Kindan frowned. “I’m not sure how much of our knowledge of Wind Blossom is accurate; it seems that that watch-whers were created more by design than mistake.” He held up a hand to contain T’mar’s objections. “I think our Records from the times were purposely misleading.”

Weyrleader and Weyrwoman gave him shocked looks.

“It wouldn’t be the first time that Records were changed according to the feelings of the times,” Kindan said.

Fiona made a face and nodded in agreement. “I saw plenty of that in the Records at Igen,” she said. “It was obvious that those writing the Records had their own views of things.”

“And, as they were writing the Records, those were the views that are remembered,” T’mar said with an understanding nod of his own. He turned back to Kindan. “But that still doesn’t answer our question now.”

“No,” Kindan said, “it doesn’t.”

“I’m more worried about how Lorana will take it,” Fiona said. Kindan gave her a sharp look, so Fiona explained, “How could she, after all that she gave to find the cure, handle learning that that same cure has caused such harm?”

“We don’t know that it has,” T’mar said. “If the other queens clutch early and light, that would be another matter.”

“And so, in the meantime we do nothing?” Fiona asked, looking askance at the Weyrleader.

“I think better that than assuming the worst.”

Fiona’s expression made it clear that she was not content with that answer, but she chose not to argue it.

“The next question is what to do with all the onlookers once the excitement has died down,” T’mar said, partly to distract her from her concerns.

“Well, I’ve already spoken to Talenth and she’s no problem with having some of the younger ones sleep in the Hatching Grounds with her,” Fiona said. Her eyes flashed in challenge as she continued, “And I’m definitely going to have Xhinna touching all the likely eggs.”

“There’s only one queen egg,” T’mar said.

“Who said anything about a queen egg?”

More news came at lunch—Melirth at Fort Weyr had clutched, again only twenty-two eggs—and then again before dinner, when Lorana relayed the news that Bidenth of Ista had laid twenty-two eggs as well.

“All the queens are laying light,” Lorana remarked anxiously to Kindan.

Kindan shook his head, flexing open a hand in a dismissive manner. “There were queen eggs in the clutches at Fort and Ista.”

“We talked about this earlier,” Fiona said to the ex–queen rider, trying to assuage her concerns, “and we thought it might be possible that the cure caused the queens to clutch early.” She heard Lorana’s horrified gasp and added quickly, “To get them started again, and rebuild our numbers.”

“But they’re laying light!” Lorana said, her eyes wide and worried. “Kindan, what if they only lay light?”