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〃You rest；〃 the dolphin named Afri urged； and cheed firmly about her； an order for the others to calm down。 Tai was surrounded and supported by dolphin bodies； the light waves splashing over them； lulling her until she was all but asleep。
She came to awareness of how easy it would have been for them to just succumb to such blandishments and find a weyr on the shore and forget the heartache and the dismal prospects at Honshu。 But that was impossible； no matter how tempting。 She had chosen。
〃We've had our respite； Zaranth。 We go back now。 Dawn's not far away and you know that's when F'lessan is most restless。〃
Resolutely； she turned shoreward； letting Afri； or maybe it was Dani； tow her until her feet touched the bottom。 She walked out； found her towel； dried herself； and dressed。 Then she called Zaranth in and checked to be sure that none of the scabs had burst during all that diving and cavorting about in the water。
〃e back； e back。 Good for you；〃 Afri said； walking on her tail as she spoke。 〃Bring Golly。 Much better for him。〃
It would be； too； Tai thought； except possibly for his eye。 Buoyed by water； he could exercise his leg and his tail…the bone had healed but the muscles remained flaccid。 He might also be able to spread his injured wing； ease open that stiff joint。 If only they could get him up in the air and to the sea。 Golanth had a much wider wingspan than Zaranth。 Falling over the cliff at Honshu as she had done could have fatal consequences for the bigger dragon。 Tai wondered if Ramoth and Mnementh had made any progress in refining the ability。 After remending trundlebugs； Zaranth had not heard anything from Ramoth except that she and Mnementh were practicing。
They returned to moonlit Honshu。 Where shadows would mask their approach； Zaranth glided toward the edge of the lower terrace。 All was peaceful below so their absence was unlikely to have been noticed。 Because of the angle of their approach； facing the main entrance； Tai saw the halting figure making its way to the sleeping bulk of bronze dragon； pausing to hold the edge of a table。 F'lessan？
What was the fool doing？ He'd walked for the first time that morning。 If he should fall； he could damage all the healing of the past two sevendays。 What did he think he was doing？ Fury for such recklessness dissolved as Tai realized what he needed to do： be with Golanth。
e in slowly。 If we startle him； he might fall； she told Zaranth。 D'you think you could support him if he falls？
I could try。 Zaranth's tone was doubtful。 He hurts。
Of course he does； Tai said； almost glad that pain was slowing him down； making him cautious。 Then； she could hear the faint click： he wasn't being entirely reckless； he was propping himself on a cane…hers； no doubt； since none had been offered him yet。
He was concentrating so hard on his goal； reaching his dragon； that he was unaware of being observed。 He had ten more meters to move； painfully； slowly。
Golanth knows Tai es。 He does not move。 Someone might hear that。
But I can hear the tap of the cane。
They may think it is you； Tai； checking on Golanth。
He managed another painful step in the moonlight； wobbling for a moment； uncertainly balanced。
If he falls。 Oh； shards； Zaranth； just move him； as you did the trundlebugs。 Move him to Golanth。
I…I。 He's nearly there。
Not near enough。 Just move him； Zaranth。 Do it！ You know how you moved trundlebugs！
Tai felt Zaranth gulp。 If F'lessan made a sound； it was muffled against Golanth's neck as Zaranth plied。
Put me beside him。
And Tai…more abruptly than she had ever moved without Zaranth beneath her…was standing beside F'lessan who clung to the loose skin on Golanth's neck for balance。 Tai put her hand under his left arm for support。
〃How the shard did I get here？〃 F'lessan demanded in a low tense voice。 〃Where did you e from？ There was no one else awake！〃
〃Zaranth！〃 Tai murmured by way of explanation。
F'lessan buried his head against his dragon's neck； gasping for breath。
〃You could have opened stitches！ You could have fallen and hurt yourself more；〃 she scolded him； speaking low； her lips to his ear。
〃Why didn't you get Zaranth to bring me to Golly before？〃 He turned his head； his low fierce whisper conveying his fury； his pain； and his desperate need to be in physical contact with his dragon。
Tai grimaced。 〃Three reasons： one； because you've been badly wounded and needed to heal a bit。 Two；〃 and she allowed her irritation to color her voice； 〃because I just thought of it when I saw you trying to undo all the good done while you were forcefully kept in bed。 Three； Zaranth doesn't really know how to control herself。〃
〃Trundlebugs； my dear green； trundlebugs。〃 He took a deep breath and pushed upright； steadied himself on the cane before raising his arm。 She saw the knife in his hand…one of the sharp ones that Crivellan used for surgical procedures。
〃What are you doing？〃
He gave her a shove。 She stumbled and hissed as the imbalance sent a jab of pain through her half…healed leg。 How had he managed to walk this far with his more serious wounds？ 〃I want to see his eye； Tai。 I want to see it。〃
〃Why？〃 No one had lied to him about Golanth's condition。 Didn't F'lessan trust her to tell the truth？
〃He wants me to。〃 F'lessan's reply was grim and Tai's objections ceased。 〃They've got it patched over and sewn up and； despite all the numbweed and fellis juice； it upsets him。 He wants his eye open。〃
F'lessan quickly severed the lower strips holding the patch to the eye。 He gasped as he tried to pull the bandage free； the effort was too much。
〃Give me the knife before you make a mess of what's left of his eye。〃 Her concern for him…and Golanth…made her speak more brutally than she meant。 The dragonrider in her knew that he had to know the worst； now； tonight； while he had steeled himself to accept。
Wordless； he passed her the knife； leaning against Golanth's nose and breathing raggedly。
Tai reached up to slice through the final straps and pulled the covering free。 And stared at the dull circle where a bright dragon eye should shine。
Both lids are sewn shut； Zaranth said encouragingly from the shadows。 Nothing to be seen until the lids are unstitched。
That won't hurt； Golanth said。 They always coat the outer lid lightly when they do the night dressing。 It's the inner one that itches so。
Belior's light now shone on that blank gray…white； slightly curved circle。
〃Give me back the knife；〃 F'lessan said。 He shifted； weight on his good leg； took a deep breath and carefully pulling the knot of the nearest stitch from the lid； severed it。
〃There're a lot of them；〃 Tai murmured。 Here。 A second scalpel clattered to the stone at Tai's feet。 Ooops！ Zaranth said。 Small things are actually harder to move than large ones。
Thanks； Tai said； wondering if encouraging her dragon to spontaneous kinesis was wise。 The ethics could wait until later。 Zaranth had at least known what was needed and where to get it。 Tai followed F'lessan's example and； since she was able to work quickly and stretch more easily； the stitches were soon removed from the vertically opening first lid。 She felt Golanth twitch。 Gently she caressed his neck。 F'lessan should not stretch so high。 Help him open the lid。 I cannot。 It has been closed a long time and is dry。
They did； careful to ease it over the stitches that closed the horizontal lid； gently pulling it to the rim of the eye。 They removed the stitches from the second lid。 Peeling it back was slow and disheartening。 The first facets were revealed； the inner circles scarred black by the pointed claws that had irreparably damaged them。 But； as Tai worked the upper lid； and F'lessan the lower； they could see that not all the facets were dark。 The outer band； to the third facet in； showed a cloudy green； on the upper rank； four octagons were clearer。 Along the dragon's nose； six more were brightening。 Golanth had lost at least three…quarters of the sight in that eye。 He might see directly in front of him in a narrow band and catch motion on the left and perhaps make out objects overhead。
Now； slowly；