Backup recap

Told from the point of view of Thomas Raith, this novella follows him as he works to protect his half-brother, the wizard Harry Dresden, from a danger Harry cannot be allowed to learn about. Thomas is secretly part of the Oblivion War, an ancient, hidden effort to erase the names of certain old and terrible beings from human memory so they can never again be called into the world. Harry has stumbled unknowingly into the edges of this war, drawing the attention of a faction that wants to exploit what he has touched. Because the rules of the war forbid revealing it to outsiders, Thomas must guard Harry without telling him what is truly at stake, maneuvering alone against supernatural enemies. Through a night of danger he manages to shield his brother and blunt the threat, keeping both the secret and Harry intact.

The Dresden Files follow Harry Dresden, Chicago's professional wizard. Among his closest ties is Thomas Raith, a member of the White Court of vampires, who feed on human emotion. Thomas has spent years secretly helping Harry from the shadows and shielding him from dangers Harry never learns of, hiding both his hunger and the true depth of their bond as half-brothers. The White Court is a family of predators governed through cold politics, and Thomas is caught between his monstrous nature and his loyalty to the brother he has chosen to protect.

Thomas succeeds in protecting Harry from the danger closing around him without ever revealing the existence of the Oblivion War. Harry survives the night largely unaware of how close the threat came or of the hidden conflict his brother is bound to. The secret of the war is preserved, Thomas's loyalties remain concealed, and the quiet, one-sided vigilance he keeps over his brother continues as it did before.