Tullea scarcely noticed her mug, wrapping her hands around it but not drinking. Lorana shot Fiona an imploring look and the Weyrwoman sat next to her, filling a mug for herself.

“So, Tullea, what can we do for you?” Lorana asked.

“Your Hatching went well enough, didn’t it?” Fiona asked, trying to find the source of the Benden woman’s visible distress.

“That’s not it,” Tullea said. She glanced at Lorana. “It’s B’nik—you need to save him.”

Fiona and Lorana exchanged a glance: They had seen too many riders knowingly go back in time to their deaths not to understand the Benden Weyrwoman’s dread. T’mar himself had seen the Benden Weyrleader die. It was only a matter of time before, one day, B’nik would go back in time to save T’mar—and die himself.

“I don’t see how, Tullea,” Lorana said slowly when the Weyrwoman had explained her problem.

“I can’t lose him,” Tullea said. “I’ll give you anything—I’ll give you Minith—just find a way to save him!”

“You can’t break time,” Lorana reminded her. “If it’s happened, then it will happen.”

“If he dies, I’ll take Minith between forever,” Tullea swore. “I’ll go with him, by the First Egg, I swear I will!”

“You weren’t there,” Fiona pointed out. “Just the Wing.”

“I’ve already told them they’re not to go with him,” Tullea snapped. “If they won’t go, then it can’t happen, can it?”

“I’m sorry,” Lorana said. “It did happen.” She let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes against the pain. So many things had happened, so much pain.

“There has to be a way!” Tullea said, pleading.

“I’m the wrong person to ask,” Lorana told her, opening her eyes once more and shaking her head. The Weyrwoman glanced up at her sharply and Lorana continued, “If I could have found a way, do you think I would have ever given up Arith?”

Tullea held her eyes for a long moment before lowering her head and shaking it slowly. “No. I suppose not.” A moment later she looked up again. “But you have Kindan.”

Lorana returned her gaze wordlessly.

“What can I give you?” Tullea begged. “I can’t live without him.”

Lorana shook her head sadly. “Nothing,” she told the Weyrwoman. “I would do it willingly if I could, but no one can break time.”

“So B’nik will die, and so will I, so will Minith,” Tullea said. “And Caranth.”

“I cannot help you,” Lorana repeated. “I would if I could but no one has ever been able to alter time.”

“There must be a way!”

“Let me check with Kindan,” Lorana said, seeing the desperation in the other woman’s eyes.

“If you need Minith, just send for her,” Tullea told her. “She’ll go with you, she already has.”