Erys: An Eragon Fanfiction - (Under Editing)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Fortune

Blood dripped from Erys nose as lack of oxygen began to kill her.  In a panic, she put a hand inside her pack. Khyiana's alien presence filled her mind. The familiar pang of sorrow bit into her so sharply, she felt the need to sink to her knees and weep, despite death creeping in one her. At her touch, Khyiana's emotions receded, not like she felt less, but like she was keeping them from Erys. As their minds melded, Khyiana sensed her fear. She searched through her mind with such speed and force Erys gasped. She held a hand to her head, but continued stumbling down the street, no doubt looking like a drunkard.

"You should have told me."

"Couldn't. She...made me swear—"

She felt Khyiana rooting through her.

"Magic!" Khyiana hissed.  "Find somewhere private."

Erys stumbled back the way she'd come, towards the inn.  She kept her head low and her hood up; in the cool air, it looked no more suspicious than someone out for a late morning walk.  Erys pulled herself up the stairs, using the wall for support and shut herself in her room.

"Okay."

Khyiana ran her through the steps of healing poisoning with magic. She taught her the words painstakingly carefully. Erys followed each step exactly; time was running short and she didn't have time for mistakes.  As she cast the spell she felt something within her shift. Her blood grew hot. Too hot. Her head began to pound and her blood rushed in her ears, worse than before.

Erys stumbled to the window, threw it open, and retched. Blood and vomit spewed from her mouth, landing on the ground below. She swayed uneasily and collapsed on the ground. She continued the spell despite her pain. After a moment, the sickness ended.  The head and pain in her body receded, drawn back into itself until they no longer existed.  With the absence of the heat, the air around her bit with cold.  She pulled her cloak tighter around her and stood.  She spat into the vase at the foot of the bed.

The door swung open. Eirdain nearly dropped his armload.

"What happened to you?"

He rushed forward, setting his goods on the bed and guiding Erys to sit.

He unfolded some cloth, setting aside what he'd just bought and wiped the blood from Erys' mouth. Fear played across his features.

"I'm fine," Erys assured, waving him away.  Sweat beaded on her brow as she shivered.

"You're not fine!" he objected, holding the bloodstained rag before her eyes. 

"I took care of it!" she said, batting his hand away.

"Sure looks like it."

Keilith entered. "I can hear you both from the hall," he chided.  "What—"

"Doesn't matter," Erys said. "Like I said, I took care of it."

She showed him her palm, the gedwëy insignia a dull shine beneath the layers of dirt on her skin, hardly noticeable if one didn't know to look for it.

Keilith looked between them. Realising Erys would hold her silence on the matter, he strode forward and opened her bag, revealing Khyiana's Eldunarí. He placed his hand on it for only a moment before Erys ripped it from his grasp.

"Come now children," Khyiana chided.

"She poisoned you?" Keilith demanded.

"You told him?"