What is Lara's problem? [PT Spoilers!]

[vultur]

Vultur, I simply don't think that Thomas encasing would have worked if that was not his name.

Certainly possible. I'm not that convinced that Thomas is fake. But it does seem suspicious.

And it might - sort of - be Thomas, and still be fake in another sense. Harry was able to cast spells through his glamour-double in PT, and feel what it felt. If that was a hint that Thomas is "fake"...

I am not sure how good Alfred would be at spotting this type of deception, he's not really meant to deal with beings on a mortal level, except his bond to his Warden.

   Also, Harry himself would have felt something when probing him mind in Demonreach.

He's unconscious then, so I'm not sure that tells us much.

[Bad Alias]

Happened to me a few times. You tell someone that nothing can be done and then you start thinking again and get back.

Sure, but something is definitely up with someone.

[Dina]

A Thomas projection could be possible, I think, but I don't think he is not Thomas. And I meant that I believe Alfred and Harry would have felt if a shape shifter was involved.

Lara goes from saying there is nothing she can do, then the next time she's on page, everything's changed because she has a plan? Suspicious right there.

I found that very suspicious too! And the favors too, specially the first one. I thought that literary speaking it was more useful to let us readers know how "owning a favor" feels. But from in character, I see no reason for Lara to do that. She just needed to talk a little with Harry, he would do it. And she won't need to spend a favor. Imagine how different things would have been if Lara still had a favor when they arrive to Demonreach.

[Bad Alias]

Yep.

[Mira]

  Anyone find it odd that just before Harry returns to the embassy compound, Lara pops up in the back of his car with Mab wanting to cash in on the three favors owed the White Court?

[Dina]

Not odd per se. I though Mab was planning something. And perhaps Lara herself had plans for the Talks that she changed due to what happened with Thomas.

[Mira]

Not odd per se. I though Mab was planning something. And perhaps Lara herself had plans for the Talks that she changed due to what happened with Thomas.

Oh the timing is very odd, as in suspicious that she and Mab indeed had planned something. Thomas got dragged into it, perhaps to protect Justine.  Pulling Harry into it to execute whatever "favor" owed to Lara was insurance that Thomas would survive, so she agreed to it.  As far as I know there are no rules about White Court Vamps lying, so she doesn't have to come clean to Harry about what really is going on.  What she hadn't planned on was perhaps how badly injured Thomas would be or that Harry would tuck him away in a cell on Demonreach.  This would account for her reaction, she realized in that moment that both she and Thomas were being used as pawns in Mab's four dimensional chess game..

[Dina]

Yes, I agree with you

[potestas]

Bad writing.

So - Lara just outright charges Harry with a knife?

Yeah, I know, "people are irrational about family" is one of the themes of the book. But Lara's White Court. She's been surviving in a really deadly society for a long time. She really ought to be more controlled than that.

Even without Demonreach, there wasn't much chance of that working out for her.

She was there in WN. She's seen what happens when a White Court vampire goes up against a combat-capable wizard; it ain't good for the vampire. Sure, she had Valkyrie backup, but Harry could have fried or frozen her just as quickly as he told the island to grab her - before Freydis could have done anything.

[potestas]

More bad writing

  Anyone find it odd that just before Harry returns to the embassy compound, Lara pops up in the back of his car with Mab wanting to cash in on the three favors owed the White Court?

[TrueMonk]

On the what of it is not Thomas, but a shape shifter; I don't think it is the case, but if it is that person is really hardcore. Facing being imprisoned forever and not flinching takes a lot of nerve.
Also, I think Jim said once that Grey could probably become Harry to a degree that he could use some or all of his wizard powers, bit that the transformation would be so complete that Grey would effectively be gone forever. Of course only Lara knows if that is the case, since she fed him and could have faked that. Then the charge would be to uphold the illusion.

With that being said, I don't think it is odd that she charges him. It seems a fair amount of people on the forums reasons that if you get to a certain position of power and responsibility all your actions will be well reasoned out and emotions will never affect that reasoning. So far the only ones in the series who seems to live up to that inhuman ideal are (suprise) the ones that are not human in any way. I guess the angels are the best, maybe only, example.

[vultur]

It seems a fair amount of people on the forums reasons that if you get to a certain position of power and responsibility all your actions will be well reasoned out and emotions will never affect that reasoning.

Not characters in general, but Lara specifically. Previously in the series she's been quite a bit colder and more controlled than she seems in this book. Not just the knife thing... she seems less in control of her Hunger, too.

And at one point in BR she seems ready to kill Thomas (she does shoot him)... I don't totally buy that she'd take such an extreme risk for him, or for anyone.

Even if Thomas really is Thomas*, something is odd with Lara. It almost reminds me of the way Harry was being affected by Lasciel's coin...

*and I'm leaning less toward the "fake Thomas" idea than I was a week ago, but mostly for "story" reasons; it seems like the emotional impact of this book would mostly have been a fake-out if that's the case.

[Mira]

Even if Thomas really is Thomas*, something is odd with Lara. It almost reminds me of the way Harry was being affected by Lasciel's coin...

 Yes, something odd, but I doubt it has anything to do with a coin.   I am convinced that there was some double dealing going on and Mab is behind it.  That is why she was granting the payment of favors in advance, and just what the favors were were unclear.

*and I'm leaning less toward the "fake Thomas" idea than I was a week ago, but mostly for "story" reasons; it seems like the emotional impact of this book would mostly have been a fake-out if that's the case.

I never thought Thomas was a fake, I agree that Alfred would have spotted it even if Harry missed it.
I still think Lara's violent reaction on the island came from the realization that both she and Thomas were used by Mab as pawns in her four dimensional chess game.  I think one of the favors granted by Mab was the safety of Thomas if he pulled it off, she didn't anticipate that he'd be thrown half dead in stasis in a cell on Demonreach.  Mab would simply say, "you wanted him safe, he is safe." Lara would also think Harry was in on that one.  Thomas agreed to do whatever to keep Justine safe. 
Perhaps Mab promised to keep the baby Hunger asleep so it couldn't feed off of Justine.

[Arjan]

Lara was always in control because her hunger was always well fed.

[vultur]

Lara was always in control because her hunger was always well fed.

Sure, but then why is she already not totally in control earlier in the book, before she gives energy to Thomas?

I mean, it's been established since BR that when the White Court are really hurt or really low on energy they can lose control. But Lara not being 100% in control when everything is going well seems very unlike her.

Yes, something odd, but I doubt it has anything to do with a coin.

Oh, it's not necessarily a Fallen as the source - but I think the way she is acting is kind of reminiscent of Harry under Lash's influence, and maybe implies some sort of external influence.

I am convinced that there was some double dealing going on and Mab is behind it. That is why she was granting the payment of favors in advance, and just what the favors were were unclear.

Oh definitely. I'm kind of thinking Mab might have done something to Lara's mind, like she did to Harry in SmF. That might even have been the first favor - maybe Lara needs to not know something during the talks, or something of that sort.