Briar figures that even if Liam doesn't love him, he can still go ahead with his plans. Everything else is working, and the court knows Father is growing more unstable with every passing day as he continues to take turf.
But even the best plans of angels and fairies can go astray. Briar didn't plan on a certain visitor, and neither did Father.
He certainly didn't think Liam had any defiance left in him.
I think this is the best book in the series. 3.5 stars and rounding it up to 4.
My major disappointment with this book is the villain who starts an unnecessary long info dump bickering contest with his prisoner during the most intense moment in the story.