Cennil reached for her with damp limbs. “You need to get back to the birth chamber.”
Dathas waved off his touch. “I just need water.”
“You need to ingest, and moisten.”
“I can do it from here. Bring me—”
“You’ll want to nourish them on the planet surface next!”
Since Dathas had been thinking the same thing, she didn’t answer. “In a moment.” Madhu would surely be waiting for her to signal.
Cennil grasped her limbs. “You’re starving them!”
As if in answer, the hatchlings wriggled faintly against her skin, the tug of their suckers weak and desperate. “All right,” she said. “I’ll come.” Once she’d revived and replenished herself, she could return to work.
Cennil had to support her the short distance to their pool. Dathas shrugged him off when he tried to persuade her further, to the bi
