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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； Golanth turned his head to his rider and Tai； and focused on them what remaining vision he had。
I see you； F'lessan。 I see you； Tai。 I see！
Dragons do not weep。 F'lessan did； burrowing into his dragon's neck； clasping Tai's hand so tightly in his that some of her tears were for pain as well as joy。
Neither Wyzall nor Oldive； nor any of the beastmasters and healers they had consulted had thought that Golanth would have any use of the left eye。 Nor did they know if the undamaged eye could pensate！ While dragons often got their eyes full of stinging char and occasionally a direct score； the nictitating lids could close so quickly that rarely had more than a few facets been hurt。
I do not see much。 But I see with two eyes。
Tai began to hiccup with sobs。 F'lessan was gasping and hissing more than sobbing； sagging against his dragon； his injured leg sticking out to one side。
〃I had to see； I had to know；〃 he murmured。
Tai tried to support him； but he kept slipping； exhausted by his efforts； tears running down his face in a quiet despair that was far worse to hear than his initial sobs of relief。
Zaranth； put us in his worn。
Where？
The bed！
Being moved telekinetically by Zaranth was not at all the same thing as going between。 If anything； Tai thought； it was between between。
Not…so…fast！ Tai heard Golanth say； like a tiny distant sound deep in her ear； not a phrase said aloud。 And the breathless propulsion down the corridor eased somewhere in between the start and the finish； and by its finish； they were slowly falling onto a bed。 The larger bed they had shared…a logical enough destination for Zaranth； who would have recognized from Tai's mind that this bed was preferable to the narrow one that F'lessan had left。 Tai was able to ease F'lessan's descent to the mattress。
As she hastily checked for any blood seeping from his bandages； F'lessan lay there； supine； limp arms over his head； gasping for breath； his face pale even in the darkened room； his lef