apart, Debera responded with a deep dip. Why, I was hoping you’d ask,
lantine!” I get the next one,’ Leopol cried, appearing unexpectedly
beside them and looking up at Debera, his eyes exceedingly bright.
Did you sneak some wine tonight?” lantine asked, suspicious.
Who’d give me any?” Leopol replied morosely.
No-one would give you anything you couldn’t take another way, Leo,’
Debera said. But I’ll keep you a dance. Later on.
And she stepped towards the floor, lantine whisking her away from the
boy as fast as he could.
Even for a Weyr lad, he’s precocious,’ Debera said, and she held up her
arms as she moved into his.
He is at that,’ lantine replied, but he didn’t want to talk about
Leopol at all as he swung her lithe body among the dancers, and eased
them away to the opposite side of the floor from Leopol.
He’ll follow, you know, until he gets his dance, she said, grinning up
at him.
We’ll see about that, and he tightened his arms possessively around her
strong, slender body.
Will I dance when I’m older? lantine clearly heard the green dragon
ask.
Startled, he looked down at Debera and saw by the laughter in her eyes
that the dragon had spoken to them both.
Dragons don’t dance,’ Debera said in her fond dragon tone
lantine had noticed that she had a special one for Morath.
They sing,’ lantine said, wondering how he was ever going to eliminate
Morath from the conversation long enough to speak about them.
She’ll listen to anything you say, Morath’s voice, so much like
Debera’s, sounded in his head.
lantine grimaced, wondering how under the sun he could manage any sort
of a private conversation with his beloved.
I won’t listen then. Morath sounded contrite.
How long do you think you’ll be at Benden, Ian?” Debera asked.
He wondered if Morath had spoken to her, too, but decided against
asking, though he didn’t want to discuss his departure at all.
Certainly not with Debera, the reason he desperately wanted to stay at
Telgar.
Oh,’ he said as casually as he could, I’d want to do my best for Lord
Bridgely and his Lady. They’ve been my sponsors, you see, and I owe
them a lot.” Do you know them well?” What? Me? No, my family’s
mountain holders.
So were mine.
Were?” Debera gave a wry laugh. Don’t let’s talk about families.
I’d far rather talk about us,’ he said, and then mentally kicked
himself for such a trite response.
Debera’s face clouded.
Now what did I say wrong?” He tightened his arms on her reassuringly.
Her expression was so woeful.
She’s been upset about something Tisha told the weyrlings yesterday. I
know I said I wouldn t interfere, but sometimes it’s needed.
You didn’t,’ Debera said at the same time so he wasn’t sure who had
said what, since the voices were so alike.
But something is troubling you?” She didn’t answer immediately, but her
hands tightened where they gripped him.
C’mon, now, Deb,’ and he tried to jolly her a bit. I’ll listen to
anything you have to say.” She gave him an odd glance. That’s just
it.” What is?” You wanting to talk to me, dance with only me and
Ooooh,’ and suddenly lantine had a hunch. Tisha gave all the riders
that don’t-do-anything-you’ll-be-sorry-for at Turn’s End lecture?” She
gave him a startled look, and he grinned back at her. I’ve been read
that one a time or two myself, you know.” But you don’t know,’ she
said, that it’s different for dragon riders For green riders with very
immature dragons.
Then she gave him a horrified look as if she hadn’t meant to be so
candid. Oh!” He pulled her closer to him, even when she resisted, and
chuckled. All those casual questions he’d asked dragon riders explained
all that she didn’t say.
Green dragons are . how do I put it, kindly? Eager.
loving, willing, too friendly for their own good She stared up at him,
a blush suffusing her cheeks, her eyes V
angry and her body stiffening against the rhythm of the dance.
They were about to pass an opening, one of the corridors that led back