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Hold or Weyr I’ve taken him to. He follows me no matter where I go. Even during TTireadfall.” At Tgellan’s snort, G’sel added, “I told you to watch today, Tgellan. Rill was with us.”
“Yes, so tell Elgion how long it takes Rill to come back from delivering a message.”
“All right; all right,” said G’sel with a laugh as he stroked Rill affectionately. “And when you’ve one of your own, Tgellan…”
“Possibly, possibly,” the bronze rider said easily. “Unless Elgion here finds us another clutch, well just have to stay jealous of you.”
Tgellan changed the subject then to ask about Half-Circle Hold, general questions that did not embarrass or compromise Elgion. Tgellan evidently knew Yanus’s reputation.
“If you feel too isolated there, Harper, don’t fail to fly the signal and we’ll pop you up for an evening here.”
“Hatching’s soon,” G’sel suggested, grinning and giving Elgion a wink.
“Hell be here for that certainly,” Tgellan agreed.
Then Rill creeled for a bite to eat while the bronze rider chided G’sel for turning the lizard into an importunate beggar. Elgion noticed Tgellan, himself, finding a titbit for the little bronze, however, and he, too, offered Rill some meat, which the creature daintily accepted from the knife.
By the end of the meal Elgion was ready to brave Yanus’s worst displeasure and wrath to find a fire lizard clutch and Impress a fire lizard of his own. That prospect made his inevitable return easier.
“I’d better do you the honors, Elgion,” Tgellan said, rising at last from the table. “And I’d also better get you back early. No sense aggravating Yanus more than necessary.”
Elgion wasn’t certain how to take that remark or the wink that accompanied it, particularly as it was now full dark and for all he knew, the Hold doors were already barred for the night Too late now to wish he’d
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gone back as soon as the dragonriders had returned from the Fall. But then he wouldn’t have met Rill.
They were aloft, Elgion reveling in the experience, craning his head to see as much as possible in the clear night air. He had only a glimpse of the Higher Benden Range hills before Tgellan asked Monarth to take them between.
Suddenly, it was no longer full dark: the sun was a handspan above the glowing sea as they burst into the air above Half-Circle Harbor.
“Told you I’d get you back early,” Tgellan said, turning to grin at the Harper’s startled exclamation. “We’re not supposed to time it, but all in a good cause.”
Monarth circled down lazily so that everyone in the Sea Hold was gathered on the holdway when they landed. Yanus strode a few paces ahead of the others while Elgion searched the faces for Alemi’s.
Tgellan leaped from the bronze’s shoulder and made a show of assisting Elgion as the entire Hold cheered loudly for their Harper’s safe return.
*Tm neither crippled or old,” Elgion muttered under his breath, aware of Yanus’s approach. “Don’t overdo it”
Tgellan laid his arm across Elgion’s shoulders in a comradely fashion, beaming at the oncoming Sea Holder. “Not at aU,” he said out of the corner of his mouth. “The Weyr approves!”
“Sea Holder, I am profoundly embarrassed at the inconvenience…”
“No, Harper Elgion,” Tgellan interrupted him, “any apologies are the Weyr*s. You were adamant in wishing to return to Half-Circle immediately. But Lessa needed to have his report, Yanus, so we had to wait.”
Whatever Yanus had been about to say to his erring Harper was nearly blocked by Tgellan’s obvious approval. The Sea Holder rocked a bit on his feet, blinking as he reorganized his thoughts.
“Any fire lizard sign you discover must be made
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known to the Weyr as soon as possible/’ Tgellan continued blithely.
‘Then that tale is true?” Yanus asked in a grumble of disbelief. “TTiose… those creatures do exist?”
“They do indeed, sir/’ Elgion replied warmly. “I have seen, touched and fed a bronze fire lizard; his name is Rill. He’s about as big as my forearm …”
“You did? He is?” Alemi had pushed through the crowd, breathless from excitement and the exercise of hobbling as fast as he could down the holdway. “Then you did find something in the cave?”