PotD spoiler space: Don't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for beingbeautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate JohnEdwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards forbeing beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate JohnEdwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautiful In PotD, the Lyorn representative at Kana's conclave says, re who's to be emperor, "we have no reason to believe the Cycle has turned". Note that the last Emperor has died, and I presume that death in office means the next house takes control. Is this explicitly spelled out anywhere? I can't recall. As it happens, in FHYA the Orb certainly thinks that the Dragon Heir should be Emperor - isn't that an indication that the Cycle has turned? Certainly I can see this information not being widely disseminated, even though a Lyorn (Aerich) is aware of it, being present at Adron's abortive crowning. But a turning would seem to me to be the presumption (ok, great cycle ending, Phoenix exceptionalism, ... clouds the issue - but "no reason"?) But as we learn from the conclave of gods in PotD, the Cycle has not turned. Did it click forward for a second when the Orb chose Adron then click back? Also from the conclave: Verra says that the House of the Phoenix is her watch. Doesn't she have enough to do already? Later Barlen says that he trusts the Phoenix line, and Verra says she trusts Kieron's line. What's Barlen's watch? Do the Jhereg etc. each have a god looking after them? If so, are the gods subject to the Cycle like their houses? - Philip