T’mar lay back, fuming. “Well, at least tell me what’s going on.”

“Nothing more than you would have guessed,” Kindan told him with an easy wave of his hand. “H’nez led off the drill this morning, J’lantir has joined with a Flight from Ista, and, just recently, C’tov from High Reaches brought another thirty-six fighting dragons with him.”

“By the First Egg, we’ve got a fighting Weyr and a lamed Weyrleader,” T’mar growled, his eyes going accusingly to Fiona.

“And do you suppose, Weyrleader,” Fiona returned hotly, “that in all these Turns that situation has never before arisen?”

T’mar pursed his lips mulishly.

“The Records are pretty clear on the issue,” Kindan said. “Even here at Telgar, the Weyrleader has been injured for months at a time.”

“And?” T’mar demanded.

“And he’s appointed seconds, had reports made to him, and proceeded as best he could with due regards to his injury and his eventual recovery,” Fiona told him. Her voice softened as she added, “I know it’s hard, particulary with H’nez in charge, but it is part of a Weyrleader’s duty to train his replacement.”

“And you, Weyrwoman?”

“I’m doing very well in that department, thank you,” Fiona replied primly.

T’mar held her eyes for a moment more, then blew out a breath in resignation, forcing some cheer into his response as he said, “You are at that.”

“Thank you,” Fiona said. After a moment she added, “I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you.”

“Well, what cannot be changed must be endured,” T’mar said with a sigh. From his weyr, Zirenth craned his neck and blew a sympathetic sigh toward his rider. T’mar smiled at him and then turned back decisively to Kindan and Lorana. “But my incapacity is no reason that Zirenth should get out of shape.”

Kindan cocked his head at the bronze rider inquiringly.

“If Tajen could do it when I was lamed before, why not you and Lorana now?” T’mar asked.

“No!” Fiona snapped without thinking. The others turned to her and she shook her head in confusion.

“I could do with the exercise,” Lorana said, casting a glance toward Fiona. “I think Kindan’s up to catching firestone.”

“It takes Turns of training to make a proper fighting pair,” T’mar said. “I was thinking more of reserve than fighting.”

“Or we could observe, and report back,” Kindan said.

“Dragons aren’t good with subtleties,” T’mar said.

Fiona gestured toward Lorana. “She can talk directly with me—”

“She can?” T’mar asked, surprised. His expression broadened when he noticed the same look of surprise on Kindan’s face.

“You can?” the harper asked, looking from Fiona to Lorana and back. “And you didn’t tell me?”