A huge theme in this book was that the Sidhe are titanically powerful, and we're all here wondering if some wizard stole something from a being more wise and experienced than /Mab/, who, lets remember, was running the long con this whole book. I find it far more likely that (assuming it's Mother Winter's) the staff was taken through some trickery orchestrated by a full Queen or Mother Summer, most likely the latter because of Summer's role in limiting the power of Winter upon mortals. Probably had more to do with a fae, and probably involved a bumbling wizard who didn't really know much about what was going on. Probably he/she got one of those lovely "rock and a hard place" choices. Merlin?

Hi, everyone, first post.

With regard to Uriel's seven words: Uriel says that Mab is lying, but we know she is incapable of lying (Mr. Butcher thoughtfully wrote us a scene in this very book in which Dresden reminds us of this). On the other hand, nowhere is it said the Uriel is incapable of lying. He certainly seems to find it distasteful, but presumably he is capable of it, especially when issues of cosmic balance are involved.

The Fallen sent Harry along one path with a seven word* lie. It seems logical that Uriel would think it fitting to give him back his free will with another (a white lie in this case, and one that gives Harry the, perhaps misguided, courage to stand up to Mab). Bottom line: Harry is wrong. Mab has more control over him than he thinks she does.