Nian glanced anxiously at the egg she had liked and was relieved that no one else was near it. Maybe Robina would be too disturbed about her sanded hair to hover nearby. No one was near the egg Ru had singled out. Together they walked across the sands and saw that the other candidates, in their white robes, had spread out on the Hatching Ground. Nian still wondered how the dragons would know which person they should Impress — the Hatching Ground was so big, and the candidates were numerous. She looked around for Orla and Chaum and saw them standing to her right. Around the Hatching Ground, the spectator area was filling up with those invited to share this magical moment. Nian was disappointed that her mother and father weren't among those seated in the gallery; she knew they'd have attended if they could. But at least she had gotten Neru onto the Hatching Ground. Now a hatchling simply must see what a splendid rider Neru would be!
Nian's boots were heating up and she hoped it wouldn't be long before the eggs actually started to hatch. Definitely, she should not have filled up on breakfast. Her stomach felt sour with her building anxiety. She would die of shame if she spewed up all that porridge and redberry jam. She moved closer to Ru, hoping that no one was staring at her.
The hum of the dragons was intensifying. "Look!" Neru said, pointing to the nearest egg. It was rocking in its little depression of sand.
A stir in the gallery suggested that others had seen the movement. There was also a cracking sound that echoed in the vaulted Hatching Ground, and the queen swung her head to stare at the egg. It wasn't far from Neru and Nian, and they could see the crack splitting the eggshell. They held their breaths as the crack girdled the egg and something — a wingtip, Nian thought — protruded from the shell. It split neatly in half and its occupant began to emerge. When the glistening little bronze finally exited its shell, she wondered that it had been able to cram so much body into such a small space.
"A bronze first is a good sign," she heard H'ran murmur as applause came from the gallery.
The queen spread her wings and, lifting herself high on her powerful hindquarters, bugled a welcome to the little bronze. Several other eggs were either rocking or cracking, and Nian didn't know where to look first.
"Nian!" Her brother's startled cry swung her gaze back to him and he pointed to her favorite among the eggs. It was splitting along its axis, and suddenly the top half splintered into shards that were scattered all over as a moist golden head emerged. Robina was already hastening toward the little queen, though she was clutching at her stomach as she approached. It amused Nian that the snotty Robina was also subject to nausea and nervousness.
"Go after the bronze, Ru," Nian said, pushing him toward the wandering hatchling.
"He knows where he's going," Ru said, pointing, and it became obvious to Nian that the hatchling was heading as straight as an arrow toward a tall boy who had sat next to Ru at breakfast.
Greens and blues were now making their choices among the candidates, and weyrfolk were handing out bowls of food, instructing the newly Impressed on how to feed the starving hatchlings.
I'm hungry! Very hungry, a voice said clearly in Nian's head. But she paid no attention to that, since all the hatchlings around her were being fed. There were several eggs toward the back of the Hatching Ground that were rocking and splitting. She tugged on the sleeve of her brother's tunic.
"Let's go over there. No one else is nearby."
He tried to struggle free. "If one of them wants me, it can find me."
"You have got to Impress, Ru," she said, reestablishing her hold on him and hauling him to where he stood the best chance of doing so.
"Maybe the hatchlings know I shouldn't be here as a candidate," was his gloomy reply.
"Nonsense!"
Suddenly, she tripped, or rather was tripped, and sprawled facedown in the hot sands, as something quite heavy seemed to be scratching its way up her exposed back.
What's the matter with you? Can't you hear me? the same voice said petulantly. I'm hungry. I need to be fed. Are you listening in there? Something hard tapped on her head.
"Nian, it's the queen. That's the queen on your back, Ni, the queen!" she heard Neru exclaim excitedly.
"But it's you who must Impress, Neru," she said querulously. Oh, her family would never forgive her. Ru would never forgive her.
I will forgive you, if you'll feed me, Nian, the voice said. My name is Quinth. Why are you avoiding me? I love you. You are mine.
"Here, help me, H'ran," the Weyrwoman said. "The poor child won't able to get up. Quinth, now get off your rider before you flatten her."
Nian felt the weight being lifted off her, but her nose had started to bleed and she had to spit blood out of her mouth and shake sand out of her hair. Hands under her armpits assisted her to her feet and then a bowl was thrust into her hands and she looked around and saw golden Quinth, struggling to be free of the hands that held her from going to her chosen rider.
Nian felt two distinct emotions — immense surprise and total dismay.
You don't like me? the dragon asked, her head drooping with disappointment and her wings sagging to the sand.
It's not a question of liking you, Quinth, Nian replied, reaching out her free hand to run her fingers down the little dragon's head to the chin, which she then lifted up. The dragon's eyes, golden with love, met hers and a shiver of absolute delight went down Nian's back. It's just that I shouldn't Impress unless my brother does, too.
While we wait for that to happen, the little queen said imperiously, you may feed me, Nian. I'm starving.
Remembering the bowl in her hand, Nian grabbed a handful of the meat cubes and offered them to Quinth, who bolted them down so quickly that Nian could see the outline of the mass slide down her neck. Then Quinth opened her mouth again, and again, and again. Nian was forced to sniff in the blood that was oozing from her nose and blot the stream on her sleeve, leaving a red smear behind it.
"Someone bring a cold towel and some numbweed," the Weyrwoman was calling. "Nian, Quinth's rider, has a bloody nose. How very awkward, my dear." The Weyrwoman offered Nian her clean handkerchief. "They don't really mean to hurt anyone in an Impression," she said, "but it was obvious Quinth wanted you and you simply didn't realize that she was headed toward you the moment her shell cracked." She gave a little laugh. "Queens are very determined." That seemed to be a good trait, judging by the indulgence in the Weyrwoman's voice.
"How did it happen that she was chosen by the queen and not me?" demanded Robina, standing in front of them, pointing an accusatory finger at Nian.
I didn't choose her, Quinth said to Nian, flicking a wingtip at Robina in dismissal.
"Well, this is outrageous!" Robina retorted, as she dodged Quinth's wing tip for fear of being pushed onto the hot sands. When she regained her balance, Robina placed her hands on her hips while tapping one toe in the sands.
"There are green dragons hatching, Robina," the Weyrwoman said pleasantly, pointing to the right. As Nian glanced in that direction, she saw Orla patting a green dragon with one hand and shoving meat toward it with the other.
"They are the most valuable dragons in Threadfall," the Weyrwoman said. "And far more difficult to train. Take a challenge once in your lifetime, Robina. It would do you good."