I think this was my first book where someone important didn't have "hero contract" as my husband calls it. Someone important dies. It was unnecessary. I still remember, after all these years. I was 22, and I was so shipping this couple, and then... I was in shock. And this was the last nail to the coffin of my appreciation for this series. It gets two stars only because it's better than a lot of 1 star crap I've read.