt her, too.” pg. 413 That’s so sad :(

“And the Queen of Air and Darkness stole my brother’s child.” pg. 413 Oh no :(

“It had been two weeks since I saved Thomas, Justine, and their son, and I still felt fairly crappy about the whole thing.” pg. 414 I also feel terrible about it

“He shook his head. “Damn. I missed a lot.”

“I know how you feel. Exactly.”

He considered that for a moment and then grunted. “When you were dead for a while.”

“Not much fun, is it?”

“No.” pg. 415 YEP

“And new apprentice,” I said. “So far, Council doesn’t know about him.” pg. 415 Good

“A year ago, that comment probably would have disturbed me. Now I just thought it was probably necessary to keep anyone from dying. I didn’t know if that meant I’d been corrupted on some level or if I’d just learned things. I wondered where the difference between those things lay. If there was a difference. There probably was. Maybe I’d need to be a lot smarter to know exactly where it was. Which meant I should probably be very, very careful.” pg. 416 Yep it’s still sad

“I think . . . “ he said slowly, and very quietly, “ . . . that . . . it would be best . . . if we didn’t speak for a while.”

I swallowed.

My chest hurt.

I felt hurt. I felt angry. Stars and stones, I had done my best. I had been falling to bits and had still done to do whatever I could. I hadn’t been thinking at my clearest and Mab had taken advantage of that, but I tried. So hard.

Deep breath.

All of that was true. But right now, it wasn’t about me.

Sometimes, when you care about someone, the only thing you can do to help them is give them space. Time. And be ready to talk when they are. Thomas was hurting, lost, disoriented in adjusting to a new life.

I know how that felt.

And I loved my brother.

I wanted to help him. But you can’t help someone who doesn’t want it yet.” pg. 418 Yep and good quote

“And that was the last I saw of my brother for a while.” pg. 418 So sad :(

“Maggie had begun doing gymnastics when she was small and had kept it up here and there” pg. 418 Good for her

“She went by me doing lazy-looking cartwheels. Bear had assured me that making it look that easy meant that my girl had real skill. I was probably feeling irrationally proud of her and figured that I was probably being a good father by doing so.” pg. 419 Yay

“So, he didn’t even say hello to me while he was here?” Maggie asked, as she went by in circles.

“I know, kid. I’m sorry. Thomas is hurting a lot right now.”

“But I made him pancakes.” pg. 419 Thomas left before pancakes. I’m glad that Thomas and Maggie are close

“Hey how is Bonea doing?” pg. 419 I wish we got more Bonea

“She’s still kind of a baby.”

“Oh my God.” Maggie sighed. “Yeah, she wants little-kid stuff on YouTube, all the time, and then she won’t stop asking me questions about why things don’t match up to Newtonian physics.” pg. 419 She’s just a baby

“Bob said he was almost forty before he really started understanding the world. But he’s over a thousand now, and I gotta be honest, he still only gets so much” pg. 419 Interesting

“How about you, Mouse?” I asked. “You still enjoying school?”

“Woof” Mouse said firmly, thumping his tail on the floor.

“I got him a pencil he can hold in his mouth so he can hit the arrow keys, and he reads books on my laptop,” Maggie said proudly. “He’s reading Narnia now.” pg. 421 Glad Maggie and Mouse are enjoying school

“Bear suddenly came on alert from where she’d been leaning on the wall, her bulk balanced.” pg. 421 Oh something’s about to happen

“I took it, frowning. In bright gold ink on the front side, it simply read in a neat, almost artistic hand, H. Dresden.” pg. 421 Formal

“It is my sincere hope that you enjoy your evening.

-Drakul” pg. 421 He’s planning something

“You got a handle on the castle’s functions now?”

“Uh. . .” he said. “I think?”

“Get them spun up,” I snapped.

The spirit had no need to gulp, but he’d learned enough context to make the noise anyway. “Um. Which ones?”

Bad guys coming here.

To my house.

I felt pure rage rising from my bones.

“All of them,” I snarled.” pg. 423 Let’s go!

“I came out of my upstairs room, ready to go, and almost tripped and fell over Matias.” pg. 424 Hi Matias

“he was carrying one of the shotguns from Marcone’s stash during the battle.” pg. 424 Marcone mention

“It’s happening again! It’s happening again! IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN!” pg. 424 Oh no poor Matias

“He gave me a rather grim smile. “My wife and some others insisted on learning shotgun.” pg. 425 Good for them

“Any luck, it won’t come to that,” I said and started down the hall for the stairway to the roof. “Get down there with them.”

I went several steps before he said, “I . . . I can’t.”

I stopped and turned to face him.

He struggled several times to swallow, and finally did, croaking out, “I can’t just hide. Wait. I can’t do that.” pg. 425 Poor Matias

“I strode onto the roof wearing my duster and my shield bracelet, carrying my staff in one hand. My newly restored blasting rod hung on its thong inside the duster. My mother’s old silver pentacle necklace with its red stone hung outside my black T-shirt, which read, in simple white text across my chest, FIND OUT. And I was feeling every bit of the shirt.

I hadn’t felt like this in a while.

It felt pretty good.” pg. 426 He’s so back baby! Look at him. All dressed up and ready to go

“Now, there,” she said, “is the seidrmadr I’ve heard about” pg. 426 428 Yay!

“Closed my eyes. Touched my fingers to the spot between and just above my eyebrows and opened my Sight, giving the street below a quick glance.” pg. 428 I hope that goes well

“And among the front lines on both sides, I could see auras of gleeful anticipation, rather than fear, around maybe thirty or forty of the participants, something feral and terribly hungry about them.” pg. 428 Oh dear

“I’ll be killing mortals, and the Council will come after me. Assuming I survive.” pg. 428 Yep using human shields

“And a tall, dark-haired man stepped out from between two of the houses across the street. He took off a baseball cap and a pair of sunglasses and swept me a mocking bow.

Lord Raith.” pg. 429 WHAT?! Stay back (spray bottle)

“Time to wizard up.” pg. 430 Ha

“Merlin’s fortress, they had called it, this castle. And it had been built not only to shelter and protect, but to channel magical energy as well. Its layered enchantments gave it a metaphysical mass far beyond the weight of mere stone. Magically speaking, it was made of a superdense substance like the material of a collapsed star.

And like that material, it had its own kind of gravity.” pg. 430 Cool!

“And even though everything seems to check out, they might not have put this place back together just right, you know? When Marcone brought it here?”

“He had a fallen angel whose providence is magic advising when he did,” I noted. “Marcone is a lot of things, but one thing him isn’t is incompetent.” pg. 430 Marcone mention! And yes Marcone is so competent. And I love that Harry knows that

“A month ago, I wouldn’t even considered this, much less actually tried it.

Either I’d been healing . . . or just getting crazier.

Or both. You know.

Things are rarely monolithic.” pg. 431 He’s healing!

“They were old. Stars and stones, I could feel the age bound within the rock, the slow memory of the witness of millennia passing like days.” pg. 431 Cool

“I planted myself in the rock and stone. Anchored myself in my thoughts, in myself, as that energy coursed over me in a tidal flood of power, because before those forces, I was a speck of dust. But I knew who I was.

I was a man.

I was a father.

I was a protector.

I was imperfect and flawed.

I was stubborn as hell.

I was a fighter.

I was a helper.

I was someone who would not stand by doing nothing when there was a clear need for action.

I was a wizard.

I was Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden.” pg. 432 YES!

“Power washed through me. Pure power. Power that could bring a forest erupting up through the streets of Chicago. Power that could level it flat. Power that could destroy those who made me afraid. Power that could wrap and bend and break reality itself.

Hell’s bells.

In that moment, I knew what it was to be a little-G god.

With power like that, there was no place for fear. No place for anger. No place for passion. No place for outrage. No place for desire.

Only focus.

Only balance.

Only restraint.

Only thought.

Only pure will.” pg. 433 Cool

“The storm boiled up out of absolutely nowhere, not a thousand feet above the street.” pg. 433 Cool

“Bob!” I screamed over the fury. “Oz me!” pg. 433 Love that they both know what that means

That's Part one

Onto Part two