Here's chapter 2! Thanks for being so patient, but I'm a slow writer and am not quite sure what direction this story will be going in (any suggestions would be welcome!). Let me know what you think, cause this was hard to write (dialogue is always hard for me to write...ugh) Enjoy!

"Murtagh! What's going on here?" the boy exclaimed, leaping off of the great blue dragon, whose scales had doused the entire camp—including a stunned Corliss—in glittering azure light.

"A dragon?" exclaimed the girl, utterly shocked. "And you're...you're a dragon rider! What...I didn't think..."

Her trailing voice was cut off by the first boy- Murtagh- who slapped his hand to his forehead. "Yes, this is the brilliant Rider, Eragon." He whirled to face the sandy-haired boy who stood next to the dragon, looking angry. "How could you be so stupid? Why did you land here? You just blew our cover, my cover, everything!" Murtagh burst out, looking livid.

Eragon did believe the best solution was to land, despite any travelers you met on the road. We would be more than a match for them, the dragon offered, its voice projected to the entire camp, making Corliss jump in surprise. Eragon shook his head. "Why did you allow a stranger to stay in the camp in the first place? If our cover's blown, it's your fault!"

Murtagh's face reddened. "My fault!" he repeated furiously. "She was about to collapse. What was I supposed to do, let her freeze to death?"

Angrily, Corliss tried unsuccessfully to interrupt their argument. Finally the dragon lifted an ivory claw and shoved the two boys apart. With what could only be exasperation, the dragon nodded at the girl. What is your name, young one? it asked her.

"Corliss," she replied, bowing to the dragon respectfully. "And you…you must be the Dragon and Rider that have been traversing the Empire for the last several months. I didn't quite believe the rumors I heard, to tell the truth. I certainly didn't think I would be meeting you in person." She tried to meet the dragon's icy blue gaze, but after a moment her eyes shifted uncomfortably to the Rider.

"Her name is Saphira," Eragon supplied, most of the anger gone from his eyes, replaced by caution.

"And you are Murtagh," Corliss addressed Murtagh slowly. "It's good to finally learn your name." He looked at her suspiciously. His name seemed a bit familiar...but where had she heard it before? And he had been so reluctant to reveal his name...what was he hiding? "I'm sorry that I intruded on your camp, but I desperately needed rest," she added after a moment, smiling apologetically. She would worry about the name later, when she had time to think.

That's quite all right, Saphira assured her. Eragon sheepishly glanced at Murtagh, who rolled his eyes. But why were you travelling this way in the first place? There are few sightseers so near the Hadarac Desert, Saphira continued.

Corliss let out her breath. That topic was bound to come up at some point, she supposed. "I am…sworn to secrecy," she said evasively. "But perhaps I can help you on your journey…wherever you are headed. I know these parts well." She waited while they considered her words. Saphira and Eragon were clearly discussing it in their minds, but Murtagh's eyes were narrowed as though his was already made up.

"We would be glad to accept your help, Corliss," Eragon told her after a moment. "But we would need to take certain…precautions first. You must swear in the Ancient Language that you are not our enemy or mean any of us harm. You also must tell us your true motives for travelling through the Hadarac Desert—we will swear these things as well, if you wish."

Corliss nodded slowly; this seemed fair, and it was unlikely that any of them, even Murtagh, would or could harm her after such an oath. "Eka ai fricai, un mulabra ono ne haina," she said in reply.

"Did I mention, she knows the Ancient language?" Murtagh asked Eragon wryly. Corliss rolled her eyes. "I am a friend, and mean you no harm," she repeated. "I have worked for the Varden for three years. I am returning there now, from an undercover mission in Uru'baen. I have urgent news for Ahijad, the Varden's leader."

Murtagh and Eragon exchanged glances. "You're a spy for the Varden?" Eragon asked. "But you're so young!"

"And you're young for a Dragon Rider," she retorted. "I'm 18...probably older than you." Mollified, Eragon said, "You must have incredible skill, to be trusted with spy missions at such an age." Corliss's sunburned face turned slightly redder.

"What information do you have for the Varden?" asked Murtagh.

"Galbatorix is marshalling Urgals to fight the Varden. They must know that Galbatorix's ranks have almost doubled in size because of this, and be prepared before the Urgal forces attack," Corliss said grimly.

"Urgals!" exclaimed Eragon in surprise. He clenched his teeth. "Saphira and I would be glad to be of help. This explains who their master is, and why they've been travelling in such large forces, attacking towns like Yazuak."

This news makes our journey to the Varden even more urgent, Saphira said. She explained to Corliss their rescue of Arya, and their journey out of the Empire. You could aid us in reaching the Varden before it is too late for Arya, she told her. But we have only days remaining.

"You rescued the egg-courier! That's incredible! I'd never met her, but I heard she is an incredible warrior and magician. We'll have to ride even faster in order to save her."

"So it's agreed? We will all go the Varden together?" Eragon asked hopefully.

"Yes-" Corliss started to say, but Murtagh interrupted her. "Remember, Eragon, I will see you to the Varden, no further. I will leave you both before we reach them."

Corliss raised her eyebrows. "We're not all that bad, you know." Her voice was light, but her eyes were narrowed and calculating. Why would Murtagh have such an aversion for the Varden?

"So," repeated Eragon, looking impatient, "It's all settled. We'll set off at dawn."

Gratefully, Corliss turned to her makeshift bed, but then remembered something. "Not so fast, Eragon. You have to swear your secrecy in the Ancient Language too, remember?" She waited expectantly as Eragon repeated her oath. Saphira did the same, and Corliss turned to Murtagh. "Well?"

Grudgingly, Murtagh nodded, and spoke the oath as well. "Eka ai friai, un mulabra ono ne haina."

We begin at dawn, then. Saphira trudged to the edge of the camp, where she curled up like a cat and yawned. Eragon moved Arya to the tent, then lay down under Saphira's wing. Corliss turned to her blanket wearily, and glanced back at the rest of the group. Murtagh was sitting on his blankets several yards away; suddenly he looked up and met her stare. She could see, even in the dark, the dark brown of his eyes, and looked away quickly.

Corliss lay on her blankets, thoughts swirling around her head, fighting with her weariness. Just before she fell asleep, she remembered with a jolt where she had heard Murtagh's name. Ajihad had mentioned it to her once...he had been speaking of the Thirteen Forsworn!