With the dragons of Pern dying and the only person who can save them long dead, the grieving dragonriders find clues in the lyrics of an ancient ballad to long-forgotten knowledge and secrets hidden somewhere in Benden Weyr.

When young Fiona is asked to take on the role of Weyrwoman, the co-leader of an entire dragon Weyr, she soon discovers the challenges of her new position, from unexpected perils to the possibility of losing her own dragon to the sickness that has claimedothers.

The dragonriders explore the capabilities of the dragons' distant cousins, the watch-whers, a discovery that enables them to save more lives in their ongoing fight with Thread.

Weyrwoman Fiona struggles to keep her surviving Weyr in fighting shape while Lorana plans a complicated time-travel journey to save their world.