He leaned back in his chair a bit, relaxing, and the illusion of unremarkable humanity that covered the svartalf went liquid and translucent. Beneath the surface illusion, his expression was relaxed and pleasant. His frown vanished, and he picked up his book again. Please let me know when your duties permit you to spare the time. Austri was the svartalves in a nutshell. It takes all kinds, you know?
Adding more checks did mean more security, even if it was occasionally applied somewhat maliciously by guys like Gedwig here. But some days it chafed, and this was one of them. We slipped into the apartment and found it still dim and dark and cool. It had lights that worked, and a radio that worked, and hot water that worked, and an AC that worked, and I had no idea how the clever folk had managed that.
The svartalves were famous craftsmen. Word was, if you wanted something made, they could make it. Maybe I should get Molly to ask for a TV. Or an Internet. One of those Internet thingies. I figure everyone is so insane about the Internet, there must be something cool there. I leaned down to rub the base of his ears the way he liked, which he received with great magnanimity, before dismissing me to continue my day.
My daughter was still sleeping on the couch, covered by a heavy blanket. Next to her lay a shaggy grey behemoth about the size of a Budweiser horse, my Temple dog, Mouse. He just yawned and wriggled into a slightly more comfortable position before huffing out a breath and going back to sleep. They both sighed in their sleep and went motionless again. Thomas usually busied himself with coffee in the kitchen at moments like this.
But today, he stepped up beside me and stood there, looking at the girl and the dog. I turned to look at him. A faint sad smile mixed in with the other expressions on his face. We both turned back to the sleeping child. A sense of. There she was, sleeping, happy, healthy—safe. I took a deep stabilizing breath. Weariness fled, not from my body, but from somewhere deeper and infinitely more important.
My brother exhaled at the same time and thumped his fist on my shoulder. Then he turned for the kitchen and I headed for the shower. I broiled myself for as long as seemed appropriate, and as I was getting dressed I heard voices from the kitchen. I eyed Thomas, who was sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee.
He spoke in kind. I savored the perfection that is coffee and enjoyed that first swallow before responding. I took my cup into the kitchen and heard Thomas get up to tag along. Better inside that wooden one than mine, let me tell you. Which made her. I lifted my eyebrows.
He returned it with a guileless smile. That sounded like the makings of a huge mess to me. Mouse gave me what I swear was a smug look and licked his chops.
It would be extra work to clean up afterward—but it would probably be good for Maggie to try it. And let me know if you need help with anything, punkin. Thomas put on a serious expression and widened his eyes a little at Maggie. Tell you what. This wasn't the book I was hoping for.
It's better. Jim Butcher has long proven he can juggle multiple threads of political intrigue, personal drama, and threat with a masterful use of action and tension Every book in the series is a great adventure.
I take them out and reread them when I am sad, or bored, or happy--or I happen to walk by one even though I have a lot of other things I should be doing. When a new one comes out, I plan on taking the day off. Never miss a beat! Before leaving, they witness the arrival of Listen , King Corb , and Ethniu as they kill all of the mortal guards outside the castle. They pass within the Brighter Future Society castle, killing human attendants as they go, with Dresden staying to witness while Murphy and everyone else flee toward Demonreach.
Dresden witnesses Ethniu , the last Titaness, strike down Mab with ease and then declare war on Chicago and any Accorded nations who attempt to stop her. This coincides with a fierce attack on the Outer Gates. In the aftermath of Ethniu's departure, leaving no power to the city, Marcone rallies the Accorded nations to defend it even as Dresden sprints for the marinas.
He arrives just in time to prevent Blackstaff McCoy from burning down the Water Beetle , as he was under the impression that Lara had subverted Dresden. Before Ebenezar can bear down on everyone on his flying rock, Dresden sends his consciousness into Molly's ectoplasmic construct, and steps forward before Ebenezar. The two duel, Ebenezar winning, so Dresden reveals that Thomas is his grandson in order to distract him.
This enrages Ebenezar, but before he can blast a comet of fire at the fleeing Water Beetle , Dresden jumps at Ebenezar and takes the shot instead. Horrified, Ebenezar holds Dresden's body long enough for the Water Beetle to get out of range, at which point Dresden releases the construct, causing his body on the dock to dissolve into ectoplasm as he returns to his own body on the Water Beetle.
Murphy makes Dresden promise to talk to Ebenezar afterward, and they then arrive at Demonreach. Lara used her own reserves to keep Thomas alive during the trip, so Dresden brings Thomas to Demonreach, where he consigns him to the Well below, keeping him protected against his Hunger while in the stasis of the prison. Lara misunderstands this and attacks Dresden, but he disables her and Freydis, at which point she accuses Dresden of holding Thomas hostage. Dresden disavows doing so and they come to a mutual agreement to fight Ethniu, with Demonreach revealing that he can trap Ethniu in the Well below — if she is brought to the shores of Lake Michigan, and Dresden uses the Athame from the armory.
Dresden and his companions then return to Chicago to defend against an invasion of Fomor and a bonafide Goddess. Dresden Files Explore. The Dresden Files. Humans Practitioners Non-humans Creatures.
Style Guide Contact us Tazenda Ursuul. Explore Wikis Community Central. Register Don't have an account? Peace Talks. Edit source History Talk 0. I have stood by doing nothing for too much of my life. I have watched holy place after holy place fall to the mortals. Forest after forest. Sea after sea. They dare to walk where they were never meant to walk.
And as they do, the divine retreats, withers, dies.
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