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Chapters (64)
  1. Other titles by Anne McCaffreyPublished by Ballantine Books:
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  7. INTRODUCTION
  8. PROLOGUE
  9. At a Gather—6.15.30
  10. Part 1
  11. Turnover at Landing—1.1.31 Present Pass Aivas—Aivas Adjusted Turn 2553
  12. Benden Weyr—1.1.31
  13. Southern Hold—1.1.31
  14. Healer Hall—1.1.31
  15. Back at Landing—1.2.31
  16. Fort Hold—late night—1.1.31
  17. Fort Hold Runner Station—1.2.31
  18. Keroon Printer Hall—1.3.31
  19. Benden Weyr—midday—1.3.31
  20. Monaco Bay Weyr—five days later—1.8.31
  21. Part 2
  22. Ruatha Hold—local time 12:04 in the morning—1.9.31
  23. Telgar Weyr—local time 4:04 in the morning—1.9.31
  24. Benden Weyr—local time 6:04 in the morning—1.9.31
  25. Harper Hall—local time 1:00 in the morning—1.9.31
  26. Landing—local time 10:12 mid-morning—1.9.31
  27. In the Conference Room at Landing—1.9.31
  28. Monaco Weyr—10:22 in the morning—Timing it
  29. In the Conference Room at Landing—local time 1:10–1.9.31
  30. Sunrise Cliff Seahold—timed-back
  31. In the Conference Room—local time 2:12 at Landing—1.9.31
  32. Back at Landing—local time—3:40
  33. Harper Hall—5:00 in the morning, and Southern Hold—2:00 in the morning–1.9.31
  34. Landing—late afternoon—1.9.31
  35. Same time at Keroon Printer Hall—local time 11:15—1.9.31
  36. Later, on an unusually bright evening at Landing, Sunrise Cliff, and Honshu Hold—1.9.31
  37. Part 3
  38. Honshu—1.10.31
  39. Circle Runner Station—1.18.31
  40. Harper Hall
  41. Benden Weyr—
  42. Benini Hold—east Monaco and Honshu—1.20.31
  43. Harper Hall—1.28.31
  44. Honshu Hold—2.1.31
  45. Fort Hold—2.13.31
  46. Printer Hall at Wide Bay—same night
  47. Honshu Hold—2.9.31
  48. Night at Wide Bay—2.9.31
  49. Ruatha Hold—late evening—2.9.31
  50. Core Hold—two days before Council Meeting—2.26.31
  51. Part 4
  52. Honshu Weyrhold—2.26–27.31
  53. Council Meeting at Telgar Hold—3.1.31
  54. Honshu Weyrhold—3.01.31
  55. Interim at Benden and elsewhere
  56. Honshu Weyrhold—time passing slowly
  57. Landing—3.21.31
  58. Honshu Weyrhold—3.21.31
  59. Southern Hold—3.23.31
  60. Honshu Weyrhold—3.27.31
  61. Benden Weyr—3.27.31
  62. Cove Hold—same day, same approximate time
  63. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  64. What’s next onyour reading list?

“But surely, love,” and Sharra went to lay her hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension in his body, “he had only to—”

“They were asked to name hall or hold.” Jaxom’s grip tightened on the curtain so that the fabric was stretched from its rail, the upper hem tearing.

“Are you distressed because he didn’t speak?”

“I’m not sure.” Sharra could hear the anguish in Jaxom’s voice. “I’m not sure! I—think,” and now Jaxom buried his face in the folds of the curtain, “he was the leader. I think he was challenging me. Defying me and what I stand for. What did he expect me to do? See that they were only sent to the mines?”

Before he tore the curtain from the wall, she closed her hand around his fingers and gently detached them.

“I suggest that either way he is getting his own back on you, Jaxom,” she said in a quiet nonjudgmental tone. “By any chance, did anyone else recognize him? Ruth said you did not go alone.” He gave her a fierce look. “No, no, my love. I never asked him. He knows I worry that sometimes the pair of you might get into trouble and not tell me.” She tried to speak lightly, to ease his distress. She didn’t even get a rise out of him for what he usually termed unnecessary anxiety.

“Pinch has been on his trail, he said. It’s possible N’ton recognized him, though he wouldn’t have seen him in Turns.” He was silent a moment then added, “I should somehow have had a word with him. To see if he would tell me more.”

“More about what? Isn’t it enough that he was caught destroying what he can very well recognize as a tremendously important asset for all Pern?”

Jaxom gave her a long closed look. That made her flinch inwardly because they were usually so open with each other about everything in their lives.

“I thought he had been well placed in the south with Toric,” he said finally.

“Oh!” Sharra had to sit down quickly as she absorbed the implications of that. Jaxom had been trying to shield her.

“It’s preferable to think that he was on his own, perhaps just taking an opportunity to be paid for making the kind of trouble he enjoys. It wouldn’t be unlike him,” and Jaxom spun from the window and began pacing the floor, looking everywhere but at his spouse.