Shadow of a Shade

Chapter Nineteen

"Eragon and I discussed the possibility of it, but we decided it was unlikely." Murtagh shook his head. "We would have mentioned it otherwise."

"You should have said it regardless!" Addiane frowned at him. "That's- that's wildly important!"

"We didn't want you to worry about it-" Murtagh started, sounding like he was getting agitated.

Poor him.

Addiane was more upset.

"Well now I am going to worry about it, because it's true! How am I supposed to deal with that? I have no clue how to control myself with the powers I have-"

"Easy, Addiane." Eragon sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. The others sat silently, watching the conversation pan out.

"No. You keep telling me off and telling me to be quiet and acting like I can't handle the truth! I've been having nightmares almost every night and I'm just trying to figure out what's going on because something is very wrong and no one seems to be listening to me!"

"We are listening to you, Addiane, and we are trying to figure out what is going on the same way you are."

She glared at him. She didn't feel listened to. She felt lied to and pushed off and honestly- honestly she was scared. But she wasn't about to say that because would they listen?

"If I may..."

Everyone looked over to Will.

"Obviously you're upset," he started, addressing Addiane. She grunted bitterly. "But there's nothing that can be done about the timing of this. We just have to accept it for what it is and make sure you know what you're doing."

"I don't though." She protested. "Shades are dangerously unhinged and they're never trained to use their powers, they just have them through the demons that possess their bodies."

"Well, we do know that the power kicks in during situations where you're in danger. And you've seemed to have more control of it the past two days so that's an improvement." Murtagh pointed out.

"I still don't know how to get to it. Sometimes I can reach it and sometimes I can't."

"Well then we just have to get you used to reaching it."

She frowned. "I don't like the sound of that."

Eragon grunted. "If we're fighting a Shade it will be hard enough to deal with her as just a Rider, you will need to connect with that power somehow."

"If you'd like," Hal spoke up suddenly. "You can run through my crew. We've all been trained by Thorn and he keeps us sharp. Ingvar especially gives most people quite the challenge, so it would probably keep you on your toes if you dealt with all of our different fighting styles."

"That's not a bad idea. It would be similar to that drill I had you run with the other Riders that day I was involved with your training." Murtagh glanced at Addiane.

She crossed her arms, glaring resolutely at the table. She was still upset with them not telling her their thoughts.

"I want to talk to Nyriem first." She finally said, not looking up at anyone.

"Why?" Eragon leaned forward on his elbows.

"Well I want to know if he knows. And I haven't seen him in person in several days. And I was injured earlier and he would have felt that. And because you can't stop me from doing it. And because I want to."

Several of the new men shifted away from her as she said it, and for a moment Addiane wasn't sure why, but then a strand of hair fell in her face.

"Well, you've got ahold of it now." Eragon said quietly.