Arya woke up from the ordeal long before Eragon. As soon as she was capable of coherent thought, she began thinking of a way to escape. Thinking, she found, was the best way to keep her mind healthy and to stop her from worrying.
For days on end, she paced the small cell, not once seeing the light of day, or any light at all for that matter. Their captors, who ever they might be, had most likely drugged Eragon or even somehow poisoned him. She did not know. In any case, there was nothing she could do about it. However, she did wonder, why had they not done the same to her? The more she thought about it, the more curious and frightened she became, so she pushed it out of her mind and concentrated her mind on planning escape.
* * *
Finally, on a particularly long day, Eragon awoke groggily from his prolonged slumber. She rushed to his side, if only to hear his voice. It had been days since she had heard a voice that was not her own. He did not speak for at least an hour or two, but that was to be expected, as he was still half-asleep.
"Arya?" he called hoarsely. Suddenly he was on his feet without warning, a shocked and worried look about him. He saw her and was relieved slightly from his confusion, but then he looked around and his face fell. "Are you alright?" he asked with a sigh.
"Yes, thank you," she said politely. He plopped down unceremoniously on the bench that was supposed to be a bed. "You're just going to sit there?"
"Honestly, Arya? You think I'm just going to sit here?" He stared at her incredulously. "I mean nothing bad, but when have you seen me simply give up?"
Before she could say a word, he mumbled something and the door to their cell swung open. Arya stared, mouth agape in shock, at the open door in front of her. That idea had not even occurred to her. Why had it not? She was beginning to wonder what was going on inside her mind these days.
Eragon, who was a few feet ahead, led the way through the passageways of the unidentified dungeon. Arya thought she heard a noise ahead, but then assumed it was only a creak as the building settled or the scuffing of their boots on the stone floor. They rounded a corner and immediately Eragon ducked. There was the slightest whistle as an arrow shot by just over his head and past her cheek.
Neither one had to say a word. The two headed down an adjacent hallway, trying to avoid the ambush. They ran at a nearly inhuman speed, but they both felt it was of little help when chased by the arrows that continued to whistle overhead. A light appeared at the end of the passage. It must be a room with windows, Arya thought. They sped toward it, faster and faster, until it loomed upon them. Eragon and Arya both realized what the light was, but it was too late to do anything. Their momentum kept them running, running, running…
They went running right over the edge of the cliff.