Chapters (64)
- Other titles by Anne McCaffreyPublished by Ballantine Books:
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- INTRODUCTION
- PROLOGUE
- At a Gather—6.15.30
- Part 1
- Turnover at Landing—1.1.31 Present Pass Aivas—Aivas Adjusted Turn 2553
- Benden Weyr—1.1.31
- Southern Hold—1.1.31
- Healer Hall—1.1.31
- Back at Landing—1.2.31
- Fort Hold—late night—1.1.31
- Fort Hold Runner Station—1.2.31
- Keroon Printer Hall—1.3.31
- Benden Weyr—midday—1.3.31
- Monaco Bay Weyr—five days later—1.8.31
- Part 2
- Ruatha Hold—local time 12:04 in the morning—1.9.31
- Telgar Weyr—local time 4:04 in the morning—1.9.31
- Benden Weyr—local time 6:04 in the morning—1.9.31
- Harper Hall—local time 1:00 in the morning—1.9.31
- Landing—local time 10:12 mid-morning—1.9.31
- In the Conference Room at Landing—1.9.31
- Monaco Weyr—10:22 in the morning—Timing it
- In the Conference Room at Landing—local time 1:10–1.9.31
- Sunrise Cliff Seahold—timed-back
- In the Conference Room—local time 2:12 at Landing—1.9.31
- Back at Landing—local time—3:40
- Harper Hall—5:00 in the morning, and Southern Hold—2:00 in the morning–1.9.31
- Landing—late afternoon—1.9.31
- Same time at Keroon Printer Hall—local time 11:15—1.9.31
- Later, on an unusually bright evening at Landing, Sunrise Cliff, and Honshu Hold—1.9.31
- Part 3
- Honshu—1.10.31
- Circle Runner Station—1.18.31
- Harper Hall
- Benden Weyr—
- Benini Hold—east Monaco and Honshu—1.20.31
- Harper Hall—1.28.31
- Honshu Hold—2.1.31
- Fort Hold—2.13.31
- Printer Hall at Wide Bay—same night
- Honshu Hold—2.9.31
- Night at Wide Bay—2.9.31
- Ruatha Hold—late evening—2.9.31
- Core Hold—two days before Council Meeting—2.26.31
- Part 4
- Honshu Weyrhold—2.26–27.31
- Council Meeting at Telgar Hold—3.1.31
- Honshu Weyrhold—3.01.31
- Interim at Benden and elsewhere
- Honshu Weyrhold—time passing slowly
- Landing—3.21.31
- Honshu Weyrhold—3.21.31
- Southern Hold—3.23.31
- Honshu Weyrhold—3.27.31
- Benden Weyr—3.27.31
- Cove Hold—same day, same approximate time
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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“For that matter,” Lessa said, “Emily Boll held those lands in her own right. As I see it, that Holdership has come full circle and about time.”
Lady Dulsay, Adrea, Master Ballora, and Palla were bold enough to second her.
“Shall we confirm Lady Janissian then?” Asgenar asked, looking around, a sly smile on his face, “And save time for the really important matters?” He glared at Toric.
“Like what the Weyrleaders are going to do to prevent more fireballs?” Toric demanded, glaring across the floor at Lessa and F’lar.
“Now, just a minute,” Bargen said, annoyed, “that isn’t as critical a problem—”
“I should hope it is,” Toric interrupted at his most obnoxious.
Bargen gave him a furious glare and, raising his harsh baritone voice, continued, “as choosing a Bloodline successor, Lord,” and he closed his lips for a moment, catching Lady Sharra’s reaction, “or Lady.”
“There are two males in the Bloodline, aren’t there?” Lytol asked, supporting Bargen in order to keep to the agenda.
“Vormital, a great nephew of Sangel,” Sebell said, eyeing Toric, “and Warlow, a first cousin. Sangel’s sons died in the plague and there is no other male issue in the direct Bloodline.”
“Never heard of Vormital or Warlow,” Bargen said. “There has to be more.”
“Not surviving,” Sebell said. It was the Harper Hall’s duty to check.
“There was, there was. I knew him when I was in High Reaches Weyr. Hillegel. Big man. Half brother to Sangel,” Bargen insisted.
“He thought he’d go south,” Toric said, grinning smugly. “I heard he went down one of the rivers and never a word since.”
N’ton got to his feet. “When approached by the Weyr to help evacuate the vulnerable coast from the Flood, Vormital informed me that this was Sangel’s problem, not his.”
“Dismiss him from consideration,” Groghe said, bringing his fist down on the table. “In my hearing, on five separate occasions, Sangel said the man was a fool and couldn’t hold a cup without help.”
“Does anyone know any good of this Vormital?” Sebell asked.
“If anyone does, it will be the first time,” Groghe said in a voice meant to be heard.
“Who’s the other one?” Bargen of High Reaches said. He had fought hard to return High Reaches to his Bloodline after Fax’s presumptive holding and he saw nothing wrong with fighting to claim Bloodright—for males, of course.
“Warlow is the child of Sangel’s youngest sister. He has a small farm and five sons, three of whom have served Lady Marella in minor capacities.”
“If his sons served, and he hasn’t pushed for himself, he’d be useless,” was Bargen’s immediate answer. “Are we left with the girl?”
“Lady Janissian has served as steward to her grandfather and grandmother—” Sebell began.
“More the grandmother’s doing, I’m certain,” Langrell of Igen remarked.