Contents
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Overview
Harry half-dreams of Lara, then Mab appears and claims his feeding Lara Winter power has effectively delivered the White Court to Winter. Mab reveals Lara’s Hunger now craves that power and will make her pliable, pushing Lara toward Winter’s nature. Harry attacks Mab in fury, tastes intoxicating violence, then recoils. Resolving not to become Mab’s monster, he plans to confront the manipulation and consult Lara and Molly.
Summary
Exhausted after the energy work with Lara, Harry lies sleepless, his thoughts slipping into erotic imaginings. Suddenly Mab appears, straddling him, praising him for delivering the White Court. She offers a reward, implying his actions have achieved a major conquest for Winter.
Confused, Harry presses for answers. Mab explains that Lara has fed on him thrice and, through him, on Winter’s power. She frames magic as primal life-energy and says the White Court Hungers were bound to consume only meager portions—until Harry’s power gave Lara “ambrosia.” Lara’s Hunger will now desperately want more, making her pliable, and repeated exposure will push her nature toward Winter and toward alignment with Harry.
Realizing he was used to enslave Lara, Harry erupts. He attacks Mab, physically throwing and striking her. As he does, he feels an intoxicating surge of violent certainty and strength—like what he felt with Rudolph—until Mab recovers, delighted, and praises his instinct and aggression. She warns he cannot wield the Winter mantle without being changed and grants him until the wedding to choose his reward.
When Mab vanishes, Harry is shaken and ashamed, recognizing he was manipulated and rushed the high magic. He rejects Mab’s assertion that he is becoming wicked, asserting that only he can choose who he becomes. Determined to prevent Mab’s scheme from defining him or Lara, he resolves to act quickly and speak with Lara and with Molly.
Who Appears
- Harry DresdenProtagonist; learns Mab used his ritual to bind Lara’s Hunger to Winter, attacks Mab, resists corrupting rage, and plans next steps.
- MabQueen of Air and Darkness; reveals her manipulation, claims Harry has delivered the White Court, provokes his rage, sets a deadline for his reward.
- Lara RaithWhite Court vampire; subject of Harry’s ritual, now compelled by craving Winter power, central to Mab’s strategy and Harry’s dilemma.