Magic Rises begins with Kate sparring with Julie or rather trying to get Julie out of her funk and into the training exercise. They jab and poke at each other with their snark, but in the end, Julie gets her way and rushes off. This light-hearted beginning lulls us, makes us happy to see the relationship between the two growing, especially after what Kate went through to save Julie. That sense of peace ends abruptly, however, when Kate is rushed to Doolittle's where two changeling sisters are suffering. They're going lupe, as so many of the Pack's children do, and there's nothing she can do to save them. The one way they can be saved is with a magical solution known as panacea, which is produced by European shapeshifters. Highly guarded and hard to come by, the Pack has been trying to recreate panacea but has had no success.So, when the European packs invite Curran to guard a pregnant changeling, Desandra, and serve as impartial witness to the birth until the inheritance squabbles are settled, he jumps at the offer. He does so because the payment for this job is ten drums of panacea, which will give each baby born to the Pack a 40% better chance of survival. For this, they are willing to venture across "... the ocean in the middle of hurricane season, go to a foreign country filled with hostile shapeshifters, and babysit a pregnant woman, while everyone plots and waits for an opportunity to stab {them} in the back." Once there, they knew they would have to maintain an iron hold on their tempers. As always, that's sometimes easier said than done. From the moment they arrive at Castle Megobari things go downhill.I'll end there as to not spoil anything for anyone. Suffice to say, this book is FULL of intense moments. As always, there is some humor splashed about to break the tension. But, for me, Magic Rises is the best of the series so far. I've no doubt I say that after every book in the series, but it's absolutely true at the time. The series continues to get better with each new release. This writing duo continues to not only up the ante and raise the bar but also surpass it. A book and series lover's dream! Now, we all must suffer the long wait for book #7. Kate's terms of endearment for Curran:Your Furry MajestyYour FurrinessYour FoolishnessHis FurrinessBoy toy / man candy