The Age of the Dragon 4: On Silver Wings

Chapter 22 Bonus

Upon entering the room and seeing her properly under a new light, he'd felt sick at the sight. Covered in blood, thin, pale... The gag seemed unnecessary, especially since she had proven time and again that she didn't always need words to cause havoc.

He was annoyed. Eragon could ruin everything. He could end up having her killed... He was momentarily caught off guard by the revelation that Eragon was only his half-brother, but in the grand scheme of things, it made sense that Eragon would be spared that burden too.

"Lucky bastard," he grumbled. "Living free... his father seemed decent enough... dammit..."

"Murtagh, you need to focus," Thorn warned. "If you make any kind of mistake, it could be disastrous."

"If I prove superior, hopefully, he will grant me Fallyn," he thought, watching Eragon closely. "I could set her free if he gives her to me."

The two of them circled each other, slowly drawing closer. When Murtagh had his back to Galbatorix and was roughly ten feet from Eragon, he hissed at him angrily, "What are you doing?"

"Buying time," Eragon muttered, his lips barely moving.

"For what? The other dragon riders?"

Murtagh scowled at Eragon. "You're a fool. He'll watch us cut each other to shreds, and what will it change? Nothing."

Eragon shifted his weight forward, sword arm twitching. Murtagh flinched, growing irritated again.

"Blast you," he growled, clenching his blade tighter. "If you had waited just one more day, I could have freed Fallyn."

Surprise flickered across Eragon's face. "Why should I believe you?"

"I don't need to explain myself to you," he growled internally, his lip curling in fury as the image of Fallyn writhing in agony flashed through his mind.

He raised his voice and quickened his pace, forcing Eragon to do the same.

"So, you finally found a proper sword for yourself," he said loudly. "The elves made it for you, did they?"

"You know they d-"

"Damn you!" the jealousy burned.

He lunged at Eragon, his vision clouding with red as he aimed for Eragon's gut. Eragon skipped back, barely parrying Zar'roc before sliding into a looping, overhead blow - he appeared to have moved his hand down the hilt, giving him additional reach that Murtagh danced away from. They paused, watching each other a moment and then recommenced. He grew frustrated as Eragon struck his wrist, searing pain almost causing him to drop his blade.

"Still your mind, little one," Thorn reminded him. "If you allow your anger to control you, he will win, and all hope will be lost for Fallyn."

"I know... thank you, Thorn," he said. "Is she ok?"

"She appears to be deep in thought," Thorn said. "She watches the battle with concern, but her attention is often drawn to the hatchlings."

Murtagh barely hid the smile. "That is just like her... worrying about others before herself."

He spared some more with Eragon before turning to look at Galbatorix. A burst of anger spilled through him.

"I would rather die."

Her words rang through his ears. Galbatorix wouldn't let him save her. Especially once he had Saphira and Fang... it wouldn't take long for him to either kill or capture the other two either...