“Oh, no!” Terin said, raising her hands defensively. She blushed again. “It’s not—well, we—I mean, I’m not ready for that just yet.”

“Anyway, it’s wise to wait a Turn and a half,” Fiona said, referring to an old saying: “A Turn and a half proves the love.”

“Not everyone waits that long,” Terin said, her eyes flashing challengingly.

“Some wait longer,” Fiona said with no bite in her tone. Terin drew breath for a quick retort and cut herself off, a thoughtful look on her face.

“But when dragons rise …”

“Dragons are a passion of their own,” Fiona reminded the younger girl. Terin blushed again and ducked her head in a quick nod of agreement. The thought caused Fiona to reach out tenderly with her mind to her queen, even though she was certain that Talenth was sleeping—

“She’s clutching!” Fiona yelled, turning on her heels and sprinting toward the Hatching Grounds.

Why didn’t you tell me?

I knew what to do, Talenth said, sounding a bit strained as she passed another egg. Come see.

Lorana, Talenth is clutching! Fiona called excitedly.

I know, come quickly, Lorana responded, causing Fiona a moment’s chagrin at the notion that her dragon had chosen Lorana to escort her to the Hatching Grounds—until she dismissed the notion as silly; doubtless Lorana had heard Talenth’s departure from her weyr and had, naturally, followed.

Fiona was down the stairs and racing across the Weyr Bowl as she realized that Talenth’s clutching was early.

“Fiona!” T’mar’s voice called out from the Kitchen Cavern. “What is it?”

“Talenth’s clutching!” Fiona shouted in response, not breaking her stride as she raced on by.

“Talenth?” she heard H’nez’s voice echo. “What about Tolarth?” “It’s early!” another voice declared ominously.

Fiona disregarded the complaint, passing into the Hatching Grounds, her feet registering the warmth of the sands as she raced to the far end where Talenth lay exhausted after her labors, her eyes whirling in a swift green of pure contentment.

“I count twenty-one,” Lorana said as Fiona approached. She reached out for the younger Weyrwoman, giving Fiona a cautioning look. “I’ve heard that’s very good for a first clutch.”

“Talenth, you’re marvelous!” Fiona agreed even as she eyed the eggs and tried to hide her disappointment. No queen! Twenty-one eggs and no queen egg. And, were the eggs smaller than normal?

There’s no queen egg, Talenth said, sounding disappointed in herself.

“That’s normal for a first mating flight,” Fiona assured her steadfastly. “But now that you’ve figured out how to do it, you’ll be certain to have a queen next clutch.”

“Having them early will mean that they’re ready for flying against Thread that much sooner,” T’mar told the queen, his tone full of approval. Fiona shot him a questioning look, which the Weyrleader subdued with a quick jerk of his head.