 The situation is complicated by the fact that Miriam's mother seemingly arranged for her to be artificially inseminated by Prince Creon during her examinations, meaning she is pregnant with the heir to the throne.Pregnant world-walkers cannot safely travel if their child would be a world-walker themselves, though, and Miriam comes from a world where abortion is legal if she were to find out about her condition.Angbard also summons Huw, an MIT grad student, and assigns him with investigating both the lockets and exploration of potential new worlds.