“Can you blame her?” K’dan asked. “She’s living in the shadow of not only her father but also her brother.”
“And she probably just wishes she could get on with her life,” Xhinna added.
“There’s more than that,” Javissa said, glancing from Xhinna to X’lerin to K’dan. Her lips thinned as she came to some decision. “She wants the Sight to see if there will be a future for Pern.”
“Oh!” The word burst from Xhinna’s lips.
“I’m sorry—,” K’dan began, but stopped as Javissa raised a hand.
“It’s on all our minds, Harper,” Javissa said. “It can’t be kept from the children, particularly her.”
K’dan frowned even as he nodded. “Tiona and Kimar talk about it.”
“Well, I believe that Tenniz didn’t send us here for no reason,” X’lerin said.
“Ah, but he didn’t send us here,” Javissa said apologetically. “He sent Lorana to the Dawn Sisters and she found the Eastern Isle.”
“Fiona sent us a note,” Xhinna reminded her. When Javissa looked confused, Xhinna added, “Remember? The note we got back in Eastern Weyr? Or rather, she will—Turns from now.”
“But we’re not sure why,” K’dan said.
“I have to trust that it’s to save Pern,” X’lerin said.
“I hope so,” Javissa agreed fervently. She jerked her thumb back toward the broom trees. “And my little one so desperately wants to be a part of it.”
“In the meantime, Xhinna, any luck in finding a suitable clutching spot?” X’lerin asked.
Xhinna shook her head. “Tazith and I spent the day looking west, but it’s all the same—flat, with broom trees and grasses.”
“No place safe from tunnel snakes, then,” X’lerin declared.
“Or Mrreows,” K’dan added.
“Well, we’ll keep looking tomorrow,” X’lerin said. “Something will turn up.”
“I hope so,” Xhinna said. “But we’re running out of time. Taria’s Coranth could clutch any day now.”
“And, even if we find a suitable spot, we’ll only solve half our problem,” K’dan said.
The others looked at him and he explained, “Where are we going to find Candidates?”
FIVE
By Hearts Sundered
In the end, Coranth decided for herself. She chose the nearest sandy beach within flying distance of their Weyr, a spot north of Colfet’s cove.
Xhinna was furious with Taria for not getting instructions from her, furious with Coranth for her choice, and hurt that neither thought to tell her or Tazith so that they could return rather than continue their long scouting.
Instead, the first Xhinna learned of it was when she arrived back at the Weyr and was congratulated by a smiling X’lerin.
“Where’s Taria?” Xhinna asked, looking around. “Where’s Bekka?”
“At the Hatching sands,” X’lerin said, sounding confused. “You didn’t know?”
Xhinna shook her head.
“I’ll have Kivith give Tazith the image,” X’lerin said immediately. “I was just arranging a guard,” he explained. “We’ll be there directly. J’keran’s there now with Perinth.”
“Good,” Xhinna said.
“This is going to stretch us out, isn’t it?”
X’lerin said, frowning. Xhinna nodded. “We’ve got the Weyr, the Meeyus and the herd, Colfet’s cove, and now these sands.”
“We haven’t seen any Mrreows since …”
“But we don’t know about the tunnel snakes,” Xhinna said, itching to get airborne and glancing anxiously toward Tazith.
“Go!” X’lerin said. “We’ll be along shortly.”
Xhinna gave him a grateful nod and took off.
Are you ready? she asked Tazith, realizing how tired and sore she was and guessing how tired her steady blue must be—although he would never admit it to her. She radiated love to him: He was amazing, he was tireless, he was the best blue on all Pern.
I am, Tazith agreed, neither modest nor boasting, merely accepting her word at full value. Shall we go?
Xhinna clenched her jaw as she circled down over the sandy beach and picked out Taria among the others. The green rider looked up at her and then quickly to her side where R’ney stood. He offered her his hand and she took it before looking back up toward Xhinna and waving. Why did Taria feel she needed R’ney’s support? Xhinna wondered.
By the time Xhinna landed, she’d worked herself up into a near fury, ready to lash out at Taria, at Coranth, at R’ney.
Shh, there is nothing wrong, Tazith told her. His tone was as matter-of-fact as his earlier acceptance of her praise.
Unless I make it wrong, Xhinna thought to herself, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She ran toward Taria, grabbed her and scooped her up, spinning with her in her arms as she planted a great kiss on her partner’s lips.
“How many did she have?” she asked excitedly, waving an acknowledgment toward R’ney as she let Taria back down to the ground.
“Eighteen!” Taria said proudly, glancing toward her proud but exhausted green.
“Talenth only had three more when she first clutched!” Xhinna told her.
Taria’s face fell. “Talenth is a queen—you can’t expect that from a green.”
“I don’t,” Xhinna said, suddenly feeling defensive. “I meant it as a compliment.”
“Oh.” Taria sounded like she didn’t give that much credence.
Xhinna moved toward the nearest egg and touched it lightly. It was warm. “It’s soft.”
“It’ll harden,” Taria declared, glancing toward her green. “She chose this place all by herself.”
Xhinna glanced around critically. “Is it far enough from the sea?”
“It’s high tide now,” Taria said, pursing her lips tightly. She gestured at the gap between the edge of the sea foam and the nearest egg. “And there’s a whole dragonlength’s distance.”
“What if we get rough weather?” Xhinna muttered. “How will we protect the eggs then?”
Taria flushed angrily. “This is the best she could do,” she shouted, and Coranth raised her head, eyes whirling toward red as she reflected Taria’s anger. “Who are you to judge, you didn’t find anything better!”
“I’m not judging,” Xhinna said, confused at how the conversation was spinning out of control. “I’m merely thinking, planning.”
“You shouldn’t have let Tazith chew firestone,” Taria said.
Xhinna did a double take at this abrupt change of topic.
“This’ll be the last time they clutch,” Taria said, shifting her body in R’ney’s direction. “So you’d better hope they all hatch.”
“X’lerin’s on his way with guards,” Xhinna assured her. “We’ll keep a watch day and night.”
“Good.”
She’s acting like she just had a mating flight, Xhinna thought in surprise. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the way R’ney moved, half toward Taria, half away from Xhinna.
Could they …
Yes, Tazith told her calmly. Xhinna’s face blanched as she looked from R’ney to Taria and back.
“X’lerin’s coming,” she said abruptly, turning back to her blue. She jumped up onto him and urged him skyward.
Airborne, with her back to everyone and everything, Xhinna let her tears flow.
“Xhinna?” Bekka asked cautiously when she saw the rider dismount onto the broom trees of Sky Weyr. “Why aren’t you at the beach?”
“Headache,” Xhinna said, glancing hopefully toward J’riz. The boy was fast asleep, lying next to where Bekka sat, propped up on one arm.
Bekka glanced toward J’riz, a smile playing on her lips, then back to Xhinna. Her face darkened.