Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Fifty-Six: Brilliant

"Arya Dröttningu. Fate, it seems, has a sense of humor, for here you are, even as I ordered you to be brought so long ago. Your path was a roundabout one, but still, you have come, and of your own accord. I find that rather amusing. Don't you?" Arya pressed her lips together and refused to answer. My father chuckled.

"I admit you have been a thorn in my side for quite some time now. You've not caused as much mischief as that bumbling meddler Brom, but neither have you been idle. One might even say that this whole situation is your fault, as it was you who sent the eggs to Eragon. However, I hold no enmity toward you. If not for you, Saphira might not have hatched, and I might never have been able to flush the last of my enemies from hiding and meet my daughter. For that, I thank you."

"And then there is you, Elva. The girl with the sigil of a Rider upon her brow. Dragon-marked and blessed with the wherewithal to perceive all that pains a person and all that will pain them. How you must have suffered these past months. How you must despise those around you for their weaknesses, even as you are forced to share in their misery. The Varden have used you poorly. Today I shall end the battles that have so tormented you, and you shall no longer have to endure the mistakes and misfortunes of others. That I promise. On occasion, I may have need of your skill, but in the main, you may live as you please, and peace shall be yours."

Elva frowned, but it was evident that my father's offer tempted her. My father paused and fingered the wire-wrapped hilt of his sword while he regarded us with a hooded gaze.

"And of course, the young Rider who appeared out of nowhere. How is it that you've managed to hide from me?" I kept my mouth shut and shifted on my feet, making my cloak swish around my ankles. "Such a beautiful dragon you have, my dear. Though I wonder, who is under that hood?"

Alethea peeled back her lips and showed her rows of sharp teeth, growling softly.

"Convey my words to Umaroth as I speak them," My father said. "Umaroth! We are ill met once again. I thought I killed you on Vroengard."

Umaroth responded, and Eragon began to relay his words: "He says—"

"That you killed only his body," Arya finished.

"That much is obvious," My father said, drumming his fingers on the armrests of his chair. "Where did the Riders hide you and those with you? On Vroengard? Or was it elsewhere? My servants and I searched the ruins of Doru Araeba most closely."

"Don't answer him Eragon." Eragon glanced at me before looking back at my father.

"He says ... that he will never share that information with you of his own free will."

"Does he now? Well, he'll tell me soon enough, whether he wishes to or not. I took this blade from his Rider, you know, when I killed him, when I killed Vrael, in the watchtower that overlooks Palancar Valley. Vrael had his own name for this sword. He called it Islingr, 'Light-bringer.' I thought Vrangr was more ... appropriate." I stiffened, and both Eragon and Arya shot me a brief look.

A dull boom sounded behind them, and my father smiled again. "Ah, good. Murtagh and Thorn shall be joining us shortly, and then we can begin properly." Another sound filled the chamber, then a tremendous gusting noise that seemed to come from several directions at once. My father glanced over his shoulder.

"It was inconsiderate of you to attack so early in the morning. I was already awake, I rise well before dawn, but you woke Shruikan. He gets rather irritated when he's tired, and when he's irritated, he tends to eat people. My guards learned long ago not to disturb him when he's resting. You would have done well to follow their example."