I hope you are right.

I really hope she does.

I want to see how Eb reacts and I definitely want to read the conversation with Thomasif he's woken up.

It's pretty straightforward.

Both Mab and Lara want the additional power that an alliance gives them. It was just settling the terms of how the alliance would be formalized that was shocking.

Mab acts out of harsh necessity. And she's been doing it so long that she just snaps off orders that she expects her retainers to instantly obey. Indeed most of them literally can't disobey. She thus has no patience for questions, gives no thought to emotion and sees no need for tact. Harry frustrates her mainly because he insists that she explain and justify her orders and he's the only person she employs that does so. But Harry gets results, she doesn't have to hold his hand or leash all the time and after his experience with the Banner, he understands the burden she carries. She respects him and even likes him.

Lara is a cold calculating monster but she does have limits.  Her given word can be trusted and she will go to the wall for loyal family.  She wants the alliance because if you're in with Mab, then Mab is all in with you assuming you aren't betraying her. Harry is the seal on the alliance and he's loyal to family also. And Lara has expressed her attraction for Harry on multiple occasions, usually as a temptation but with some underlying honesty. She may have wanted the marriage with Harry as the seal on the alliance, but I'm pretty sure she wanted some time to arrange things.

So Mab gave the shotgun wedding order with her usual lack of tact and consideration. Harry and Lara both nearly rebelled to the point of open defiance and Mab relented slightly(but not openly) to the one year deal. Molly, being someone who can't disobey, was just left to suck it ip.

Mab has a very simple option to remove Harry's protection at any time and Harry would be duty bound to acquiesce to it

If she feels it's necessary, she'd do so in a heartbeat.

Carlos is just making bad decisions because of PTSD.

When he sees Harry on the beach, he's still recovering from his injuries from Cold Case. Then when he confronts Harry on the road, Harry threatens him with Molly. Harry isn't blameless here but he he the bullseye on Carlo's damaged psyche unknowingly and it makes Carlos react to an extreme.

Then at the end of Peace Talks, Carlos is dealing with Harry's use of him as a distraction. Embarrassing any man is playing with fire, but especially so with Hispanics. Then at the funeral, Carlos is dealing with the deaths of Wild Bill, Chandler and Yoshimo and feels that his only other friend, Harry, has betrayed his trust.

A lot of the tension in this dynamic would be helped(not solved) if they could rewind after the big battle over a beer but both have duties that keep them apart and the ill feelings just fester.

Maybe the Librarians are already on the job. Vadderung hinted as much.

Harry has the real Shroud.

We know that Marcone has one trait of decency about harming or involving children, especially the wounded girl. Marcone would do almost anything to save her, that is the driving motivation that led him to where he is today. 

So if Harry is ever in desperate straits and needs a favor from Marcone, he can offer the use of the shroud(preferably on the shore of Demonreach).

JB is a big Black Company fan and clothes like these were a big part of the last series of Black Company books. The main character even killed the Big Bad by pushing a bomb next to her while being wrapped in 3 layers of it.