What if Harry's Assumptions are Wrong?

[KurtinStGeorge]

Thomas is still able to feed -- see Lara feeding him energy in the boat at the end.

It's just that Thomas was beaten until his Hunger stopped healing the damage, because it was out of energy. It's like what the Naagloshi did to Thomas in Turn Coat, but without the delicate balance.

If Thomas had that love protection thing going from being with Justine he wouldn't have been able to feed and Lara would have been burned from just touching Thomas.  So we must draw the conclusion that either Jim made a mistake in letting Thomas feed energy from Lara, and I don't think Jim would make that obvious a mistake, or there is another explanation.  (If nothing else, several of Jim's BETA readers would have caught that error and pointed it out.) 

The other and more natural explanation is Thomas did go to feed his hunger, just as Harry recommended.  And where could Thomas go to feed in manner that would not cause harm to his partner?  To one of the ladies in the swarthalf court, most likely Evanna.  We haven't really met any other swarthalf ladies, so Evanna makes the most sense.

This would mean that Evanna lied to Harry and she's wrapped up in the conspiracy to kill Etri, probably  I'm not sure this entirely rules out Ebenezer's possible involvement.  Theoretically, with the use of the Blackstaff, Ebenezer could have put a mind whammy on both Thomas and Evanna.  What was the necessity for Eb to break through the Swarthalf defenses when he went to visit Harry?  Was Ebenezer really that annoyed by having to follow their protocols?  I didn't believe Eb would have to wait days to see Harry.  Eb could have sent a message to see Harry and met him a neutral location like Mac's.  So perhaps breaking the Swarthalf defenses allowed Ebenezer to get a close look at what he would be up against in order to more covertly penetrate their inner sanctums.  It's a bit of a stretch, but not an impossible one.   

That's an interesting thought. Add to that -- Lara's great victory was getting Thomas moved to Marcone's stronghold, where it turned out there was a glaring opening in his defenses. If this was his plot, you know he's got lots of video of Lara and Dresden breaking Thomas out.

I'm not sure how he'd provide what Thomas needs, though. He might be able to buy help with that from Odin, but why wouldn't Thomas be able to just buy that himself?

Aren't we missing something here?  Lara gets Harry's temporary service in which he must fulfill two favors for her.  When Nicodemus got Mab to loan him Harry, Nic had specific uses in mind for Harry; opening a way to Hades vault and getting through the Gate of Ice.  Lara never gave a hint that she needed Harry for any specific purpose.  Using Harry to get an introduction to Cristos seemed to me like a really minor use of one of her favors, but even if it was necessary it should have come at the expense of something else.  Using Harry to rescue Thomas was a necessity, but it still should have futzed up her original plans, assuming she had any.  Yet Lara never complained or even mentioned that some scheme she was working on had been derailed by Thomas' actions.  It's like Lara knew she would need Harry to rescue Thomas.

I hate to say this, but it's kinda weak writing.  If Lara set this up, even Harry should quickly be able to see through something so transparent.  If Lara didn't set up this situation, it's still not good because she should have been annoyed that Thomas upset her original plans.

[Mira]

Aren't we missing something here?  Lara gets Harry's temporary service in which he must fulfill two favors for her.  When Nicodemus got Mab to loan him Harry, Nic had specific uses in mind for Harry; opening a way to Hades vault and getting through the Gate of Ice.  Lara never gave a hint that she needed Harry for any specific purpose.  Using Harry to get an introduction to Cristos seemed to me like a really minor use of one of her favors, but even if it was necessary it should have come at the expense of something else.  Using Harry to rescue Thomas was a necessity, but it still should have futzed up her original plans, assuming she had any.  Yet Lara never complained or even mentioned that some scheme she was working on had been derailed by Thomas' actions.  It's like Lara knew she would need Harry to rescue Thomas.

I hate to say this, but it's kinda weak writing.  If Lara set this up, even Harry should quickly be able to see through something so transparent.  If Lara didn't set up this situation, it's still not good because she should have been annoyed that Thomas upset her original plans.

Yes,  I am beginning to feel that.. 

[Grifter]

It seems likely that Lara already knew of Thomas's capture when she and Mab talked with Harry.  They finalized the deal at the end of chapter six, and then a page later Harry arrives back at the complex to find it on fire.

Seems more likely that Lara's contacts told her about Thomas, she summoned Mab and asked to use the favors, Mab transported her to Harry's car where they informed him.  Then Lara just didn't tell Harry what it was about at the time.

[morriswalters]

No love protection for Thomas per Ghost Story.

[ClintACK]

Wait... was the introduction to Christos supposed to be one of the favors?

I thought only the breakout attempt was an official favor, and Lara still has one of those in the bank. (Which is particularly disturbing when you realize how furious she is at Harry right at the moment...)

Re: Thomas's love protection...

Thomas's true love with Justine should only protect him (and Justine) from being fed upon, it shouldn't stop him from feeding (except on Justine). And he only has the protection at all if Justine was his most recent lover -- every time he sleeps with a Svartalf, for example, he loses the protection.

[morriswalters]

Actually I should have said no true love protection for Justine.  Lara never would have been at risk of burning. And should have called it true monogamy.

[Grifter]

Wait... was the introduction to Christos supposed to be one of the favors?

I thought only the breakout attempt was an official favor, and Lara still has one of those in the bank. (Which is particularly disturbing when you realize how furious she is at Harry right at the moment...)

It's implied in the book that it's one of the favors.  Lara just sucks at picking her favors.  She probably could have easily persuaded Harry to introduce her *and* rescue Thomas without using a favor on either.

Presumably her favors are spent, because if she still had them, she could have ordered him to release Thomas in those first moments on Demonreach and he would have been forced to comply by the mantle.

[Second Aristh]

Could she have asked that favor, though?  Mab doesn't have that kind of authority over Harry's Warden hat.

Also, Mab says that Lara earned three favors but she already provided one.  Any ideas about the first favor?  My first thought was the wards on the Raith estate.

[Bad Alias]

That was my first thought as well, but I thing Gard the Second did that.

[Grifter]

Could she have asked that favor, though?  Mab doesn't have that kind of authority over Harry's Warden hat.

Also, Mab says that Lara earned three favors but she already provided one.  Any ideas about the first favor?  My first thought was the wards on the Raith estate.

Seems possible. There's been no other suggestion as to how Lara would have had it done. I was wondering if maybe we'd be seeing Lara take a turn to the Dark Side and start dealing with Outsiders like her father, but it would appear that she's going with Mab instead.

That was my first thought as well, but I thing Gard the Second did that.

That's a good possibility as well.

[Second Aristh]

That was my first thought as well, but I thing Gard the Second did that.

Yeah, one or the other for sure.  I thought it might have been a lot for one valkyrie to get through in the time since TC (although, on second thought, Shagnasty might have been an impetus to get that project started).

[Hagbard Celine]

One more thing in the "Eb set up Thomas" theory, is that Eb already demonstrated that he could get into the Embassy unannounced.  Would he be petty enough to remove Thomas from Harry in that fashion?  He clearly has an irrational grudge towards the Whampires.  There are just far too many possibilities at this point.  Heck, Goodman Grey could have impersonated Thomas and they could have just left the battered body there in the aftermath.  Who knows. 

Re-reading the opening chapters with Thomas, he really seems pensive, but I can't tell if it's because he's already gotten his "orders" or whether he's just off balance because of the whole Justine thing. 

I also am in the camp that thinks that Thomas isn't really saying Justine, but I have no idea whose name he could be saying. 

[Mira]

Seems possible. There's been no other suggestion as to how Lara would have had it done. I was wondering if maybe we'd be seeing Lara take a turn to the Dark Side and start dealing with Outsiders like her father, but it would appear that she's going with Mab instead.

   Very possible, but I want to know why out of the blue suddenly she goes to Mab to demand payment for favors? She was getting an insurance policy to cover her lovely ass.  She set it up, but who ever she set it up with double crossed her so Thomas would take the hit.  It isn't just love for her brother that drives her, but guilt.