Realizing he needs far more strength to combat the naagloshii, Dresden performs a Sanctum Invocation and bonds with the spirit of Demonreach, the island in the finale of Small Favor.

Dresden persuades Binder to quit the fight and is saved from the naagloshii by Listens-to-Wind, while Lara kills and devours Madeline in order to recover from injuries sustained in a grenade explosion.

He dies of blood loss from the wound he sustained in fleeing from the Wardens, hinting with his last words that he was wrong about Dresden's character.

Dresden learns that Ebenezar is slowly and quietly gathering support from those who secretly believe that a Black Council exists, and that it must be opposed.

He stops in to join Will Borden and his friends in one of their role-playing game sessions, introducing Waldo Butters to bring the group back up to full size following the death of one member in the naagloshii attack.