Heartwarming / Peace Talks

• After Harry struggling with whether he should be involved in Maggie's life in previous books, this one picks up with him being a full-time dad to Maggie. Chapter 2 sees him making pancakes with her and Bonea and she's never far from his thoughts. Even in a high-stakes situation, he's briefly distracted when he remembers he has to book her a dental appointment.
  • There's also Thomas getting along with his nieces as he was the one who suggested making pancakes.
  • Crossing into awesome, Harry's refusal to take the path Ebenezar did with Margaret to protect her through hiding their connection. He tells Ebenezar point-blank that he will throw down with him if he tries hiding Maggie away for her own good.
  • Ebenezar getting to meet his great-granddaughter, especially given who she's named after. Despite the argument later, it's clear that he does care for her.
    "Maggie," he said quietly, and his voice sounded rough. "Hello, little lady."
  • Before heading out on a dangerous mission, Harry can't promise Maggie he'll return safely, but he does promise to do his best and that she'll be looked after if anything happens to him. His inner monologue then reveals an extensive set of arrangements he's made in the event of his death, including for Mab to arrange her magical tuition and for Mort Lindquist the ectomancer to bind his ghost as her personal guardian spirit.
• Harry and Murphy finally hook up and are honest about loving each other. It's enough that Harry regains True Love's protection from the White Court again.
  • Lara's genuine happiness at discovering Harry's newfound love, despite getting burned by contact, is both a Heartwarming and Funny moment.
• The book goes to great lengths to show Lara's more human side and all the ways she is not her father:
  • Despite Lara saying she might have to denounce Thomas to protect the White Court, she doesn't hesitate to burn the two favors owed to her by the Winter Court to save him.
  • The reveal that she's always known that McCoy was Thomas and Harry's grandfather, a fact that could've given her great leverage on all three of them. The reason she never did is because going after one's family is a line she'd never cross, especially because it would've harmed Thomas.
  • As she points out, her father wasn't the greatest parent (nor was Margaret Le Fay an attentive one), so it fell on her to bathe, feed, and dress Thomas as a baby. Given that White Court Vampires have difficulty conceiving, Thomas is not only her little brother but the closest thing she may ever have to a son.
  • Though she had trouble expressing herself, she admits that she does love Thomas; he's the only brother she has left in the world.
• Despite everything they go through, Ebenezar and Harry very clearly love each other, and pretty much everything the old man does is out of a genuine attempt to protect his grandson and great-granddaughter.
• A small one, crossed with Awesome: when Ferrovax sees through Harry's Perception Filter as he and Lara try and smuggle Thomas away from the Svartalves through the peace party, Vadderung immediately — and silently — makes it clear that if the dragon says a word or tries to attack them, he'd better be ready to throw down then and there.