John catches the implication in Harry's voice and that alone warms him. When he heard of the man's deal with Mab, John did see it as a death sentence for Dresden as John knew him. Being bound would destroy him, he thought. But here on the threshold of the Winter Knight's quarters, he doesn't think Harry is broken or tied to Mab's pinky. It reminds him of Gard, when he sees her in Mr. Vadderung's presence. There is a support behind her, and unshakeable power added to her own. He imagines it's hard to feel alone with such company backing you.

Gard has the All-Father. Harry has the Winter Court. There may be a freedom in that.

At the beckon, John steels himself and slides past Dresden, into the room, aware that he's just put himself even further into the Knight's mercy. A potential rival taken into the private quarters of one of the highest members of the Court. Even the tile might not save John now.

That is hard to focus on. John is too busy looking around the new surroundings. Much of the same at first-- stone and ice. But there are rugs scattered across the floors, and fireplace set into ice, and there's a large four poster bed. The last of which doesn't look amenable to sleep; there's dirty clothes slung over the posts and what looks like wizardly accouterments (ie symbolic junk) scattered over the sheets.

John looks up and sees a chandelier of ice set with candles. One candle is covered in a sock.

He turns back to the door to give Harry a silent, bemused look.