Question #1: I doubt that it is important who did it.  Maybe we will find out when if Harry summons Ethniu to do something horrible to another monster that is a much larger threat, so that it makes the possibility of losing control of Ethniu worth the risk.

Question #2:  I seriously doubt that Ebenezer is a denarian.  It's a good hypothesis because it fits the facts, but as Yuillegan points out, it doesn't make a great deal of sense for Ebenezer to have made such a deal.  So, I have to ask myself if there another hypothesis that fits the facts, and I think there is. 

Why is hellfire red?  (I feel like Sir Bedevere in Monty Python and the Holly Grail.)  It's not because it uses fire magic or that it comes from some kind of hellish volcano filled with red lava.  It's symbolic of the red hot anger of the Fallen ones.  Yuelligan tells us that Ebenezer is barely in control of his actions.  In fact, Eb will lose control and would have killed Harry if Harry had actually been on the dock.  Ebenezer is about to use black magic because he's incredibly angry and believes that he is right and is doing the right thing.

Therefore, my hypothesis is all black magic; or at least all black magic motivated by anger, is red or of a reddish color.  Whereas, Harry's normal fire magic; or any regular fire magic used by any other wizard who uses it, is red because the fire they call forth is using oxygen for it's fuel.

I didn't actually want to talk about the Swartalves, but everyone else did so I'll jump in.  When I wrote the Thomas would "balance the scales" I meant just that.  I don't believe that Thomas' problem with the Swartalves will be solved by proving that Nemesis coerced him.  I suspect that Thomas will do something overt that squares his debt with the Swartalves. 

It might be something dramatic like Errol Flynn playing Robin Hood or Captain Blood.  Captain Blood is better.  Thomas comes off better as a pirate than a merry man.  Thomas saves Mr. Etri's life or the life of a family member or several Swartalves.  I'm not saying Thomas will appear as a KotC, though I suppose that could happen too.  However it happens, Thomas will do something that literally balances the scales in the Swartalves eyes.  If she's around, Mab may be impressed as well; setting up, or at least suggesting, Thomas as the next Winter Knight.       

Agreed. Can't stand wrestling.

Gods who need worship would become celebrities, athletes, actors, singers. I could see some of the Greeks becoming reality tv stars- though I dislike reality tv more then wrestling, it fits with their narcissisms. Particularly given Naricssis is Greek himself.

I'm also, not a fan of wrestling.  However, I could totally get behind the idea of minor ancient deities; and almost but not quite forgotten major ones, reappearing as reality TV stars, but also as so-called Influencers; whether on Instagram, YouTube or any social media platform.  Getting "Likes" seems to me to be a perfect fit for an old deity craving some form of worship.

However, I can't see a major deity like an Athena or Zeus going the above routes.  Pride was also a weakness of some of these deities, so I think they would want to do something that would give them the appearance of dignity or sagacity.  With that idea in mind, perhaps some old deities could be seen on Bloomberg News making predictions about the future of the economy or market, or perhaps as a so-called political, legal or military expert who makes regular appearances on any of the major news networks.   

(Yes, I understand why some people would have liked to respond to a certain post but, let's not feed the trolls.)  Instead, let's get this discussion back on track by taking it in a new direction.  I think there have been some good points on both sides of this discussion.  However, I come down in a slightly different place.  I think Harry has a weakness; well more than one, but in this case he has an inability to see himself as others see him.  OK, doing that is a difficult thing for many people; maybe most people, to do.  However, in this case Harry has had many, many clues; which if he had paid attention to them, might have allowed him to be proactive and at least attempt to get ahead of the problem he had with Ramirez and company in Peace Talks. (I know, it's confusing so far, just go with me a little further and it should become clear or somewhat clear.)

What are the clues Harry has been ignoring or not paying enough attention to?  Look at the constant pattern of suspicion Harry has faced since he seemingly returned from the dead as the new Winter Knight.  Sarissa didn't trust him.  Bob didn't trust him.  Murphy didn't fully trust him; at least not initially.  Fix didn't trust him.  Lily didn't trust him; again, at least not at first.  Butters didn't trust Harry's story about being being dead and later he didn't trust Harry at all.  With the exception of Lily who was more worried about the possible infection from Nemesis, the rest of those characters were afraid that Mab had changed Harry for the worse.  However, it doesn't end there.  Harry knows that whenever he is seen with Thomas or Lara Raith, it's not a good look.  The reputation of the White Court of vampires brings some taint to whoever would willingly associate with them.  Most people would have realized they had a problem and needed to become proactive in addressing it, but not Harry.  He shouldn't have been surprised that at least some of the younger wardens might be concerned, and might even be worried that he was no longer the Harry Dresden they used to know. 

Michael, Molly and Thomas are the only people who didn't automatically think "Harry may be a monster or becoming a monster" when he returned.  However, Molly's judgement was warped before she became one of the fae (mostly by being around Lea) and Thomas notices a new predatory behavior being demonstrated by Harry; but Thomas thinks of himself as a monster, so he doesn't make any negative judgements about Harry.  Thomas just warns Harry that he needs to learn to control what's going on inside of him.  Of course, Michael doesn't prejudge Harry because he's Michael, but also because Harry came to him looking for help.  Oh yea, there's Mac, but is Mac really human?

I've actually thought through why Harry lacks this self-awareness, but why go there.  I'm not sure how deeply Jim thought it through when he created Harry.  In any case, I think Harry had exactly one opportunity to attempt to reach out to Carlos Ramirez before everything went to hell.  That opportunity was right at the beginning of the novel when Warden Ramirez showed up on the beach where Harry and Thomas were running together.  (Caveat, I haven't reread Peace Talks or Battle Ground.  To be honest, as time passes the less I like either of them, though there are parts of them I like.) 

Harry notices that Carlos is paying attention to the ridiculous amount of weight he is working out with.  That was the time for Harry to (attempt) to reassure an old friend that he was still the same person, more or less.  Once it was demonstrated to Harry; by the road block and tracking devise, that even his old friends no longer trusted him, Harry wasn't going to meet them halfway or compromise with them in any way.  It's not in Harry's nature to react well to threats.  As far as being associated with the White Court, it would have also been a good idea if Harry had come up with a good reason why he should be seen with Thomas by a member of the White Council.  He's had plenty of time to realize that might be a good idea, but Harry isn't very good at lying, so he hasn't even tried to think of a good excuse.

At the scene on the beach, I don't think it would have been unreasonable for Harry to say something along these lines: "Carlos, I know you must be wondering if I'm still the same person I used to be.  I've had a lot of people who have been worried about exactly the same thing."  I don't know what Harry would have said after that, other than it would have had to have been very short, and probably included a promise to sit down and talk in more detail later.  Would such a statement made a difference?  I don't know, but at least Harry wouldn't have come off as clueless as he did when the Wardens stopped him after his meeting with Lara.

As far the White Court issue goes, that is a much more problematic issue for Harry to deal with.  I suppose Harry could have said something like, "Baron Marcone, the White Court and a group of vigilantes have created a temporary alliance against the Fomor here in Chicago.  (Implying Harry is the primary vigilante in question.) Sometimes this requires discussions and negotiations between allies."  While it wouldn't have been a lie, it's way more devious than Harry usually is with friends.  So even though I think it would have been a good idea, it would have been out of character for Harry to do this.  I suppose Harry might have told Carlos that Captain Luccio knows why he meets with Thomas Raith, but that would have become very complicated, very quickly.  Harry might have had to give Ramirez a letter to take to Luccio to confirm what he said was true and hope Captain Luccio wouldn't decide that now was a good time to be concerned enough to reveal the entire truth to Ramirez and the rest of the White Council.
       
I think Harry had one other opportunity to reach out to Ramirez.  I've written about this idea before in another thread.  After Warden Ramirez read Harry the demands from the White Council and Harry responded, there might have been an opportunity for Harry to reach out to Carlos as an individual.  Harry might said something like this: "Warden Ramirez! You wanted to know about secrets I've been keeping.  OK then, come closer and put a veil or other spell over us so no one else can hear this.  Remember how I exposed Wizard Peabody as a traitor at Morgan's trial?  There's something I didn't tell the White Council at that trial.  Peabody wasn't alone when he attacked the Senior Council members on that island and killed at least one warden.  I know that for a fact.  But no, I don't know who the other person is, but there is another traitor on the White Council.  Now ask yourself, who on the Council are you going to report this information to?  Because, if you tell the wrong person you may be signing your own death warrant.  Watch your back.  And that is the least dangerous secret I know."  Perhaps telling Ramirez something like that might pay future dividends.  Of course, that assumes Ramirez would believe anything Harry said at that point.     



 

You are correct, but Carlos is of Spanish rather than Latino descent.

His model is Zorro.

If Ramirez grew up in So. Cal, it wouldn't make any difference.  He would speak like everyone else he went to school with.  I've seen situations just like this occur on more than one occasion.

Getting back to the OP, go back and listen to the way Marsters plays Rashid from novel to novel.  It changes in almost every book. 

All I know is when Murphy reappears she will be PO'd. 

Murphy - "Harry, why didn't you tell me you talked to my father?"
Harry - "Hey Murph.  Ah, how did you know about that?  I thought you were in Valhalla."
Murphy - "Don't dodge the question mister.  OK, I am there most of the time, but Uriel gave my dad a job that took him to my neighborhood."
Bob - "Gee boss.  She even orders you around from the afterlife."
 

This thread begs a different question.  So, Toot is getting noticeably larger and so is Lacuna.  The guard must also be getting larger though not to same degree as Toot Toot.  The White Council members present were noticeably disturbed when Harry summoned an army of little people, how disturbed will they be when many of those tiny fae are normal sized or close to normal sized fae?

Harry is scary enough when Mab empowers him; with the Banner, to command the fae like the Malks and other nasty types in Battle Ground, but he'd be terrifying if he can call his own normal sized fae army any time he wants them.  It's only a matter of time before Toot and Lacuna will need full sized swords and perhaps the rest of the guard will get by with daggers.