How long they remained like that, exchanging words for caresses, Fiona didn’t know or care. She only turned away from the young queen when she heard sounds behind her outside the weyr.

“Well?” Fiona asked as she turned, expecting to see Terin return with a broad grin on her face.

It wasn’t Terin she saw. It was Lorana. The older woman was looking out over the Weyr Bowl, looking up into the air with a quizzical expression.

“Lorana?” Fiona asked, making her way quickly to the ex–queen rider, unable to keep a tinge of worry from her voice.

“Mmm?” Lorana murmured, her eyes still focused skyward.

Fiona followed her gaze but could see nothing but the Weyr—brighter now in the morning sun. Dust, probably left over from Terin’s exertions hung in the air, flickering in the morning light.

“Are you all right?”

“Just looking,” Lorana returned dreamily. Fiona cocked her head in worry but said nothing, standing beside the older woman, ready if she needed help. She half-expected Lorana to collapse or something by the way she was staring so intently at the dust motes.

“What color are they?” Lorana asked suddenly.

“Color?”

“The specks,” Lorana said, half-raising a hand.

“It’s just dust, Lorana,” Fiona said, trying to keep her voice normal.

“Dust is usually brown, isn’t it?”

“On the ground, maybe,” Fiona said, wondering why Lorana found the topic so fascinating. “It sparkles like gold in the air, though.”

“Gold?” Lorana asked, cocking her head to one side critically.

“Well, goldy, I suppose,” Fiona allowed. “Or bronzy, maybe.”

“Mmm, bronze,” Lorana agreed. She dropped her head suddenly and turned to face Fiona, catching her eyes. There was no sign of any strangeness in them. “Could you and Talenth bring me to Benden? I want to talk with Ketan.”

“Ketan?” Fiona asked. “There’s a Fall today, Lorana, we’ve got to get ready soon.” She paused, adding, “And Benden’s got a Fall, too.”

“I know,” Lorana said. “If you could take me now, that would work, wouldn’t it?”

“Right now?”

“We could be changed in ten minutes,” Lorana said, glancing down at her robe and slippers with some surprise. “I really need to talk with Ketan.”

“Well …” Fiona temporized then said decisively, “All right. But we have to be careful.” She pointed to Lorana’s midriff.

“Three coughs only,” Lorana swore.

Kindan was already gone. Lorana explained that he had gone to rouse the weyrlings early and she’d escorted him as far as the weyr ledge. They dressed quickly even though Lorana found that, to her embarrassment, she had to have Fiona’s help.

“I expect I’ll be asking you to help me soon enough!” Fiona said as she laughed off the older woman’s discomfort.