Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Thirty-Two: Radiant

My face was completely red as we walked in the direction of Thorn's nest. The ball long forgotten, Murtagh pressed for more details about childhood, and what it was like growing up with Eragon.

"I am not quite sure how one simple boy could manage to get his entire shirt and pants soaked in mud and dirt," I explained to him, waving a hand. "Honestly, as soon as I washed his clothes, they were dirty again! How does one boy make such a mess!?!"

"He was a growing boy, Mal," Murtagh answered, mirth in his voice.

"That isn't an excuse to roll around in dirt and mud every chance he had!" I fired back. "Do you know how long it takes to scrub a mud-covered shirt clean!?! It takes hours!!!"

"So you spent your time doing his wash?" I shrugged.

"I spent my time doing all three of their laundries."

"You were playing mother hen?" Murtagh asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I was—" I cut myself off and considered his words. "Fine, yes, I was a mother hen. But what do you expect from a girl who lived with two boys and a man?"

"I expect you to have a mother like tendency," Murtagh replied as he opened the door to Thorn's nest. As we entered, Thorn's head rose into the air, and he lazily blinked at us. A puff of smoke rose from his nostrils.

"Little Elf." I looked up at Thorn with a smile. "You still didn't get enough sleep last night, neither have you eaten enough today."

"You're being dramatic Thorn; I am perfectly fine." Thorn huffed in discontent before turning his head to Murtagh.

"Murtagh, tell the little elf that she needs to eat and get more sleep, I can still sense that she is exhausted." I rolled my eyes at Thorn's comment to Murtagh.

"Mal, why haven't you been eating or sleeping?"

"Can you two leave this topic be? I said I am fine." Murtagh grabbed my face and forced me to look at him.

"Then why are you having difficulty sleeping?" I opened my mouth to respond before I quickly shut it again. I looked down and twisted my hands together.

"I haven't slept well since Tronjheim," I explained. "it's nothing new, and it certainly isn't going to go away anytime soon."

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Trying to push me away by being cold," Murtagh responded as he grasped my wrist and pulled me around, so I was facing him.

"I have reasons to, Murtagh," I replied quietly. "Have you taken into consideration what my father might think?"

"I don't particularly care about what your father thinks about our relationship." My eyes widened a fraction.

"You are an idiot then."

"Maybe," Murtagh said, shrugging his shoulders before smirking. "But I'm your idiot."

I let out a sigh and rubbed my forehead. He was acting like he had no concern whether or not my father would even approve of us talking together. He really was an idiot.

"You know, I'd thought the two of you would hate me when you found out who exactly I was." I finally said.

"You think I'd have kissed you if I hated you?" A loud rumbling noise shook the nest as a small jet of fire left Thorn's nose. We both turned to look at the dragon who was laughing at us in our minds.