Chapters (33)
- Other Books by this Author
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Acknowledgments
- For Readers New to Pern
- Chronology of the Second Interval/Third Pass
- Fort Weyr, AL 508.2.2
- Fort Weyr, AL 508.2.5
- Fort Weyr, AL 508.2.6
- Fort Weyr, early morning, AL 508.2.7
- Fort Weyr, later, AL 508.2.8
- Telgar Weyr, later, AL 508.2.8
- Telgar Weyr, early morning, AL 508.2.9
- Telgar Weyr, late evening, AL 508.2.9
- Telgar Weyr, early morning, AL 508.2.10
- Telgar Weyr, later, AL 508.2.10
- Telgar Weyr, late evening, AL 508.2.10
- Telgar Weyr, Threadfall, AL 508.2.11
- Telgar Weyr, morning, AL 508.2.13
- Telgar Weyr, morning, AL 508.2.15
- Telgar Weyr, next morning, AL 508.2.16
- Telgar Weyr, morning, AL 508.4.15
- Ista Weyr, afternoon, AL 508.5.5
- Keroon Threadfall, morning, AL 508.5.21
- Telgar Weyr, evening, AL 508.5.26
- Telgar Weyr, early morning, AL 508.6.19
- Telgar Weyr, evening, AL 508.6.25
- Telgar Weyr, morning, AL 508.6.28
- Telgar Weyr, early evening, AL 508.7.17
- Fort Weyr, second hour, AL 507.11.18,
- Telgar Weyr, evening, AL 508.7.21
- About the Author
- Copyright
“K’lior dispatched myself and forty dragons—all we could spare,” Fiona explained. “High Reaches Weyr flew the last Fall.”
“The illness took them,” Seban said, stepping forward and sketching a quick nod toward Nerra. “I am Seban, once rider of blue Serth.”
“Jefric,” Nerra called softly, “have the men stand down.”
As if the words released her as well, Nerra suddenly seemed to shed her tension and she gestured gracefully to Fiona and her party, indicating the head table.
“Please,” she said, as she moved toward it, “join me.”
Nerra insisted upon accompanying Fiona when she went to Lord Valpinar at Telgar, while offering Seban and Bekka free run of her herbal stores.
“I’m told he is not well-disposed to dragonriders at the moment,” the Lady Holder said by way of explanation.
“Dragonriders? All of them?”
“His experience has only been with D’gan’s old riders,” Nerra replied, “but …”
“Once bitten, twice shy.”
“Exactly,” Nerra agreed. She craned her neck up toward Talenth’s shoulders and gulped at the distance. The sky above was partly cloudy, the weather cool. Nerra had on her warmest clothes.
“Let me help you up,” Fiona offered, bending down and cupping her fingers together to provide a lift. The courtesy seemed to surprise Nerra, which caused Fiona a moment’s anger at the old Telgar riders: Had they not shown such simple courtesies to their Holders?
Once Nerra was safely perched, Fiona scrambled up behind her and strapped them both in safely.
“Are you ready to fly, my lady?”
Nerra hesitated, then nodded.
Talenth, take us up, Fiona said. The queen rose easily into the air, her upward spiral marred only by a cough just before they reached the cliff heights.
“Is she okay?” Nerra asked in concern.
“She’s got the sickness,” Fiona told her. “But she insisted on coming.”
“The same sickness that took Telgar?”
“The same.”
“Does that worry you?”
“Very much,” Fiona said, fighting back a sob.
“What will happen if she succumbs?”
“I don’t know,” Fiona said. “For now, though, we’ll do what we have to do.”
“Well, I can see why you came rather than your H’nez,” Nerra said.
“You can?”
“And brought your entourage,” Nerra added, turning back to show Fiona her smile. “A Weyrwoman must know how to be charming and diplomatic; a Weyrleader need only know how to lead.”
“Weyrleaders can be diplomatic.”
“Queens command respect,” Nerra said. She glanced down at the scenery below and quickly up again. A moment later she looked down, scanning the fields of her Hold with interest.
“Are you ready to go between, my Lady?”
“Yes,” Nerra said with a firm nod. “I don’t want to tire your queen too much.”
Fiona gave Talenth the image and they went between to Telgar Hold.
Telgar Weyr, late evening, AL 508.2.9
EIGHT