I want to know if he really wanted Harry to attack the Red's and he just used a little reverse psychology to goad Harry into doing so. I want to learn about what has been happening within the White Council.
If the he comes right out and says that in Peace Talks, what do you want to bet that the issue will still be hotly contested here? I can see it now: "he was just taking credit for the plan."
I could see the Merlin claiming credit for the destruction of the Red Court after he heard that Harry was dead. After all, the news of both events would have hit the White Council at the same time. The Merlin's story might have changed some. Harry was following the Merlin's plan, they had just disagreed over the timing of the attack, or something similar. Except to his closest allies, I don't think Arthur Langtry would openly brag that he got Harry killed by goading him to attack the Red Court. (Though I don't know if Langtry has anymore close associates now that Morgan and Peabody are dead. Ancient Mai might be a political ally, but it's difficult to know if they are more than allies of convenience.) In fact, it's possible Langtry gave Harry some type of eulogy as a "Hero of the White Council" while secretly gloating over the news of Harry's likely death.
From her own motivations, I think Elaine wants to stay off the radar, and would avoid a high-powered, high-profile event like this, if at possible!
Of course (as we see from Harry's life!) sometimes a young wizard's "own motivation" to avoid certain situations don't line up with "what's possible!"
I've never thought that Elaine would want to be a part of the talks, but I could see her being in the story. A long time ago I posted a WAG that Elaine might actually want to derail the peace talks between the Council and the Fomor. As one of the founders of the Paranet; and probably it's leader in her part of the country, I doubt Elaine or any other members of the Paranet would like to see the Fomor left to do whatever they want those who can't protect themselves within whatever territory the Fomor might be granted.
HOWEVER... At the end of Dead Beat, Harry threatens Mavra, tells her never to try to use his friends against him, because... now he knows how to use Kemmlerian Necromancy against the BCV's. But she's a reasonably powerful sorceress in her own right (tutored Bianca, who was able to survive a full-power strike of Harry's), and now Mavra has the Word. So presumably now, SHE knows how to use Kemmlerian necromancy... which may well have given her the edge she needed to re-unite the Black Court, with herself as Black Queen. I can see her showing up in that capacity!
That is an interesting idea!
I hope Sarissa and Fix make an appearance. I want to know how they are after Cold Days.
Seeing Sarissa could be fun, but I have a bad feeling about Fix. I don't see good things for him in the future. In Cold Days, Mother Summer told Harry that all Knights of Summer and Winter have the ability to remain themselves, but few do. We know the negative effects that occur when the Winter Knight let's the Winter mantel choose their actions for them. We haven't seen what happens when the Summer Knight lets Summer all the way in. I have a feeling it won't be pretty. I think what kept Fix stable was his love for Lilly, looking out for her and trying to help her deal with her own mantel. Now that she's gone I don't see him lasting very long. He doesn't know Sarissa and he probably doesn't trust or even like Titania. Titania didn't pick Fix as the Summer Knight, so it's not like she even sees him as a useful tool. Enough said, you get where I'm going with this.
About Agent Tilly. I think his return could be very interesting, but I don't think it will happen in Peace Talks. Tilly might be the head of some kind of X-Files department at the moment, but my guess is it will be the events of Peace Talks that brings him out of the shadows and gives him more authority in a later novel. If Peace Talks gets mini-apocalyptic; as Jim has stated it will be, that will be when mortal authorities go from using covert operatives to gather intelligence to decide to become fully involved. I think that is when we will see Agent Tilly again.
If Murphy is mostly in rehab with at most a phone call or two to Harry in the whole book, I doubt we will see Rudolph. He's Murphy's enemy as much as Harry's.
No one has mentioned the Eebs. I doubt they survived the Erlking's dungeon, but if they and the Red Court are going return, I think Peace Talks would be a good time for that to happen. I don't like the idea of the Eebs surviving (unless they were killed in Peace Talks without creating anymore of their kind) because it would in effect be saying that in the larger picture nothing can ever really change. Individuals can come and go, but the major powers can never really disappear.
