I don't think it would be much of a spoiler (in fact it is quite informative) to say that through the majority of the book, Tristan and Cecile are working separately. This gives them both a chance to grow, and maneuver, and untangle the various political strings "as above, so below" and come to a rewarding payoff.

I have a theory when it comes to trilogies. The first book is for setting up the world, introducing the cast of characters, and overcoming a conflict while setting up for a bigger grander story. The second book, like this one, is where authors can truly shine and tell the kind of story they TRULY want to tell. Reading the Hidden Huntress, you can see that Jensen has a talent for mystery, political intrigue, plot twists and character development. Romance? Maybe not so much. Fortunately the other elements were delivered strongly enough to keep me engaged.