At its pinnacle in A.D. 1150 the Anasazi Empire of the Southwest would see no equal in North America for almost eight hundred years. Yet even at this cultural zenith, the Anasazi held the seeds of their own destruction deep within themselves. On his deathbed, the Great Sun Chief learns a secret, a shame so vile to him that even at the brink of eternity he cannot let it pass: In a village far to the north is a fifteen summers old girl who must be found. Though he knows neither her name nor her face, the Great Sun decrees that the girl must at all costs be killed. Fleeing for her life as her village lies in ruins, young Cornsilk is befriended by Poor Singer, a curious youth seeking to touch the soul of the Katchinas. Together, they undertake the perilous task of staying alive long enough to discover her true identity. But time is running out for them all - a desperate killer stalks them, one who is willing to destroy the entire Anasazi world to set to her.

Author Biography

Kathleen O'Neal Gear is a former state historian and archaeologist for Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska for the U.S. Department of the Interior. She has twice received the federal government's Special Achievement Award for ""outstanding management"" of our nation's cultural heritage. W. Michael Gear holds a master's degree in archaeology and has worked as a professional archaeologist since 1978. He is principal investigator for Wind River Archaeological Consultants. Together they have written the North America's Forgotten Past series ("People of the Morning Star," "People of the Songtrail," "People of the Mist," "People of the Wolf," among others); and the Anasazi Mysteries series. The Gears live in Thermopolis, WY.