Tamerlane did not hear Harper's teasing question, because he was watching the child/woman march her sisters away. Out of Trance by Harper? Impossible! He did the math. She said she is ten years old. None of the inner circle had seen Trance in ten years.

Shaking his head in bewilderment, he turned to Harper. Tamerlane willed his mouth to stop opening and closing uncontrollably.

"That's my little test tube baby." Harper slapped his nephew on the back. "So I'm going to have two Anasazi sons-in-law. How lucky can a Harper get?"

Harper's glee disconcerted the Reincarnation. His world continued to crumble about him as each day he was made privy to another family secret.

"I'll walk you home. I have business with your father." Harper began to walk away. "Come on. I'll explain everything as we walk."



"I have confirmed her story. Her sisters left their home two days ago. The ship never arrived. They weren't reported missing, because their parents thought that confirming their arrival had slipped their minds. The excitement of young females on the hunt for males, was the way their mother put it."

Beka filled in the rest, "And Goneril told no one."

Tyr tore a section from the orange that he was consuming and presented it to Beka. "Your prize, my Lady."

Beka's stomach roiled, so she pushed Tyr's hand away. "I'm sorry. I don't think I'm going to be eating oranges for the next nine months." She caught a gag in the palm of her hand.

Tyr through the offending fruit into a wastebasket across the room then wiped his hands on a napkin, before rushing to her side to comfort her. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Neither did I," she grinned weakly. "Morning sickness won't be far behind, I guess."

"Sentry." Tyr bellowed.

"Yes, my Lord." A guard stepped through the doorway and came to attention.

"No more oranges in the palace until further notice." Tyr barked.

The guard saluted, "Yes, my Lord." He stepped back into the hall, closing the door behind him.

Beka snickered as she heard the muffled orders passed down the chain of command. "You over reacted, don't you think?"

"Perhaps," Tyr pulled her into his embrace, "Then again, perhaps not. My whim should underscore your importance to The Kodiak. Which, in turn, should strengthen your authority in the community."

"Some girls get flowers. I get authority." Beka drew his head to plant a quick kiss on his lips. "That's my Tyr, turn a tender moment into a power struggle."

"Smooching again." Harper strode through the door, followed closely by Tamerlane. "I have thirty-one wives and I don't get as much kissing action as you Tyr, who has one."

"You won't believe what my test tube baby said to Tamerlane today." Harper gestured to the boy to continue the story.

"Remember my name. One day you will sire my children."

Tyr released Beka, who stepped to her son's side. "Were those her exact words?"

Tamerlane responded to the concern in her voice with doubt, "I think so."

"You got it right, kid." Harper flopped into a chair. "Isn't that great? Two of your sons will father my grandchildren."

"Harper, think." The Kodiak delivered his command in an icy blast.

"Dad, what's going on?" Tamerlane felt as if he had done something wrong, but didn't know what it was.

"Sit all of you." Beka snapped. "Macha may have unwittingly revealed the identity of the traitor."