Natoth emerged from the cold of between into the warmth of the air above the beach of Ierne. For a moment Lytah felt her breath catch in her throat. Even from this height she could see it was just as D'kor had said, beautiful.

At that she glanced to her left. Zenth was leading them down to the sands and she could make out the blue of Henth flying on his far left. Not that they needed a guide, the bulks of another green and three browns standing in the shallows of the sea indicated where they should go.

As she dismounted she could see why D'kor hadn't bothered to wait for them to change into warmer clothing. Already the heat made her unbutton her jacket from the short walk up the beach.

But it was not just the heat or the glare from the sun that made her feel so uneasy. It wasn't even their purpose here. She could identify L'tul and T'men as the two bent over the form spread-eagled on the sand, S'lon and N'eth standing close by. The last of Alpha wing, she thought with a start. This was all that was left of them. Which had to be why D'kor had insisted that they all be here. To personally deal with the one responsible for the decimation to their ranks and the damage to their whole weyr.

No, it went beyond all this. To the man standing with feet firmly apart, arms folded, seemingly oblivious to the heat. For man D'kor was and as Lytah watched him, she realized that she didn't know him anymore.

Gone was the quiet hesitation, the attitude that if you left it well enough alone then it might solve itself. He even looked different. Thinner to be sure, the gauntness of his illness would take more than a few days to remove, but also taller and straighter. He might have only been wingleader for a day or so, but he was a natural for the position.

As shown on the hatching grounds of Fort, was it only a couple of hours ago? It was he who had found Rowarth, discovered Roth's plot and organised their small group to guard the eggs. He had also predicted that Roth would wait until the grounds were full of potential candidates before he made his move. And it had been D'kor's sharp reflexes that had him catch the bottle of liquid thrown at the queen egg. It had also been to D'kor that T'men had turned with the question "What do you want to do with him?"

But if she had been surprised by the fact that T'men was not the only one to look to D'kor for direction, then D'kor's response had stunned her. She had never imagined that he could harbour such anger, well controlled though it was. Not even S'lon was going to question the authority in the order. "Stake him out for thread."

Now they were here. Making an end to it before they went back to Fort to celebrate the arrival of Coranth and the election of Mianna as their new weyrwoman. As well as the other new members of their weyr.

She was aware that N'eth came to her side, but she was watching T'men and L'tul straighten before they moved back with the others towards the dragons. Leaving D'kor standing alone after they had paused briefly by him. "Lytah, are you all right?"

"No. I don't think so." She turned towards N'eth. "There's something…." She found it disconcerting to be searching for words. Not like her at all. "…wrong with this whole scene. Not with Roth," she added at his look of concern. "That one deserves everything that is coming to him. But Natoth is agitated as well and I don't think it is just because she is here on the beach instead of up there flaming."

Lytah had looked up at the sky in the distance. Already the familiar silver-grey edge of an approaching fall could be seen. It did feel wrong not to be up there, to just let it fall.

"I feel strange," she said almost absently. "On edge."

N'eth had turned sharply to look back towards the water. "I see." He then strode ahead back to D'kor, pulled him around to face towards the sea, but they spoke too low for her to distinguish their words.

It was only a moment before they walked forward. D'kor spoke. "All right people, there are some celebrations to attend. S'lon, take them back home."

That had been another surprise, that D'kor had suggested S'lon as his wing second. She approved of his choice though, both politically and personally.

S'lon looked surprised. "You're not coming?"

"Not yet. I need to stay to make sure this matter is finished once and for all."

Though she could fully understand his reasons, Lytah still felt apprehension as she turned to go with the others.

"Lytah." She faced D'kor. "Can I ask you to stay?"

She didn't really want to but she would prefer that to leaving him here alone. "Yes."

"Thank you." D'kor turned back to face the approaching thread.

This was not good, she decided, watching the others leave. Though at least Natoth seemed to settle slightly when it was only Zenth left on the beach.

"Why me?" she finally asked to his back.

He didn't move. "You were there with me when this started, have always been by my side, my closest friend and companion. I wanted you to be with me here at the end to see it finally finished."

That she could understand, even if his words made her feel uncomfortable. Unable to think of a suitable reply, she stood in silence.

But after a few minutes she decided that enough was enough. The leading edge of thread might still be a little way off at the top of the cliffs, but D'kor looked like he was going to stand there until it was on top of them. She ran forward, to take hold of his hand.

"D'kor, please, let us get out of here."

His slight smile as he faced her was not what she expected. "So, you do care?"

"Of course I care." She began pulling him towards the beach.

He reversed her grip so that it was her hand in his as he broke into a run. "In that case, let us go."

Willingly she complied, until he reached Zenth and wouldn't let her go. His strength surprised. "D'kor!"

"You are coming with me." He was starting to climb.

"Don't be ridiculous. Let me go, you are upsetting Natoth."

"My dear green rider, I have no intention of doing either. Now we can stay like this until thread is upon us or you can get up here."

She resisted for a moment longer, before allowing herself to be pulled up. She was angry. "I swear D'kor, that when we get back to Fort, I am going to flail your hide."

He had positioned her in front of him, his laugh was low in her ear. "Something I will look forward to then."

Then Zenth was airborne, Natoth a breath behind him, the green's agitated scolding clearly audible.

The cold of between was fleeting and they were in the air again, uncomfortably close to the ground. But Lytah didn't get the chance for a clear view. D'kor had one arm around, holding her arms to her sides, his other hand suddenly covering her eyes. Alarmed, she fumbled to catch the riding straps herself to ensure that they kept to their seat.

Some part of her kept outside awareness. She could tell that they were still south, the air was warm, but she was too angry to work out why. They were landing in an unusual area though they were almost on the ground before he released her to be able to see. The open ground was not large and it was surrounded by thick tall vegetation. An opening through the hedge looked to lead into a compound beyond what seemed to be a pit trap.

Lytah almost vaulted to the ground once D'kor let her go as they landed.

"Shaffit D'kor, what are you playing at?"

"Lytah, I'm done playing." It had only taken a moment before he was walking towards her. Even in her fury she was surprised as to how serious he seemed. "It will be me, as I intend it to be me from now on, so I was not going to have you sight where we are in order for you to be able to call in any others."

"What are you on about?"

"Look at your green."

Warily she did as he said. Then felt a wave of cold fear wash over as realization hit. She didn't need his following words to confirm what she had seen. "Natoth's ready to fly."

"That cannot be!"

"I know it is far too early but I guess you could put it down to the amount of stress that both of you have been under these past few sevendays."

"How do you know she is early?"

"I learnt the timing of Natoth's cycles a long time ago. It was the only way I found to help stop going crazy every time you were away from the weyr. I could then reduce the number of times I got blinding drunk to once every season. I suppose I should thank you for your consideration in at least taking it to other wings if not to other weyrs. My jealous rages could not be directed at my own wing members then."

"This is insanity. Bronzes are not….."

"Meant to fly greens. So you have said and I never want to hear you say it again."

"D'kor…"

"No! Lytah, I've had plenty of time recently to think, to have nice long chats with our friends. And I have also read your journal."

"You did what?"

He shrugged at her anger. "So I know your reasons why. And maybe at some time in the past, they might have had some validity."

Curiosity took the sharp edge from her anger. "And no longer?"

"In one way. I have learnt a lot in recent times, more especially about myself. I now know I prefer to give orders rather than receive them. If I have my way, Zenth will fly Coranth when she matures."

"You want to be weyrleader?"

"Even if I was to be given the choice, yes." He gave a smile at her puzzled frown. "V'kai has named me flightleader."

"But that means…" The enormity of that took a moment to sink in.

"I will be weyrleader if anything happens to him before Coranth's mating flight. And in the meantime I get to become his apprentice, learn how to run Fort and plan how to lead it into Interval. But to do that I need a strong woman at my side."

"Mianna…"

"Shards woman! I am not talking about Mianna. Though she will make an efficient weyrwoman, we will have the best-kept records in Pern, it is not her bed I will willingly seek. Especially as she has already made known her opinion of we younger riders."

"Yes. I have noticed that she prefers the company of K'ron already."

"Preferences be damned. His bronze is no match for Zenth, no bronze in Fort is."

In that he spoke true. But his words, this conversation, confused her. As well as effectively sliced through the barriers she had built around herself. "And it is me that you want?"

"Not just want. Lytah, I need you. You are smart, clear-sighted, and levelheaded. You see things I don't, have always provided me with insight and guidance. I need that more than ever now. I must have your total commitment to me."

"You already do."

"As friend and probably wingleader, I have no doubt. But that is no longer enough, I also need you as lover." She could think of no immediate reply to that.

It took a while to find something appropriate. "I did not expect this."

"Nor did I. I had thought to have a little longer to start to persuade you, but Natoth has changed all that."

"So it seems. But I need more time D'kor, I cannot give you answer now."

"I can't say that I am surprised there. I don't mind waiting, as long as it is the answer I have to have. But we really need to get out of here. Pleasant though this place is, it is also territory for some rather nasty felines. Through there."

Curiosity more than anything had her follow his directions. Though she wondered what was wrong when he gave a sharp hiss on landing from the leap across the gap. She also didn't put up much protest as he led her up a ramp towards some sort of shelter. There was the threat of thread after all and safety was behind a wall of rock and stone. It felt strange too, that there was a feeling of inevitability about this whole situation. But she was not going to give in easily.

"You may now be my flightleader but in personal matters I find such arrogance is something I am not sure I approve of."

"I'm sorry Lytah." There was the fleeting return of the D'kor she used to know. "But I had planned on sevendays for this, not minutes. And it is not something that I claim to have a lot of practice with. I have to persuade you that this is right. For all four of us."

"Hmm, yes. You do have a problem." She had taken slow steps towards him, stood directly in front. She hadn't realised that he was a good half-head taller than her. Automatically she fought the surge of emotion from her dragon, before conscientiously letting it flow. Natoth had killed one of the felines, she could feel her questioning the flavour. But it was only blood she was after. Lytah could feel the change as the raw taste turned the savage need into lust.

Give into it for a change, she told herself. "Especially as you have run out of time."

She reached to lay her hand on the back of his neck to guide him into her kiss. The touch seemed to be the signal for Natoth. With a cry of challenge the green leapt skywards. An answer from Zenth and the bronze followed.

Lytah kept her eyes closed as she came back to outside awareness slowly. A breeze was cool on one bare shoulder, the texture of animal pelt soft and luxurious on bare skin, warmth of contact along one side and a feeling of well being and… she sought for the work lazily, not wanting to think too deep on actions and implications. Rightness.

I am glad that you think that way.

Zenth's contact surprised her. She searched for Natoth to find that she was asleep, so withdrew back to Zenth. Where are you both?

On the far side of the island. Thread still falls where you are, here the sky is clear and the sun warm. I watch over Natoth as she sleeps on the beach and we will return later.

Even as Lytah felt some surprise at the protective tone in his thoughts, she could also not mistake the sense of pride. And not just for himself.

Natoth flew well Lytah. She is a challenge to catch and a worthy partner.

"Like dragon, like rider."

She looked across to find D'kor lying on his side, watching her. "Later," he said as she got ready to speak. "For now we have time to pass and I would see what we could find without the sense of urgency."

She gave a gasp then as his gentle strokes of her leg finally brushed between her thighs. She reached to lay a hand gently on his neck. "And without dragon involvement?"

"That too," he said as he bent forward.

D'kor woke with a start and knew almost instinctively that he was alone. Something also told him it had been at least an hour or so. The sun was low enough in the sky to tell him it was mid-afternoon. So it would be also at Fort.

As he dressed he called for Zenth. He then picked up the impression that the bronze was amused at something. "Do you know where Lytah might be?"

She is here with us down on the beach. Though I feel that she has not had a lot to do with the sea.

"Why do you say that?"

Fall has brought the fish to the surface to feed on the drowned threads and I think she is unsure as to what to make of it. And she does not like the taste of the water.

The conversation had D'kor feeling slightly left out. "I'm on my way."

Lytah says no as it is far too dangerous. The felines are out and agitated and she has your crossbow. Natoth will come and get you. There was a moment of silence. She believes that Lear's compound is too confined for me to be able to take off again.

It wasn't hard to pick up Zenth's opinion of the arrangement. "I'll meet you in the area outside."

Even there it is dangerous at the moment unarmed. I would rather you ride Natoth than risk further harm.

Though when the green landed there was a shadow over that was not of cloud. D'kor could see why Lytah sent Natoth. There was only just enough room for the green to spread her wings for take off. It also felt more than a trifle strange to be astride the smaller beast.

He had the feeling that he would hurt her until he recalled the size of some of the other green riders he knew.

Zenth landed close to Natoth, D'kor made a point of thanking both dragons. Yet once on the ground and he could look around, he felt the start of alarm. Where was Lytah?

That blew into serious concern when he finally spotted her at the end of the stone pier. He broke into a run. For she was lying face down, partly over the end. He had almost reached her before he realized that she couldn't be hurt. Natoth was far too calm and Zenth would have told him.

He'd slowed to a walk by the time he reached her. "What are you doing?"

She looked up and beckoned for him to join her.

She's talking to the fish. Zenth informed him.

"Like the one we met at Ista?" But as he lay on the edge with her he could answer that for himself. There were two of the sleek grey creatures close by the pier at her side.

"You have seen the likes of these before?" Lytah asked.

"They call themselves dolphins. The one at Ista seemed pleased that I had made the time and effort to try and talk."

"It is hard work," she said. "Dolphins. It sounded like that but it was such a strange word I thought it was part of their own speak." There was a pause in which he watched the pair in the water. It almost seemed as if they were having their own conversation, there was nothing remotely understandable in their sounds.

"D'kor, may I come back here? To talk more with the dolphins, explore this wonderful place of yours?"

That was an interesting concept, one he hadn't thought through himself. Certainly he had agreed to protect this place when he had asked Lear to move to the larger holding that Roth had established. Lear knew the island and appeared more than capable of directing the few that had been organised to sort the place out, burn out the last traces of the disease. But D'kor had thought more along the lines of general protection from Fort, rather than himself personally. Though he certainly had the authority to do that on his own now.

"I like that idea," he said. "As long as it is something I can assist you with." He turned to face the closest dolphin. "Would that be all right with you?"

In answer there was excited squealing from both the animals. One then launched itself into the air to fall back with a loud splash, the other pushed itself up to do a tail dance in the water.

Lytah was laughing as she moved to sit. "I think they approve. But it is probably time to get you back home."

D'kor sat up himself then, but carefully. For some reason the wound in his side was deciding to act up, giving a twinge of pain if he overstretched that side.

He reached to cover her hand with his. "Do we get the chance to have a talk?"

"Tomorrow. I need to sleep on this first. A lot has happened today that I need to sort out, get into perspective."

She was on her feet by now and he used her offered hand to help himself upright. He then pulled her into a kiss. It was a little surprising and more than pleasing to find that it was he who broke the contact a while later. One hand of hers rested on his neck, she stroked his throat gently as she moved away. "That was interesting."

"Interesting?" He fell into step beside her as they headed off the pier. "Anyone would think that you had not been kissed before."

He wondered why she suddenly looked embarrassed. "In truth D'kor? Since I became rider, unless dragon-roused, I haven't."

That he found surprising. If that were so… He caught her around the waist as he stopped to pull her into his embrace. "Lytah," he spoke quietly "Excluding the times Natoth rises, when was the last time you took a man to bed?"

It took a long moment before she met his look. "Before I Impressed."

"Am I allowed to ask why?" Reading her expression had him quickly add "Tomorrow?"

She laughed again as he released her. "Yes, you can ask me tomorrow."

Reaching the end of the pier he paused instead of following her towards the dragons, looked across the sands.

"Are you coming today?" she called.

"In a minute." He started to walk towards the spot visited earlier. He had to make sure.

It was only a moment later before she was at his side. "Of course."

D'kor wondered why it surprised him to find so little left. He knew thread, had been fighting it for a good part of his life, had seen the permanent damage done to flesh of a brief searing contact before a trip between froze it dead. He had also known the loss of both man and dragon when contact had been fatal. Thread consumed anything that was not metal or stone. And a man was made of neither.

He felt Lytah take her hand from around his waist as she stepped forward, to go down onto one knee. She used the point of her knife to move the few pieces of metal on the sand. There was something he thought. What happened to the thread when it has finished all available matter? He could see no trace of it here, which was obviously what Lytah was checking for. She then picked up a belt buckle and other pieces that might have been decoration to put them into her small bag. He was then aware that she took hold of his hand as she came back to stand beside him.

It was a while later before he gave a sigh. "It is at an end."

She kept the contact as they walked back to the dragons.

It was late afternoon when Zenth broke through into the sky above Fort weyr. Yet even as Zenth greeted the dragon on watch, D'kor was surprised that he spoke. They are not here.

Shaffit, D'kor thought, now what had gone wrong? He felt annoyed that the plans for grabbing something to eat and retiring for an early night had just been sent between. "Can Natoth tell you where they are?"

A few moments during which Zenth flew lazy circles, delaying their descent. Telgar weyr.

D'kor let out a long sigh. He felt of a mind to just get home, ignore the whole compounding problem. But that would achieve no positive purpose, was more than likely to undo any progress he might have made with her.

"Let the watch know we are not landing now. Ask Gonuth to pass on to S'lon our apologies, we will be late and could he pass on the same message to Mianna. So too, ask Katath to give the same to T'men and that I need to detour past Telgar weyr."

We are going to go and get them?

"Unless you believe that to be a bad idea?"

No. Natoth is not happy. She wants to come home but Lytah needed to see someone at Telgar, so she is pleased that we are coming.

"Then the sooner we get going, the sooner we will be back."

You do not want to stop for gloves or a warmer jacket? I feel the cold has not done you any good.

A tempting idea. The cooler air here and the chill of between had drawn out all the heat of his visit south. But if he landed he would be sorely coaxed into staying. "I'll survive without it."

Though when they emerged over Telgar, he wondered if he might have been wrong. It was full night here, nothing then to even start to take the chill away that seemed to be seeping into his very bones. Though he managed to control his shivering by the time they had permission to land. Zenth then left him to join Natoth on the ridge.

The entrance was only dimly lit with glows which, more than anything, indicated the lateness of the hour. But there was no hint of weariness in the bearing of the tall, silver-haired man who was striding towards him.

"D'kor, Zenth's rider, of Fort."

"M'con, Dureth's rider." That was surprising, that Telgar's weyrleader was meeting him in person. "I had heard that Fort had suffered the brunt of that disease, but I had been unaware that madness had been an aftermath. Or so I must assume when two Fort riders turn up in the middle of the night with not so much as a glove between either of them."

"Not my smartest move," D'kor had to concede. "But it was a warm afternoon in Ierne when I left."

"So my niece said." Ah, there was the nagging point of connection. "And I assume that it is her arrival here that has precipitated yours?"

"An issue has come up that I need to resolve with her."

"Now there you may have a problem. Lytah has closeted herself away with Serenna and not even I would disturb them. At least not with Lytah's mood. But you will not wait out here either. Come to my study, it will be warmer with the fire there."

D'kor was grateful to find his words lived up to their promise. The chair in front of the fire was comfortable, the fire cheery and the wine cool. The walk here had warmed him somewhat, but for some reason he did not feel particularly well. Probably hunger, he decided, it had been a while since his last meal.

M'con had left briefly, and then came to occupy the second chair. "There will be food along shortly. In the meanwhile you can tell me the news of Fort's latest hatching. I understand that you had a bit of trouble there."

So passed the next little while. M'con was very easy to talk with, seemingly genuinely interested in what had been happening at Fort. The only time he expected D'kor's silence was when he insisted that he put food in his mouth. Stew and pastries had been warmed to make a very welcome supper.

M'con poured the last of the wine. "Sounds like you have had more happening in one day than most people would experience in a full turn. But forgive me for saying so, none of what you have told me explains Lytah's mood, her need to visit my weyrwoman and brings you chasing after her. What else happened today?"

D'kor took a drink to moisten a suddenly dry mouth. "Zenth flew Natoth." Not unexpectedly he found himself under the intense regard of the weyrleader.

M'con finally spoke. "Of all the words spoken this evening, none has had more significance than those three. Yes, that explains a great deal, if not all. Given that, I can also tell you that you will find no resolution this night, I know my family too well. So there is probably not much point in any further delay to retiring for the night. And that will not involve you returning to Fort."

D'kor started to frown at that. Since when had one weyr believed it had authority over another's riders? An offer of hospitality was one thing, orders an entirely different matter.

"Forgive me D'kor. I have been wingleader far too long not to be able to judge correctly the condition of either dragon or rider. You have had food and drink and still you look unwell. So I will insist that you stay and I will arrange for the visiting journeywoman healer to see you before she leaves."

"I have had enough of healers, thank you."

"Be that as it may, I would be negligent in my duty to V'kai if I allowed Fort's favourite son to come to further harm. Do not look so surprised, wingleader, your reputation precedes you, and not just by family connection."

On M'con's call a servant appeared and D'kor also stood. The three of them were quite close to the table but D'kor was unsure as to what exactly happened then as he was suddenly occupied with fighting a wave of nausea. So he was unprepared and didn't react when M'con stepped back with a muffled curse, into him. Though he certainly became aware when M'con's elbow connected with his injured side.

The pain was blinding. He dropped to one knee, doubled over, fighting hard not to lose either his meal or consciousness. There were other voices on the edge of his awareness. M'con's certainly and he thought he could recognise Lytah. But when someone pulled him upright, the wave of heat that washed through him sent him into the dark.

D'kor decided that he was heartily fed up with not being able to wake normally. He ached, still felt tired and there was a damnable damp cloth covering his eyes. He raised a hand to remove it.

"Not so fast D'kor." He felt his hand caught.

"Lytah?" Even as he said that he was not sure. It sounded like her, somewhat.

"So that explains it. I am Journeywoman healer Sygull."

"Lytah's mother."

"Yes. It is nice to know that she does speak of me. Now before I remove the cloth I need to ask a couple of questions. Any headache, pain in the back of the eyes?"

A moment for mental exploration. "No."

"Can I get you to lift yourself a little, then answer the same question?"

That took some effort but there was no response, at least not from his head. "My head's still fine but that started up an ache in my side."

"That is understandable. It was a nasty injury and not properly treated. And before you react to that, I meant no disrespect to Fort's healers. It is just that they would not have realised what exactly they were dealing with. You are aware and coherent. How do you feel?"

"Tired, thirsty."

"Hungry?"

"A little. For anything but soup."

"I will see what I can arrange." The cloth was removed. As Sygull left he decided that if not for her voice he would have been hard pressed to relate her to Lytah, her features harder than those of the dragon rider. Probably as a result of her work he decided.

It was mid morning and he was in Telgar's infirmary. Not alone, one rider with an elaborately splintered leg waved to him from across the room and curtains around a corner bed indicated another more serious injury.

Food, juice and extra pillows duly arrived, all having a positive effect. Why, he was actually starting to feel somewhat normal. Though he definitely was not going to stay in bed once he found he was heading for his fourth night at Telgar. Shards, was he going to do nothing but sleep his entire life away? In the last three sevendays he was going to be lucky to have seen five of them.

The only thing that finally restricted him to the infirmary was that he could find none of his clothes and even he had enough self-respect to not go prancing around a foreign weyr in only a borrowed nightshirt.

When Sygull returned he reluctantly let her usher him back into bed. "Yes," she was saying. "I can see why Lytah had me carry out her suggestion."

"Which was?" He was made to lie back, the dressing changed. There must have been numbweed in the ointment, the ache quickly disappeared.

"That the only way to get you to stay put to heal was to put enough fellis in your liquid that you had no choice. But I have to admit, even so, you were more than a compliant patient. Probably because you thought that I was Lytah."

But if she noticed his embarrassment then, she was tactful enough to ignore it. "Still, you are over the worst of the effects of that wound. It will heal, provided that it is taken care of."

"But it was only a stunning dart from a tiny crossbow."

"Drenched in a potion that on its own would have made you sick enough. It was probably how they infected the herdbeast in the first place. The effect on top of what you were undoubtedly already suffering should have been fatal. So it will need some careful treatment to ensure that you will heal completely and as permanently as we can make it. To that end I have thoroughly briefed an assistant to go back with you to Fort, as I have dealt with enough dragon riders, wingleaders in particular, to know that taking care of themselves is not high on their priority list."

Now he was to deal with another healer? And probably be expected to fly them to Fort. Still, if it meant that he could get back home soon then he should put up with the inconvenience. "When will I be able to leave?"

"As soon as you are dressed. Ah good, here she comes now."

He looked to see Lytah enter with a pile of clothing. She was dressed herself for flight, insisted that he wear double layers, riding gear on top of normal uniform. He was allowed to dress while Sygull drew Lytah aside for final instructions.

D'kor slung the heavier jacket across one shoulder for the moment as he was already uncomfortably warm. He bid farewell to Sygull. Noticed that Lytah had been given the pot of ointment to put into her satchel, which confirmed his interpretation of their earlier conversation.

"So, you are to be the assistant healer?" he said when they started out of the infirmary.

Her expression was rueful. "Sygull seemed to think that it was the only way to make sure of correct treatment."

"She could be right there." But he didn't wait for a reaction, increased the length of his stride. He wondered if Sygull predicted that he would willingly seek aid from that quarter. Probably, healers were notoriously devious. Combine that with Harper Hall influence and who knew what they could achieve.

A not overly long farewell from M'con and D'kor was gratefully heading across Telgar's landing area, though a call from Lytah had him pause.

"Just so you are aware, I've been asked to escort Sygull back to Healer Hall. I apologise for not checking with you earlier."

"Just as long as you are back at Fort by the evening meal."

"I have no intention of being longer than an hour at most. Depending on how long Sygull takes to get ready."