Whats wrong with that one? Jaxom asked, pointing.
That smallest one? Felessan swallowed, keeping his face averted.
We didnt do anything to it.
I didnt, Felessan said firmly, glaring at Jaxom. You touched it
I may have touched it but that doesnt mean I hurt it, the young Lord Holder begged for reassurance.
No, touching em doesnt hurt em. The candidatesve been touching em for weeks and theyre rocking.
Why isnt that one then?
Jaxom had difficulty making Felessan understand him for the humming had increased until it was a constant, exciting thrum reverberating back and forth across the Hatching Ground.
I dunno, Felessan shrugged diffidently. It may not even Hatch. Thats what they say, at any rate.
But I didnt do anything, Jaxom insisted, mostly for his own comfort.
I told you that! Look, here come the candidates. Then Felessan leaned over, his lips right at Jaxoms ear, whispering something so unintelligible that he had to repeat it three times before Jaxom did hear him.
Re-Impress Brekke? Jaxom exclaimed, far louder than he meant to, glancing toward Lytol.
Deafwit! Felessan hissed at him, jerking him back in his seat. You dont know whats been going on here. Let me tell you, its been something! Felessans eyes were wide with suppressed knowledge.
What? Tell me!
Felessan glanced toward Lytol but the man seemed oblivious of them; his attention was on the young boys marching toward the rocking eggs, their faces white and purposeful, their bodies in the white tunics taut with excitement and anticipation.
What do you mean about Brekke re-Impressing? Why? How? Jaxom demanded, his mind assaulted by simultaneous conflicts: Lytol astride a dragon all his own, Brekke re-Impressing, Talina left out and crying because she was Ruathan-bred and should be dragonwoman.
Just that. She Impressed a dragon once, shes young. They said she was a far better Weyrwoman than that Kylara. Felessans tone echoed the universally bad opinion of the Southern ex-Weyrwoman. That way Brekked get well. You see, and Felessan lowered his voice again, Fnor loves her! And I heard he paused dramatically and looked around (as if anyone could overhear them), I heard that Fnor was going to let Canth fly her queen.
Jaxom stared at his friend, shocked. Youre crazy! Brown dragons dont fly queens.
Well, Fnor was going to try it.
But but …
Yes, it is! Felessan agreed sagely. You shouldve heard Flar and Fnor. His eyes widened to double their normal size. It was Lessa, my mother, who said what they ought to do. Make Brekke re-Impress. She was too good, Lessa said, to live half-dead.
Both boys glanced guiltily toward Lytol.
Do they do they think she can re-Impress? asked Jaxom, staring at the stern profile of his guardian and wondering.
Felessan shrugged. Well know soon. Here they come.
And sure enough, out of the black maw of the upper tunnel, flew bronze dragons in such rapid succession that they seemed nose to tail.
Theres Talina! Jaxom exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Theres Talina, Lytol, and he crossed to pull at his guardians arm. Lytol wouldnt have noticed either Jaxoms importunities or Talinas entrance. The man had eyes only for the girl entering from the Ground level. Two figures, a man and a woman, stood by the wide opening, as if they could accompany her this far, no further.
Thats Brekke all right, Felessan said in a hushed tone as he slid beside Jaxom.
She stumbled slightly, halted, seeming impervious to the uncomfortably hot sands. She straightened her shoulders and slowly walked across to join the five girls who wailed near the golden egg. She stopped by Talina, who turned and gestured for the newcomer to take a place in the loose semicircle about the queen egg.
The humming stopped. In the sudden, unquiet silence, the faint crack of a shell was clearly audible, followed by the pop and shatter of others.
The dragonets, glistening, awkward, ugly young things, began to flop from their casings, squawking, crooning, their wedge-shaped heads too big for the thin, sinuous necks. The young boys stood very still, their bodies tense with the mental efforts of attracting the dragonets to them.