Last Guard (Psy-Changeling Trinity, #5; Psy-Changeling, #20)

I’m finding I love being around the bears, even when it’s just a quick peek at them. Canto is a Mercant and lives in Bear Territory so they make a few appearances here. Plus, Canto’s been around them long enough he is taking on some of their characteristics. Maybe you can tell that I really enjoyed this book.

The connection between Canto and Payal is another situation where Psy children were mistreated and protected each other. They haven’t seen each other since they were children and Canto has never stopped looking for his protector, even when the evidence seems to point to her having been killed by the higher-ups. The young child seems to have vanished after a violent incident, but she’s alive and well and has been wondering about Canto all these years, too.

Payal is pretty icy, reminiscent of Silver before she mated a bear shifter. The difference is that Payal only holds that iciness to her exterior; inside she knows she’s never been truly Silent. Even with the fall of Silence, because of her family dynamics, she has to keep up her front. She can’t seem to do that when she’s around Canto, though.

The Anchor designation has been mentioned many times in the past when it comes to the PsyNet, but this is the first story where we get to see what the Anchors do and how much it takes a toll on them. These people go about their everyday life while taking on such a huge responsibility and no credit or thanks. It was easy for everyone in power to overlook them and their importance. Thankfully, the new people in power are open to doing all that needs to be done to save the PsyNet and have new faces at the table.

As much as I enjoyed the romance between Payal and Canto and was immersed in the PsyNet problems, I felt the resolution of Payal’s family issues was a bit anticlimactic. With the way her father and brother were set up as such powerful and malevolent presences in her life, I anticipated a bit more when it came to her finding her personal freedom from their terror.

I mentioned how much I love the bears earlier. I also have come to love the Mercant family. They are an interesting group of Psy, all with huge hearts even during Silence. I love that we’re getting to see more of them in this part of the series.

After a third read of this book I'm still in love with Payal and Canto. I Will forever love this couple... Mercants are the Best <3