Status Updates From Carnival

"He was not losing Michelangelo. Not with long-elusive dreams about to settle on his hand like butterflies...He almost didn't recognize the emotion. It was hope. And it was also hope settling into his gut with a painful chill. He'd forgotten what it was like having something to lose. But apparently he hadn't forgotten how much it hurt to lose it."

Aww...

Hmm. So, this isn't a romance, exactly (though I am very much rooting for Angelo and Vincent). But romance writers should take note, because you can't get a better answer to "Arrgh! Why don't they just TALK to each other??" than "Because the thing they aren't talking about is...treason."

Seriously, is EVERYONE in this book a double agent? Not complaining, all the cloak and dagger is very exciting...but dang.

Our boys discover why humans have historically always kept pets:

"Michelangelo looked up, his fingers moving in the sleeping animal's ruff, and gave Vincent a quizzical smile. The relaxed vulnerability around his eyes was more than Vincent could bear. He had to work for that, and nobody else got to see it, ever."

(The khir, presumably: "Aww, yeah. Right there...")

"There's only five of them" Shafaquat said. "Good odds," Pretoria said. She sounded as if she meant it...Pretoria's right hand arched over her weapon, a gunslinger pose..."Run," Pretoria said...Her grin over her shoulder was no more than a quick flash, but it silenced him...Lesa Pretoria had a reputation.

Oh, here we go! EB, you'd better not cut away from this...

Gosh, the layers of intrigue! I hope I'm keeping track properly.
At last count, there appear to be three characters plotting something that is in direct opposition to their official job...but I can't tell yet if they are in opposition to each other or accidentally on the same side.