“Well, for the time being, they get to ride Zirenth,” Fiona spoke up quickly. “And, of course, Lorana can ride Talenth any time.” She thought furiously for more inducements, but just then K’lior entered the Cavern and the conversation ebbed as they all waited for him to seat himself beside Cisca.

“You’re not twitting her, are you?” K’lior asked Cisca after he’d had his first revitalizing sip of klah.

Cisca pretended not to know what he was talking about and K’lior snorted in response, telling Fiona, “She’s jealous, you know.”

“I am not!” Cisca said, her eyes flashing with anger.

“Just the other day she said that she wanted a group of men, too,” K’lior said, smiling wickedly at Fiona.

Fiona was out of her chair in an instant, her cheeks burning.

“Fiona!” Cisca called even as she batted at K’lior and Kindan and Lorana rose from their chairs to follow the Telgar Weyrwoman. “I did not say that. I merely said that it must be hard—”

But Fiona merely turned back to her, saying carefully, “Weyrwoman, we’ve taken too much of your time,” before heading out to the Weyr Bowl and her queen.

Talenth! Tell Seban and Bekka we’re leaving!

“Fiona!” Lorana called from behind her. Fiona turned toward her, furious, her lips trembling. When Lorana caught up to her, she grabbed Fiona’s shoulders and looked into her eyes. “I don’t think she was trying to be mean. I think K’lior’s right: She’s just jealous.”

“Of what?” Fiona cried. “Of a mating flight?”

“No,” Lorana told her softly, “of us: what we are.”

“What are we?” Fiona asked quietly.

“Friends, I should hope,” Lorana said. “And more.”

“How can we be friends? We love the same person,” Fiona cried. She shook her head, tears flowing down her cheeks as she continued, “I can’t take him away from you, I swore I wouldn’t.” She looked up at Lorana. “Maybe it’s best if you and he were in another Weyr.”

“And what about T’mar?”

“I love him,” Fiona said, even as she realized, with the words, that he could be her anchor, he could save her from her misery.

“If we leave, what about T’mar?” Lorana said. “And Zirenth?”

Fiona absorbed her words slowly, her tears stilling and her eyes going wide. “Are you bound to them like you are to me?”

“I don’t think so,” Lorana said. She smiled at Fiona as she added, “But I’m glad to see that you realize we’re bound to each other.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Well, that’s something that you’re going to have to get over,” Lorana told her firmly. Fiona took a step back, straining at Lorana’s hold, her eyes wide. “If you love someone, you have to accept that sometimes you’ll hurt them, too.”

“But I don’t want to hurt you,” Fiona repeated. Her tears started again as she added, “And I love Kindan; I’m sorry, but it’s true.”