Funnily enough, this book is the one that made me want to read this series, because it looked good, and I hate to start things in the middle. But when I picked it up the first time a few weeks ago, I couldn't get into it. Which might be because it does start things in the middle. Picking up right where Water Mirror left off. Merle and the Flowing Queen are still trying to escape the Egyptians on the back of Vermithrax, and Serafin, left behind, is desolate. 

An attack by mummy soldiers and a surprise rescue change things for Serafin pretty quickly. Especially once he realizes just who rescued him. Truly, he can't believe it. Honestly, he's quite impressed. So when asked to join up in the resistance movement, he agrees to be taken to the enclave, if for nothing else than to find out who's running this show.

Merle, meanwhile, has some pretty close calls with the Egyptians. Much closer than she liked, to tell the truth. And she really could have gone without ever seeing a collector up close and personal. Still. They need to get to Hell, to ask Lord Light's help in saving Venice. Without the Flowing Queen, there's nothing now to stop the Empire from moving in.

Back in Venice, Serafin is rather shocked (and that's an understatement) to learn the rebellion is being led by a Sphinx. The Sphinxes work for the Pharaoh. But...this is a very convincing Sphinx...so when she asks his help, for Merle, he agrees. Breaking into the Doge's palace to assassinate the Pharaoh doesn't seem like the best idea to him, but he'll do it. Really, what else can he do?

Merle, having found the entrance to Hell, is not much enjoying her trip. There are some pretty nasty beasties in Hell, as you can well imagine. And even a flying stone lion isn't a match for all of them. Plus, they don't actually know where they're going. Although they did manage to hitch a ride in a flying stone head, which they took for some sort of herald, leaving the odds at 50/50 that it would deliver them precisely where they wished to be.

Serafin's luck isn't going much better. The entire break-in, as it so happens, was a ruse. Although it beats a crazy little man wanting to cut out your heart and replace it with one made of stone.

Although hard to get into at first, once you're in, the action definitely never lets up in this installment of the Dark Reflections trilogy.