After Staria and Adura left Shaiku to contact Sokar, they chatted with some elves who revealed that Empana, daughter of Lady Nasuada, was visiting the elves to honor their help in overthrowing Galbatorix.
Let's go meet her, Adura suggested to Staria.
Staria agreed and they went to meet Empana. They found her location and Staria mounted Adura.
"Tell me a riddle to amuse me," Adura said.
"Okay," Staria replied, and thought a moment, "How about this? What often sleeps coiled up, is every hue of the rainbow, and can eat four sheep all in a row?"
"My mother told me this one. Eragon used it to fool her. The answer to Eragon's riddle is a woolen rug."
"No, in my riddle, it's a dragon."
"That's not fair!" Adura complained. Staria laughed as Adura flew on.
When they reached the hut where Empana was staying, they found it eerily silent. The door was ajar and Staria entered. Blood was everywhere. Two elven guards lay on the floor. Then Staria's eyes fell upon a shape on the floor. It was Empana. Adura bugled an alarm to the elves. Two came running. Sokar and Shaiku sprinted in and lifted a limp Empana onto Sinta's back. Without a word she took flight. Sokar left, saying he had to tell the others.
Shaiku asked, "Did you see the attacker, Staria?"
She answered in the Ancient Language, "No, we did not see any one, nor did we have any part in killing Empana."
"But Empana is not dead."
Staria looked at him with stunned surprise. "I am glad to hear that. Will she go back to Lady Nasuada?"
An elf came running up. "We have just received a missive from the Empire. Lady Nasuada has been kidnapped! Queen Islanzadi is assembling the Riders by the Menoa tree!"
At once Staria and Shaiku ran to the Menoa Tree. Queen Islanzadi was speaking.
"All Riders, and even apprentices, must go save Lady Nasuada. Rumor has it that someone named Rasib, trained by Galbatorix himself, has taken the throne."
At once all the Riders clambered up on their dragons. Staria looked for Adura and found her sitting by Loshka and Nokari.
The bright blue sky and puffy white clouds looked very inviting to both Staria and Adura. Had they not been hurrying to a great battle against Rasib and his followers, they would have liked to soar carefree through the skies together.
Staria said to Adura through her mind, If we were not on a mission, those clouds would be fun to fly in.
Adura answered, And now we may never get to.
We will get home! Staria said back firmly, And Nokari too.
As they were flying, Staria made up a poem and wrote it down:
Du orum
Unin du sundaver
Abr ai treavarn
Horya abr blodth
Er haina ai kona
Ai oro jierda
Du orum
Fra ai wrangr
Dauth abr du orum
Lif abr kona un vrangr
She showed it to Adura, who said, "Very good, but could you please concentrate on the map? I'm getting lost here."
