“You were marvelous!” Fiona called as they entered after her. Talenth turned to greet them, her eyes whirling with the green of contentment, her body radiating a newfound strength and maturity.

I’m tired.

“Get some rest, love, you earned it.”

“We should get someone to check on T’mar—” Kindan began, only to be interrupted by the sound of feet approaching from Fiona’s quarters.

“The flight went well?” Seban asked, his arm draped over his daughter’s shoulders. Close behind were M’tal and H’nez, who had left the room when their dragons had lost their chase of Talenth.

“Zirenth flew her,” Kindan said in answer to the ex-dragonrider’s unspoken question.

Seban’s eyes widened. “Zirenth? And T’mar?”

“Please check on him,” Fiona said. Seban nodded quickly, his expression full of curiosity. Fiona took pity on him, blushing lightly as she said, “Zirenth flew Talenth with aid from Kindan and Lorana.”

“A good mating flight,” M’tal’s voice boomed out. He nodded toward Fiona respectfully.

“But it solves nothing,” H’nez said, brooding. “Zirenth flew Talenth: Does that make T’mar Weyrleader?”

“So it would seem,” M’tal agreed.

“But he is not capable,” H’nez protested. He gestured irritably toward Fiona, Kindan, and Lorana. “So incapable that we don’t see him where he should be.”

“He was there,” Fiona said softly. “And what he could not do himself, he ceded to Kindan for him.”

“He’s not even a dragonrider—how can we call him Weyrleader?”

“This discussion needs to come later,” M’tal declared, pointing H’nez toward the door. “Now it is time for the dragons to return to the weyrs, and for their riders to rest.”

“Hmmph!” H’nez snorted, but he preceded the other bronze riders to the exit.

“Kindan?” Seban repeated, glancing toward the harper in surprise.

“Lorana can talk with any dragon,” Kindan said, his own face flushing with embarrassment, “and formed a link with Zirenth into which I was drawn.”

Seban glanced at Fiona, then back to the harper. A smile blossomed on his face. “Then congratulations are due to all!”

“T’mar stirred, I think, during the flight,” Fiona said. “Would you please check on him and keep him company?”

“Of course.”

What now? Fiona asked herself as she eased into the warm tub. What do I do now? I didn’t mean for this to happen.

Lorana and Kindan had a bond; she had no right imposing herself on it. And yet … if it hadn’t been for Lorana, T’mar’s Zirenth would have gone between forever, and just as surely as the dragon died, the rider would have been lost with him.

She couldn’t lose T’mar. She cared for him too much. And the Weyr needed him, needed him as Weyrleader. H’nez was too rigid, too much like the old leadership.

But … Lorana. What about her? Surely she deserved better than—

Don’t.