Once my due date passed, something happened that made it extremelydifficult to sleep. It seemed no matter how hard I tried it wasimpossible for me to... find a comfortable position. Even throughout myninth month I could make myself comfortable through properly arrangingthe pillows. Now I lost even that tiny luxury. I would eventually fallasleep from sheer exhaustion, but that sleep was fitful and choppy. Itonly added to the tiredness that came with being more than nine monthspregnant.Five. Erik walked out from his room, looked up at her, calling out, “How’d it go?”She moved down the steps to join him. “It wasn't at all what I expected. Mike’s a lot more… thoughtful than I would have guessed. And he’s got this weird intensity. I mean, it’s like he’s really low key and all, but it’s also like there was nothing else in the world but me. I didn’t notice it until afterward, but it was kind of spooky.”Erik grinned as she joined him. He gave her a quick, unexpected kiss on the lips, and. "I don't think so, dear. She looks like she's not from around here."Claire stepped over to the window. A look of surprise on her face quicklygave way to a broad smile. "No ma, she's definitely not from aroundhere." She placed a hand on Lana's shoulder and asked her to check on thereception hall one more time. When Lana started to protest that she hadalready checked everything three times, Claire pointed out that one moretime wouldn't hurt. As Lana stepped out of the office, the visitorappeared. " Amanda was sincere in her apology. It had resulted from nervousness rather than negligence. A bit of further scroll reading had allowed her to figure out why the odd mix of titles. In this case, "Master" was the sign of respect to a superior, while using the more familiar form of address of "Duric" showed that the slave was intimately tied to her Master."It is time, now, Amanda. The Portal is energized sufficiently, and Lord K'garon has his focusing pearl activated."Sirinna smiled and eagerly.