When Fiona the only surviving member of Lord Holder Bemin's family impresses a queen dragon she doesn't begin to realize the perils & privileges that come with her new role. As she grows into a young woman & her dragon reaches her full growth Fiona faces not only the possibility of losing her dragon to the sickness that has claimed so many others but also the challenges of becoming a Weyrwoman in her own right. What she must ask herself is she willing to give up in order to become a queen rider? & although the marvellous queen dragon has chosen her is she really suited to the life of a queen rider? As the injured dragons at Fort Weyr begin to outnumber those fit to fly against Thread Weyrleader K'lior comes up with a desperate plan
- to send the least injured & the older weyrlings back in time so that they can grow strong enough to fight Thread in the past & then return to help the Weyr. But will only twelve older weyrlings & thirty lightly injured riders be enough to save Fort Weyr? Forced to stay behind because her dragon is still too young Fiona must confront a life-&-death choice.