Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Sixty-Two: Blinding

The sound of a dragon snoring woke me early morning, Saphira must be snoring again. Blinking my eyes open, I found myself staring at a jumble of red and white. Thorn and Alethea had managed to twist themselves around each other last night before falling asleep.

Strange. I don't even remember them coming back.

As my brain slowly woke up, I spread my mind out to the surrounding area. Nothing but nature and animals. Sighing quietly, I relaxed back into the warmth of Murtagh's body. Sleeping next to him supplied a barrier against the chill against the cold nights.

A hand that somehow managed to slip underneath my shirt and sweater to hold my still flat stomach pulled me even closer to Murtagh's chest. Even in his sleep, the man was protective. My lips curved into a small smile as I reached down and placed my hand on top of his.

As usual, his touch was hot against my cool skin. Maybe that's why I liked being in his arms so much. Threading my fingers with his, I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of Saphira's snores.

"My sister could pass for a thunderstorm." I inwardly laughed at Alethea's words.

"Did she wake you?" Alethea huffed in my mind.

"I was dreaming of a wonderful hunt at the base of the Beor mountains," Alethea replied mournfully. "right as I was about to sink my teeth into the juicy—"

"Okay! Don't need the description!" I said, cutting her off as my stomach rolled. "sorry you didn't get to finish your hunt."

"I am quite content to lay curled up with my mate."

"Oh, so you two finally admitted it to each other?" I teased; Alethea sent me a picture of her rolling her eyes.

"At least I did not dance around my partner for over a year before finally claiming him as mine."

"We did not dance around each other!" This time I heard Alethea huff and smelled smoke.

"You two were so obvious to everyone but yourselves."

"We were not!" I whisper shouted, opening my eyes and shooting a look at my Dragon. Amidst the pile of red and white, a blue-eye blinked open. We stared at each other before we both huffed.

"Go back to sleep, my Rider." Alethea said in a gentle voice. "it is a long ride to Vroenguard."

"Don't I know," I muttered back before I let the warmth and steady breathing from Murtagh lull me back to sleep.

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The next time I woke, it wasn't because of Saphira snoring. I was still wrapped up in a cocoon of warmth from the blankets piled on top of me, but this time, I was gently shaken awake by Murtagh. Blinking rapidly at the bright light as I opened my eyes, I looked at Murtagh.

"Time to go?" I asked in a slightly raspy voice.

"Almost, Eragon and I thought it best if you slept as long as possible, we leave as soon as we get food and water into you," Murtagh said from his crouched position next to me.

"You should have woken me up!" I grumbled as I stiffly tried to untangle myself from the copious amounts of blankets. "You boys burn things when you try to make breakfast!"