Peace Talks (the Dresden Files, #16)

Peace Talks, the sixteenth installment in the Dresden Files series, follows Harry Dresden, a professional wizard and private investigator in Chicago who serves as the Winter Knight, the mortal enforcer of Queen Mab of the Winter Court of Faerie.

During an early-morning run, Harry's half brother Thomas Raith, a vampire of the White Court (psychic vampires who feed on life energy), reveals that his human lover Justine is pregnant. The baby's parasitic Hunger will feed on Justine continuously, giving her only a fifty percent chance of surviving delivery. Shortly after, Carlos Ramirez, a Warden (combat wizard) of the White Council of Wizardry, announces that all signatories of the Unseelie Accords, the supernatural world's diplomatic framework, have been called to a peace summit in Chicago. The Fomor, an undersea nation that rose after the Red Court of Vampires was destroyed, have requested the talks. Harry is assigned to provide security for the Senior Council, the White Council's ruling body of senior wizards, and to serve as liaison with the Winter Court.

Harry lives in the embassy of the svartalves, a supernatural craftsman race, in an apartment belonging to Molly Carpenter, the Winter Lady (one of Winter Faerie's ruling queens) and Harry's former apprentice. He shares the space with his daughter Maggie, his Temple dog Mouse, a supernatural guardian animal, and Bonea, a spirit of intellect that formed within Harry's own mind. Harry develops conjuritis, a magical illness that causes him to sneeze and involuntarily conjure ectoplasmic objects throughout the story.

Harry's grandfather, Ebenezar McCoy, a Senior Council member who secretly serves as the Blackstaff (the Council's sanctioned assassin), brings urgent news: A faction is maneuvering to strip Harry of his Council membership. The timing is suspicious, with Harry's allies sent to the summit while the vote occurs, suggesting the Black Council, a shadowy cabal within the White Council, is behind the plot. Ebenezar is hostile toward Thomas, not knowing Thomas is his grandson through Ebenezar's deceased daughter Margaret. A bitter argument erupts when Ebenezar insists Harry should hide Maggie for her safety; Harry counters that Ebenezar's own hidden daughter still died and that Maggie needs her father present.

Harry visits Karrin Murphy, his romantic partner and former police detective, who is recovering from devastating injuries inflicted by the villain Nicodemus Archleone. Her doctor says she may achieve only fifty percent of basic function. Internal Affairs detectives present surveillance photos linking Harry and Murphy to a previous heist, suggesting someone is pulling strings against them. Meanwhile, Mab and Lara Raith, the de facto queen of the White Court, order Harry to repay two favors the Winter Court owes Lara during the summit, whatever she demands.

Everything shatters when the svartalf embassy catches fire. An assassin penetrates the stronghold, sets explosions, and tries to kill Etri, king of the svartalves, killing a svartalf guard in the process. Harry finds the beaten assassin in a detention cell: It is Thomas, who manages to croak Justine's name before dissolving into sobs. Harry sends Maggie to the Carpenter home, supernaturally protected by angelic guardians, and promises Justine he will keep Thomas alive.

While Harry searches for signs that someone may be threatening Justine, Ebenezar confronts him again, demanding he abandon Thomas. Their argument is interrupted when thirteen cornerhounds, horse-sized Outsider monstrosities from beyond reality, attack. During the battle, Ebenezar reveals Harry is starborn, born during a cosmic alignment occurring once every 666 years, granting him immunity to Outsider mental corruption and unique power against them. Harry banishes all thirteen through sheer will.

At Château Raith, Lara confirms political rescue is impossible: Any overt action would be taken as proof she sent Thomas to kill Etri. Harry is Thomas's only chance. Ramirez and his Wardens intercept Harry, warning that the White Council considers him a threat, deepening the rift between them. Harry summons Molly and strikes a Faerie bargain: Molly builds him a dark opal ring capable of projecting an ectoplasmic duplicate and an enchanted spider-silk suit, in exchange for a future obligation.

At the opening fete in the castle of John Marcone, Chicago's crime boss turned supernatural Baron and host of the summit, Harry observes the assembled supernatural powers. Lara, aided by Cristos, a Senior Council wizard, has convinced Etri to transfer Thomas to the castle for holding. Having used the first of her two favors to direct Harry's actions during the summit, Lara now calls in the second: Harry must help break Thomas out during the next night's event.

Harry and Murphy plan a bloodless extraction using Murphy's knowledge of the castle layout, including a privy shaft running to the basement near the holding cells. Despite Harry's objections, Murphy cuts off her casts to participate, and they exchange "I love you" for the first time. The extraction unfolds at the second reception: Harry stages a diversion, descends the shaft with Lara, and finds Thomas skeletal and barely conscious, his Hunger cannibalizing his body. They smuggle Thomas out under a blending potion's concealment. Ferrovax, a dragon, sees through the disguise, but Vadderung, the Norse god Odin in mortal guise, silently intervenes.

Outside, the Fomor arrive. King Corb, their ruler, commands soldiers who massacre the castle staff with suppressed weapons. Inside the great hall, the massive cloaked figure accompanying Corb reveals herself as Ethniu, daughter of Balor, the Last Titan. She denounces the Accorded nations for living peacefully with mortals and opens the Eye of Balor, a mythological weapon of mass destruction. Its blast destroys power stations and electronics across Chicago. The city goes dark. Ethniu announces the Fomor will march at the witching hour.

The Accorded nations rally. Marcone leads the defense. Vadderung offers five hundred Einherjaren (his supernatural warrior retainers) and pledges to seal the Ways, supernatural travel paths, within the city. Other signatories commit forces. Mab reveals that Winter's armies are urgently needed at the Outer Gates, reality's ultimate boundaries, which are under simultaneous attack, confirming Ethniu's alliance with the Outsiders and that the timing is coordinated. Harry slips out to finish saving Thomas.

At Burnham Harbor, Ebenezar blocks the Water Beetle, Harry's boat, from departing toward Demonreach, Harry's prison-island stronghold. Harry confronts Ebenezar using the glamour construct from Molly's ring while his real body hides aboard. The construct reveals the truth: Thomas is Ebenezar's grandson through Margaret. Overwhelmed by the revelation that Lord Raith fathered a child with his daughter, Ebenezar loses control and fires a lethal energy bolt through the construct's chest. The construct dissolves, and Harry's consciousness returns to his body on the boat. He weeps: His grandfather nearly killed him.

On Demonreach, an island prison built by the original Merlin to contain thousands of supernatural threats, Harry places Thomas in stasis using the Contemplation protocol. The binding holds Thomas's Hunger dormant, shields him from tracking magic, and keeps him alive, but Thomas remains imprisoned until Harry releases him; if Harry dies, Thomas stays trapped forever. Lara attacks, believing Harry destroyed her brother, but Harry uses the island's power to restrain her and explains the situation. They reach a cold truce. Harry retrieves weapons from the armory, including a binding crystal and a ritual knife stolen from Hades. The island's spirit guardian confirms Demonreach can hold even a Titan if Harry performs the binding.

On the return voyage, Harry and Murphy confront the unprecedented scale of what is coming: a supernatural army openly attacking a major city, an event that will shatter the separation between mortal and supernatural worlds. Murphy insists on fighting despite her injuries. They hold hands and watch candles flickering in the dark city as the Water Beetle heads toward shore, carrying whatever hope they can muster. The story continues in Battle Ground.