The Dolphins of Pern Read Online Free PDF

Perversely now she worried that he had taken a fear of the sea. When she hesitantly mentionedthis to her mate, Jayge stoutly denied there was a fearful bone in Readis’s body.
    “He’s obeying—isn’t that what you wanted of him?” Jayge demanded. “You can’t have it both ways.”
    Aramina sighed and then was summoned out of her preoccupation over Readis by a loud cry of frustration from Aranya, who was having trouble with a toy cart that kept losing its wheel.
    The next afternoon, while holders were taking their midday rest, avoiding the heat of the sun, Aramina received a polite message from Ruth that he and Lord Jaxom were visiting Paradise River. She told her husband. She was halfway to the kitchen to prepare the fruit juices that she knew Jaxom liked when she turned back, puzzled.
    “They’re already here at Paradise,” she said. Then she went to the edge of the wide veranda that shaded their house and peered up into skies empty of the recognizable form of a dragon. “But where? Isn’t that just like Jaxom? Although why he would tell me he was coming when he’s already nearby … Oh, maybe I misheard Ruth. I do that now and then.” She sighed in exasperation, shrugged, and went back inside.
    Jayge seated himself where he could command a good view of the approaches to the house and propped his feet up on the railing. The days when Aramina had heard every single dragon conversation were long past—to her infinite relief. Now the dragons had to think specifically
at
her to convey a message. Jayge couldn’t imagine what could have delayed Ruth, who was generally very prompt to follow any announcement of his coming. Lord Jaxom ofRuatha Hold was always welcome, but Jayge smiled at the surprise Readis would have to see the white dragon when he woke from his afternoon nap.
    “Not that that would rate as high now as swimming with a dolphin,” Jayge murmured aloud. As well it was Ruth and Jaxom who were the first dragon pair to land at Paradise River after Readis’s adventure. The very ones to answer candid questions.
    Just then Ruth glided with deft backwinging to land in front of the house. Jayge rose to his feet and went to greet them, a broad grin on his face. “Ara started squeezing juice the moment Ruth told her you were coming. You’ve confused her. She said you were already here, but we couldn’t see the white hide anywhere. And I’m glad you’ve come, because something’s come up!”
    Jaxom grinned and Jayge frowned because he suddenly realized that Jaxom was carrying his riding jacket and had sweated through his light shirt. His face also bore sweat marks. Considering that
between
was beyond measure cold, Jayge was confused. Then Ruth turned and, in a hop-glide gait, made for the shore while happily chirping fire-lizards converged above him.
    “Off for a scrub, is he?” Jayge gestured his human guest up to the coolness of the porch. “How could you work up such a sweat in
between
, Jaxom?”
    “Stealing sand.” The young Lord Holder grinned with mischief. “We’ve been examining the quality of your local Stuff.”
    “Indeed? Now what would you need Paradise River sand for? As I’m sure you’re going to tell me anyway.” He motioned for Jaxom to take the hammock,strategically placed at the corner of the house where it caught any breeze, seaward or landward. He leaned against the banister, arms folded across his chest, awaiting an explanation.
    “The settlers had a sandpit back in that scrubland of yours. They thought highly of Paradise River sands—for glass making.”
    “There’s certainly enough. Did Piemur and Jancis find those whatchamacallums …”
    “Chips?” With a grin, Jaxom supplied the proper term for all the odd bits that had been stored in the Hold’s barn by the Ancients. It was only in recent days that anyone had understood their purpose: parts for computers, of which the Artificial Intelligence Voice-Address System recently discovered at a Landing building was