Much of what we know about The Cycle is second-hand hearsay, but its existence as an actual thing or entity appears undeniable. If we believe Paarfi (a dangerous practice, to be sure), The Cycle (referring to the actual construct rather than the abstract idea of a succession of Emporers) is able to perpetuate the Cycle (succession) regardless of the current state of the Houses. The question I'm pondering is whether this can happen at any time or if there needs to be a minimal population to work with. Is a House an abstract idea or is the House destroyed when there ceases to be anyone qualified for membership? This is important to the extent that any tricks that restore House Phoenix require the living presence of Zerika. >From a real-world genetic perspective there are plenty of latent Phoenix genes around. We don't know what happens to Phoenix children who are not privileged to have a phoenix fly overhead at their birth. Those people and/or their descendants are likely to still be around someplace, perhaps unaware of their parentage. The mixed stock of Greenaire and Elde probably also have some recessive Phoenix genes, waiting for that one in a gazillion chance to breed a true-blooded Phoenix complete with birth-herald. Given that, it seems that The Cycle could delay action on resurrecting House Phoenix until very nearly the turn of the Cycle. Indeed, the arrival of one or several Phoenix from out of nothing, as it were, might well be seen as a sign that the Cycle had turned if it happened towards the end of the Athyra reign. Given the confusing lecture by Verra and her sisters in _Sethra Lavode_, I'd almost expect destruction of the House to be a pre-requisite for it's renewal. This might well explain why Zerika, engaging in her own brand of decadence with her Eastern lover, seems well on the way to dieing without an heir. It's always possible that she's got some wizards working on the problem and we just haven't heard about it. However, it might also be that Sethra made a metaphysical error by attempting to protect and nurture the previous line of House Phoenix. The House might be unable to truly "rise from the ashes" until it has truly been consumed entirely in flames. Assuming that Zerika DOES die childless, what happens to the assets and titles that belong to House Phoenix? Are they put in trust and managed by a steward appointed by Zerika? Are they appropriated by the Empress to dispose of she wishes? If the latter, it could provide an interesting problem when the Cycle-created Heir finally did make an appearance some Turns down the road. Of course, the death of Zerika might finally herald the true death of the House, thus triggering its ACTUAL rebirth,perhaps even on the same day. At the moment of Zerika's death, a phoenix appears above the Phoenix Wing. It's discovered that two women, descended from "unheralded" Phoenix ancestors, have simultaneously given birth; one boy, one girl. Perhaps a veritable "flock" of phoenices appear above Adrilankha as a dozen infants are born who all scan to be true-blooded Phoenix. The question of which should be Heir would be a tricky one with much intrigue based around the determination of the answer. While I like the image of the Heir who appears from nowhere at the turn of the Cycle, I'd probably favor the ressurection at Zerika's death just because we might actually see that story published someday. :-P