I really like the world building in this series. A decently large part of this story deals with the fall out with events of the last book, and the villain ends up being a very worthy call back to an earlier story. And that’s not even the main event!
Kaylin’s sargeant, the only Leontine in the Hawks, and the closest thing Kaylin has to a father, has been accused of murder. The Leontines are trying to keep the matter in the caste court, but Kaylin, of course, has to get involved. Several threads of this story end up weaving together, and I just really enjoyed following along.
The subplot of Kaylin and Severn having to babysit the Imperial playwright, who’s been charged with writing a play to explain to the masses why the Tha’alani were actually trying to help them in the last book, is enjoyable, and I do enjoy the continuation of the relationship Kaylin built with the Tha’alani – they haven’t been dropped now that that story’s over. Like I said, good world building.