“D’vin told me that Lorana and Ketan had come to High Reaches, they went to the Records Room—and that’s the last they’ve been seen,” B’nik said.

Fiona and Kindan exchanged looks at the mention of High Reaches’ Records Room. Tullea saw it and cried, “What? What were they doing there?”

“I don’t know,” Kindan admitted. “But when we went there last, Lorana and I put the fourth vial in the Records Room.”

“The fourth vial?” B’nik repeated, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

“The one that killed Arith?” Fiona asked, her voice heavy with emotion.

“The one that can turn a watch-wher into a dragon,” Kindan explained. “We put it at High Reaches where it would be safe.”

“Why would Lorana want that?” T’mar mused. With a sad frown he added, “I can see why she would want B’nik’s jacket, but not that.”

“What?” Tullea demanded. “Why would she steal that?”

“For K’tan,” Fiona said, turning to T’mar for confirmation.

“Ketan?” Tullea repeated. “What would he need with—”

“But a brown’s not a bronze!” Kindan exclaimed.

B’nik’s eyes widened and he mouthed the words “a brown” to himself.

“The dust!” Fiona said, turning to the others. “That’s what she meant with the dust.”

“What dust?” Kindan asked.

Fiona took a deep breath and said slowly, “This morning, before we went to Benden, I found her looking up at the dust above the Weyr Bowl.”

The others looked at her in confusion.

“She asked me what color it was,” Fiona continued. “I told her it was brown on the ground but in the air it shimmered.”

“Like gold dust,” Kindan breathed in surprise, fingering the brooch on his tunic. He turned to Fiona and commanded, “Check with Nuella, I’ll bet they were there.”

“Why?” Tullea demanded.

“Because, if the gold dust was on his skin, in the sunlight—for an instant—a brown could pass as a bronze,” T’mar said, his eyes wide in sudden enlightenment. He turned to B’nik. “That’s why he stole your jacket.”

“But—a brown!” B’nik protested.

“Drith,” Kindan said.

“Drith’s dead,” Tullea said flatly.

“Drith is certainly dead now.”

“But he wasn’t then!” Fiona declared, turning glowing eyes toward Kindan. She shook her head admiringly. “That’s brilliant!”

“What?” Tullea demanded, still lost.

“Kindan and Fiona think that Lorana went back in time with Ketan to when Drith went between,” T’mar said slowly, his eyes sliding toward the harper and Weyrwoman for confirmation.

“But he was sick, dying!” Tullea declared.

“Yes,” Fiona agreed. “But apparently he could still fly.”

“Long enough to save M’tal, me, and …” T’mar turned to B’nik, “… you.”

“If that’s so, then where’s Lorana?” Tullea demanded. “Where’s

Minith?”

“You can’t hear her?” Fiona asked in surprise.

Tullea shook her head.