Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Sixty: Blinding

It hadn't taken long to explain just how Alethea and I kept our bond a secret. Murtagh, upon laying eyes on the cut he'd given me, had promptly healed the small wound as I told him just how Alethea and I stayed underneath Galbatorix's radar.

Murtagh however, still felt like an idiot for never questioning why he never saw my 'pet.'

"My rider." I straighten up a little.

"What is it, Lee?" I asked, my lips forming into a slight frown at her tone.

"Eragon has grown disquieted, neither Saphira nor I can calm him."

"Mal, what is it?" Murtagh asked. I tossed back the rest of the tea and set my cup down on the small side table.

"Eragon." I got up from my seat and strode out of the tent with Murtagh following behind. Pushing through the throngs of people, I stumbled into the next area to see my dragon sitting on Eragon's chest while Saphira stood next to him, looking down at him with a smug look. Thorn was still standing aloofly off to the side, his red eyes watching the scene in fascination.

"I told you my sister would do it if you didn't calm down." Saphira gloated. The soldiers and castle workers that surrounded the area stood to the side some with looks of horror, some with looks of shock.

"Okay, okay!" Eragon grunted beneath Alethea's weight.

"Alethea," I spoke as I strode forward. "I'm sure that Eragon is calm enough to be released."

Alethea huffed in Eragon's face before pushing off his chest and transforming to her full size. She then landed lightly on the ruined cobblestone and lumbered over to me. Pushing her face into my hands, plumes of smoke erupted from her nostrils.

"I'd have thought that he'd have learned by now." Alethea sniffed as Eragon got to his feet.

"I'm sure Eragon was just concerned." I cooed to her as I scratched her chin.

"So she is the dragon that hatched to you." I heard Murtagh muse behind me. "I can see why. She isn't afraid to put Eragon in his place."

Alethea pulled her head from my hands and pushed it into Murtagh's face. Her glittering eyes studied him.

"We meet at last," Alethea said as she peered into Murtagh's face. "Many moons we have shared, and yet you never knew I existed."

"Alethea," I warned her, my dragon ignored me. Alethea pulled back her upper lip to reveal the entire top row of her razor-sharp teeth.

"If you harm my Rider's heart, I shall gladly break yours." Alethea hissed.

"Alethea!" I exclaimed, with a huff, my dragon pulled away and was soon back to her tiny size, coasting to my shoulder. "That was unnecessary!"

I received a huff.

"Mal!" Eragon cried as he ran up to us. "Are you okay? What did you go to Angela for?"

I slapped his hands away from my body as Arya, Nasuada, and Elva walked calmly up to us.

"Of course, she is fine, Eragon," Nasuada replied for me in a soothing tone. "Most likely better than fine now that she isn't dispelling her stomach contents."

My eyes met with Nasuada's and narrowed. The brown-skinned woman only smiled back in a knowing way, causing me to let out a groan. She knew.