Chapters (33)
- Other Books by this Author
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Acknowledgments
- For Readers New to Pern
- Chronology of the Second Interval/Third Pass
- Fort Weyr, AL 508.2.2
- Fort Weyr, AL 508.2.5
- Fort Weyr, AL 508.2.6
- Fort Weyr, early morning, AL 508.2.7
- Fort Weyr, later, AL 508.2.8
- Telgar Weyr, later, AL 508.2.8
- Telgar Weyr, early morning, AL 508.2.9
- Telgar Weyr, late evening, AL 508.2.9
- Telgar Weyr, early morning, AL 508.2.10
- Telgar Weyr, later, AL 508.2.10
- Telgar Weyr, late evening, AL 508.2.10
- Telgar Weyr, Threadfall, AL 508.2.11
- Telgar Weyr, morning, AL 508.2.13
- Telgar Weyr, morning, AL 508.2.15
- Telgar Weyr, next morning, AL 508.2.16
- Telgar Weyr, morning, AL 508.4.15
- Ista Weyr, afternoon, AL 508.5.5
- Keroon Threadfall, morning, AL 508.5.21
- Telgar Weyr, evening, AL 508.5.26
- Telgar Weyr, early morning, AL 508.6.19
- Telgar Weyr, evening, AL 508.6.25
- Telgar Weyr, morning, AL 508.6.28
- Telgar Weyr, early evening, AL 508.7.17
- Fort Weyr, second hour, AL 507.11.18,
- Telgar Weyr, evening, AL 508.7.21
- About the Author
- Copyright
“Yes,” T’mar told her gently, “just as much as he’s afraid that you don’t love him.”
“What?”
“In that, we’re not all that different, he and I,” T’mar said, glancing up at her from under his eyebrows, his expression guarded.
“I …”
“M’tal and I had several long conversations before he left for Ista,” T’mar said to comfort her. He grinned as he added, “Apparently his obversations about you quickly became pertinent to his own situation.”
“We’ve a saying at Fort Hold: ‘When you’re talking to someone, two pairs of ears are listening,’” Fiona said.
“Precisely,” T’mar said. He laid his head back on his pillow, his eyes gazing unfocused toward the ceiling as he confessed, “It is impossible not to love you.”
“I love you, T’mar,” Fiona replied slowly. “I just don’t know—”
“No, of course you don’t,” T’mar cut her off. “For all your maturity, you’ve still Turns of learning in ways of the heart.” He roused himself and grinned at her wickedly. “I expect you’ll prove as quick a study there as you have with all things related to the Weyr.”
“If I could, without hurting too much,” Fiona said, “I’d love everyone.”
“Actually,” T’mar said, lowering his head once again, “I think you already do—in your own way.” “And that’s the problem.”
“Weren’t you the one who quoted: ‘Problems are just challenges’?”
Fiona snorted at the taunt.
“And aren’t you always up for a challenge?”
“Sleep well, Weyrleader,” Fiona said, marching to Zirenth’s lair. “You need your rest.”
Telgar Weyr, morning, AL 508.4.15
SIXTEEN
Dragonrider:
Dance in clouds
Soar to stars
Touch mountains
Skim rivers.
Telgar Weyr, morning, AL 508.4.15
“Fit to fly?” Fiona asked as she raced up the queens’ ledge toward T’mar. The Weyrleader grinned and nodded emphatically. The air was full of the fresh smell of spring and while clouds danced overhead, Fiona felt that they wouldn’t make rain that day, at least. The morning air was chilly but without the harsh, biting cold of winter.
“Come on, Zirenth, let’s see if you remember!” T’mar called to the bronze dragon, who followed him eagerly out of his weyr. He cocked a glance toward Fiona. “Care to join us?”
Fiona shook her head ruefully. “Talenth is too gravid to be interested.”
“She’s six weeks or so shy of clutching,” T’mar said, his expression growing serious.
“Queens can clutch any time from twelve to fifteen weeks after mating,” Fiona reminded him. “Although the norm seems to be about fourteen.”
“Three and a half months, then,” T’mar said. “So she’s due near the end of next month.”
“Or sooner,” Fiona cautioned.
T’mar raised a hand. “Don’t say that! An early clutch is small.”
“We’ll hope for a late clutch, then,” Fiona said, nodding toward Zirenth.