“I was getting tired of being in an endless succession of things called “the fight of a lifetime.” Just once, I’d like to have the fight of a Tuesday afternoon.”

The night-haunts never lie. They could, if they wanted to, but they don’t really see the point. The truth is so much more dangerous than a lie.

Life is starting to look up for Toby; she’s dating again, she’s taken on Quentin as her squire, she’s discovered she’s something called a Dochas Sidhe (more on that in a later book), May has moved in, and no one has tried to kill her in a while. Of course, because this is October Daye we’re talking about, this is when the Luidheag comes to call in all of Toby’s debts: Patrick and Dean Lorden, the children of Dianda and Patrick, Queen and Consort of the Kingdom of Saltmist, have been kidnapped. Unless Toby manages to find them within three days, war will be declared between the Land and the Sea and the bodies will start piling up. Can Toby succeed, especially when she realizes that whoever took the boys is not playing by Oberon’s Laws, and the closer she gets to answers, the more this case starts hitting close to home?

And Seanan Mcguire once again hits it out of the park. Toby is 98% firing on all cylinders; I say 98% because she is now officially dating Connor, who’s marriage to Rayseline has been annulled (I guess trying to kill your mother isn’t good for your marital status), and I am judging Toby for that. I will also judge McGuire for the sex scene in this book; I had horrid flashbacks to sitting in Disneyworld waiting for my parents to get off the Aerosmith roller coaster and reading Laurell K. Hamilton’s A Kiss of Shadows (what is with people writing Selkies finishing the act and barking like seals? Can we not make that a thing?)

Raj starting to become Toby’s unofficial second squire is great, as is how truly grumpy Tybalt is about it; you’re the one who has ghosted Toby for a month Tybalt, you can’t now complain about how much has changed. More May is always great, as is more Luidheag, and Danny. And this is the book that introduces two of my favorite characters: Dianda “if all I have is a fist then everyone has extremely punchable faces” Lorden and her husband Patrick “I’m the calm one because the situation doesn’t need two incredibly rage-filled people” Lorden. Plus, Dianda wanders around on land most of the time sitting in a wheelchair with a tail, like some kind of ultra-violent Bette Midler as the Divine Miss M.

Hopefully, anyone who saw a woman riding a screaming mermaid in a wheelchair down Leavenworth at a quarter to five in the morning would just think they’d had too much to drink.

I just wasn’t anticipating Goblin assassins with crossbows pushing me into a situation where the only viable exit involved riding a mermaid’s wheelchair into the marina.
Sometimes I think my life is too complicated.

Of course, all the good characters are offset by some truly annoying ones; Rayseline once again  makes an appearance (at this point in the story, boo), Toby’s daughter Gilly shows up (meh), as does Clifford (Toby’s ex-can we have a fatal house fire on order here?), as well as his wife Miranda (death by fire ants would probably be too good for this one, and that’s at this point in the story), never mind the Queen of the Mists,

Um, hello?” I raised a hand. “Not a traitor, and the Queen told us where to find you. Or do you think that we’re such major badasses that we fought our way through the knowe to come and loiter at you in an imposing fashion? Because I’ve got to say I’m flattered.

or Connor.

to all of them.

There is an event at the end of the book that I suppose you’re supposed to be sad about, but I’m certainly not. Though seeing as what it is, about who it is, and the Luidheag is involved, I’ve always wondered if it didn’t go quite as she said. Not that I would blame her, but I’ve always wondered. (And I know that is annoyingly, confusingly vague, but I’m trying to avoid spoilers.)

I am really enjoying my re-read of the series counting down the days until the release of the latest book, and can’t wait to hit the next one, Ashes of Honor; that’s when things really start getting good.

Quotes I Love But Couldn’t Find A Use For: 

You know what “sorry” does? Sorry doesn’t do a da*n thing.

 

‘Boring’ is not a virtue.

A cat that looks bored is a cat that’s getting ready to pounce.

 

Did you find anything?
Nothing of interest. People fleeing. Poorly trained guards unable to believe an attack would occur within a royal knowe, thus proving that they possess an insufficient grasp of historical fact.

 

I love ‘sort of,’ I said dryly. It’s such a beautifully useless phrase.

 

Okay, I’ll be in my room if you need me. Please don’t need me.

 

See, Quentin, that’s why you should wear a cup before trying to assassinate someone.