Chapter 11
Murtagh scoffed, "What do you mean, change the past? Everyone knows you can't change the past."
She grinned. "I know, I know, most people lack the mental faculty to do so, but I don't."
Murtagh gave her a slight glare at that. He asked skeptically, "So what about the past do you think I want to change?"
She answered simply, "Fili. His death."
That made Murtagh look at her quizzically for a second. He froze for a moment. Then he erupted in a fit of mirthless laughter, which turned into coughs.
When he finished, he said, "You think I would want to go back and what, prevent his death or something? Have you gone completely insane? I-I enjoyed killing him. Do you know why? It's because I'm evil, and evil people just do whatever the hell they-"
"Stop, just stop," she said. "I know that's not the case. I'm psychic."
"You're ….. what?!" Murtagh felt deeply embarrassed.
She said, "It's alright. I don't judge you. Because I understand why you do it."
Murtagh felt like his privacy had been stripped away. He hated it. To him, his privacy was the only security he had left, as the king had left him stripped of so many other things. How did this girl know how he tried to act evil and hide his true emotions about Fili's demise? How he tried to make himself believe that he was pure evil. He reasoned that if he was pure evil, then somehow, part of his humanity would break off and he wouldn't need to feel that pain and guilt anymore. He wouldn't have to endure through his complicated mess of emotions.
He shook his head in denial, "No, I've never heard of a real psychic before. I know people who practice magic, like me, who can look into people's minds. I myself am very adept at it. But when magicians try to come into my mind, I can sense it. I didn't sense you, however. I think you're lying, and you're trying to get something out of me. This is a trick."
Her expression didn't change. She just said, "I can prove it. I know all about it. Fili was your best friend. Your only friend at the time. Fili was imprisoned in Galbatorix's castle- I presume another psychic brought him to this world for whatever reason, but anyway, you two met in the castle, and became good friends. He wished to escape, so he could go back to his world to be with his brother and friends. He would always speak of home, and you could see how much he missed his family and friends. Even though you knew it was risky, it killed you to see him be so miserable, and then attempt to mask his emotions whenever you were around. Because you saw through that."
Murtagh was surprised at how much she knew. He also couldn't help but gain moisture in his eyes. He tried very hard to keep them from falling, at least.
The girl continued, "You helped him put together an escape plan. You spent every bit of your spare time working on the plan. It bothered you at night, when you would think about it. When your plan was finished, you both thought it would be flawless. However, you underestimated Galbatorix and his spies. He knew about the plan, and caught Fili. The evil man he is, he ordered you to kill him."
Murtagh gulped. A tear dropped from his left eye. He remembered exactly what Galbatorix had said that day: "We do not condone runaways. Sometimes… I feel that I do not come across with enough authority. Sometimes people do not take me seriously… and act to disobey me. Make an example of him… Murtagh." The king had grinned at him. It was a sick, twisted grin. Murtagh had never despised anyone so deeply as he did the king at that moment. Murtagh had refused outright. "You'll have to kill me," he had said defiantly.
The king had just laughed. Then, he ceased his laughter, and his face grew serious. "I will not kill you… until after I kill Thorn. I will kill your beloved dragon, if you fail to obey me."
Murtagh's heart had felt as if it were wrenched up his throat. That's how hard it had pelted when he heard the threat. He hated how vulnerable he was against the king. That's all the king had to say, and every time, Murtagh would be forced to oblige. He had never felt so powerless in his life.
Frozen, he had said, "You're bluffing. You need Thorn. It's not like you have an abundant supply of dragons around here." That earned him a whip lash.
Galbatorix went up to him and said, "Being brave, are we now? Are you sure you want to take the chance?" Galbatorix took a hot poker and stabbed Thorn with it. Thorn couldn't defend himself because Shruiken was holding him down. Galbatorix warned dangerously, "Make your decision. Is it Thorn… or Fili?"
For a few moments, Murtagh couldn't do anything, except shake his head in denial again and again. He couldn't possibly kill his best friend…
Galbatorix pushed the poker in more. Murtagh could feel that it was close to the heart. "No, wait!" he cried out desperately.
But he couldn't let his soulmate die.
He slowly went to Fili, who was shaking his head. "Please, Murtagh, don't," he pleaded.
Murtagh said tearfully, "You know how much I don't want to do this." His upper lip quivered.
"I'm sorry, friend." He unsheathed his sword and decapitated him with a quick slice. It was the least he could do. He didn't want him to suffer for long.
He hated himself so much. He had killed his own friend. It was all his fault. He should never have encouraged Fili and helped him plan an escape. How could he have been so stupid?!
Murtagh said, "Stop. I get it. You're a psychic, and you can see into my mind. I accept that now."
"Okay," she said with sadness and sympathy in her tone. She went on to tell him that she could teleport him, not just through space, but also through time. That way, he could go back, and save Fili! She would teleport them both to the present, where Fili would be reunited with his brother.
Murtagh was fascinated by her claim of time travel. "How do you know you can do it for sure? Have you tried it in the past?"
She looked back at him and merely said, "That day." She then turned to leave.
As she was leaving, she stopped for a second as if she had just remembered something. "By the way," she said. "I'm Annika."
"So," Klaus said with a smile, "Where do you wish to visit during our vacation?"
Caroline smiled back and said, "Hmm… I have always wanted to travel. Rome, Paris, Tokyo… you're not going to go back on that, are you?" She turned mischievous.
Klaus's smile grew wider, and said, "Of course not, love. You know how good I am at keeping my word."
She gave him a look, and they were both silent for a while. Klaus slowly leaned in a little. Caroline looked away slightly. She blinked several times. She felt her heart speed up. "Ah, he's going to hear how fast it's beating now," she thought, embarrassed. Her cheeks turned pink. Things were so complicated between them. It wasn't like they were ever dating. Sure, Klaus had never made a secret of how much he loved her, but she had always rebuffed his advances. She had accepted him as a friend though. And now, their relationship was a mess of feelings strewn everywhere. And there was so much tension.
Suddenly, as if unable to help herself, she turned back to him and pressed her lips to his. His lips responded to hers. It was a sweet, gentle kiss. Then, it grew passionate and intense. When they drew back to pause, Klaus looked happy and satisfied. Caroline felt exhilarated and excited. She wanted more. She kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his head, and treading her fingers through his curls.
When they drew apart again, Klaus wore that smile that was reserved only for Caroline. Now it was his turn to be mischievous. "Does your offer for hot, hybrid sex still stand?"
Kili started to grow worried. He had agreed to meet Annika at the tree outside their cottage twenty minutes ago. She still hadn't showed up. He was about to go search for her, but he heard the soft rustle of leaves. She appeared before him. He said, "Hey, I was getting so worried about you. I thought something had happened to you!"
"Sorry, there was a matter that I had to attend to. It took longer than expected."
Kili made a move toward her, as if to hug her. She disappeared. A second later, Kili felt her warm arms wrap around him from behind, in a backhug. He loved backhugs. He placed his hands around her arms. Then, he turned around and kissed her. She kissed him back and they were so absorbed in the moment that they forgot about their surroundings. As a result, they fell as Kili tripped and the two rolled down the little hill they were standing on. They burst out laughing.
Many feet away, Charlotte saw them. "Wow, this is awkward," she thought. She was actually here to deliver Kili a gift from Alex, another one of the Gard, who had already left to enjoy her vacation. Alex had chosen to stay in Alagaesia. She was certainly an explorer, and she wasn't about to let a great chance like this pass her by.
Charlotte sighed. She supposed she could always stop by later. She began to leave, but felt the impulse to look back. It was nice to see him look so happy for a change.