A figure dashed from its hiding place in the dark courtyard of Uru'baen and without any clue of ever being touched the four guards that guarded the gate fell dead blood pooling around them from several sever wounds. Their killer looked at them for a long moment from the shadows, yellow eyes glowing venomously.
Then, without another thought, continued on its way. The dark corridors of the castle seemed oddly deserted.
Surely, the king wouldn't be this careless, saida voice echoing the person's mind.
He wasn't, the person answered the voice was defiantly female.
She drew a dagger from her belt and with a flick of her wrist was sent to the end of the corridor, two arrows flew from what seemed like solid bricks in the wall. The woman's lips twitched up on one side it a sort of smile.
Be careful, the voice said, and don't try anything.
Oh, come on, she said smirking; I'm at least going to have a little bit of fun.
All she received, as an answer was something like a frustrated growl. She mumbled a few words under her breath before looking at the wall, she saw archers standing behind the wall the magic used to conceal them was powerful, the status of a rider her eyes drifted to a man behind standing behind them.
He was tall yet he seemed weary, every time he blinked his eyes remained shut and ever so often he even seemed to be asleep, his brown hair was messy and his dark eyes were bloodshot, he seemed to be guarding something.
That must be the red rider, she thought to herself.
Don't you dare, the voice warned her.
But it was too late she set off at a sprint and when she ran straight through the wall she wasn't human anymore, instead a gray wolf had taken her place. Nobody even had time to react; she leaped at one of the archers tearing at his throat.
An archer aimed and arrow at her but she caught it in her mouth before it could meet her and running at him she stuck it into the man's heart then she landed behind him in the form of a human again.
She looked at the rider her yellow eyes glowing with pure hate. "You know it was the Dragon Riders that killed most of my kin."
His eyes widen and he unsheathed his blood red sword, he charged but she easily stepped out of the way.
"Come on Dragon Rider you'll have to do better than that to beat me," she said mocking him an insane grin on her inhumanly beautiful face.
The fear that had been on his face was gone now replaced with a look of indifference, the grin on her face faded to be replaced by a scowl.
"Dear lord rider you aren't making this any fun for me," she said in a dark voice.
"Witch," he yelled.
She couldn't help but laugh; anger flitted across his face and he charged at her. She stepped out of the way and tripped him; his forehead hit the concrete floor and he didn't move but it was clearly visible that he was breathing.
The woman stared at him in disgust contemplating whether or not to kill him.
You've caused enough trouble here Cara, the voice in her head told her.
Just because you're my other half doesn't mean you can tell me what do Eron, she bit back bitterly.
Nevertheless, bent down and took the rope from his belt and tied his and hands and feet together. Then she went to one of the men she had killed looking in the puddle of blood that had started to pool around him.
She looked at her reflection her frosted blonde hair seemed to have taken on a darker tone and her yellow eyes seemed a bit to the oranges side now. She splashed the reflection away with her hand as if disgusted by it.
Cara, Eron's usually calm voice sounded serious, calm yourself you have been making some pour choices lately.
She ignored him and went to the room the rider had been guarding, there was nothing grand about the room at least compared to what she was used to. The room was made of black marble and no windows were anywhere, apparently to make it harder for anyone to see where they were going even if the got past the defenses placed around it.
To Cara's eyes though the room was filled light and in the middle of the room on a black marble pedestal was what she had came looking for. She actually smiled for the first time and a long time, this entire trip had actually been worth it.
She walked up to the pedestal and stared at the green dragon egg. It seemed so fragile, yet she knew that the only thing that would break it's shell was the touch of it rider. The thought made her stomach churn it was elf magic. The race that hers had originally came from.
She picked up the egg and placed it in a leather pouch and then concealed it with her cloak. She started walking towards the exit while Eron continued to banter on in her mind.
The one question that he asked was the only one she answered, Yes Eron I'm leaving, but not yet I want to check something first.
He growled. Are you mad, no we are leaving now.
Without warning she dropped to her knees shaking violent, Eron was trying to take control. Fire ran down her spine as it started to bend from an unwanted change to human to wolf. Before it could go any further Cara slammed her fist against the wall and it stopped. She was left on the ground breathing coming and great heaving gasps.
"Fine," she mumbled.
She headed for the door and turned left in the direction she came, once she was outside in the courtyard she looked up at the cloudless sky the full moon shining bright on hair pale face. As she was about to leave a laugh echoed around the courtyard.
She turned to face none other than Galbatorix, he was an odd figure to say the least he had wavy black hair that flowed down to his jaw, his eyes were a piercing blue and his body seemed a bit thin for a person everyone seemed to fear.
"Who, if I may ask, are you?" he asked using a silky voice probably trying to scare her.
Cara didn't answer.
"Well," he said stiffly, "If your not going to answer me at least do me the justice of giving back my dragon egg."
She held the pouch out. "You want it? Well, you'll duel me for it. After all it should be a great privilege to duel the king, should it not?"
He didn't waste time he drew his maroon blade and stood in a ready position.
"But," she started, "you have to play fair, no magic, no calling of dragons just you against me. Swear it."
"I swear," he said in the ancient language then continued in common tongue, "but what is my reward if I win? I can't simply let you walk out of here after all that you've done."
"Fine," Cara said quietly, "if you win I will be your servant, I won't have a choice."
Cara! Eron voice almost shattered her whole train of thought.
She ignored it though and saying in the ancient language, "Upon my word as a Spirit Wolf."
The king looked pleased with the reward of wining he knew the legend of the Spirit Wolves like most people did, immortal like elves but unlike they always had the ability to change into a wolf using there other half for help.
She drew one of her small daggers, silently cursing herself for not bringing her sword all the while Eron kept screaming in her mind.
Galbatorix nodded and attacked and it only took about half of a second for Cara to find out that he had referred to something else when taking his oath because a blast of air knocked the air out of her lungs and she landed in one of the fountains in the courtyard. Cool metal pressed to her neck the simple fact made her want to vomit.
She was a slave to the king.
Cara crouched down to the man the king had referred to as Murtagh; he was awake now and furious. She cut the rope around his hands but grabbed them to make sure he wouldn't attempt to attack her.
"Apparently you and me are companions now," she muttered quietly.
She removed the rope from his feet and whispered in his ear, "Just like you do though I don't plan to stay long."