Torn Between Two
Chapter 14
Eragon's heart lurched when he saw the struggle. He rushed to intervene, but Dogon stopped him.
"No, Rider! Let them work it out!" he snapped.
To hell with that! Eragon thought and tried to pass.
"Eragon!" the large man growled, restraining him. Eragon watched in horror as the blonde made it to his feet before Reilyn. He was vaguely aware that Murtagh was reacting in almost perfect sync with him, struggling against Jierden violently.
"Rei!" he shrieked and broke free. Tolan had just buried her own dagger, to the hilt, into her left shoulder. Eragon tore across the short distance, staring as Reilyn sank to her knees in silent pain.
Oh god! he grimaced, seeing the blade had gone all the way through her. No! Please! No!
"Reilyn!" he screamed. "Hang on!"
Her brown eyes locked with his caramel ones, filled with pain, and he saw, new strength. He watched, stunned, as she reached up and grasped the handle. Biting her lip, she pulled the dagger from her shoulder and stared defiantly at Tolan, who was frozen in place.
"Eragon," she sobbed as he sank to his knees behind her.
"I'm here," he cried, feeling her sink into him.
He used his own dagger and cut the sleeve off of her shirt, exposing her torn, bloody flesh. Blood poured from the wound, drenching them both, and she yelped and bit his arm when he put pressure on it.
Eragon! Saphira shouted. What's wrong? Why can't I contact Reilyn?!
She's hurt! Bad!
"Er. . ." Reilyn struggled against him
"Look at me!" he commanded.
Reilyn obeyed, her tear-filled brown eyes meeting his. She clenched her jaw shut and squeezed her eyes shut as a wave of pain took her.
No matter how badly she gets hurt, he thought, she never screams. . .ever.
"I'm going to heal you, Rei," he whispered, "hold on."
"No!" she tried to pull away, but collapsed back.
Blood loss. . . Saphira noted.
"Reilyn, yes," he said, calling up his magic.
She growled violently in her throat, but remained still as he placed his blue glowing hand on her shoulder. She sighed and had trouble keeping her eyes open as his magic flowed into her.
"Close your eyes," he kissed her cheek.
She shuddered and arched into his hand, he forced her back down and felt his power flow from him. She closed her eyes and passed out.
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A boy of thirteen, pale and bleeding, stood on a training ground.
"Have we learned to obey me?" the pale man, the boys father, asked.
The boy shuddered as his father touched his face with a coiled whip, the whip he just got done using on his son. The boys dark hair was plastered to his face, due to the pouring rain, and the blood from his back streamed all over, but he remained silent.
"I guess not," his father said, smiling. The pale man looked over his shoulder to the terrified girl. "Let this be a lesson for you. Watch and remember."
Young Reilyn watched as the whip rose in the air, then turned away, crying silently, as it cracked across the pale boys chest. When she glanced back, the whip was in the air again and fresh blood ran down the boys strong chest.
"No! Stop!" she screamed.
"Rei!" someone whispered harshly. She felt her arms being held down and she fought hard. She thrashed violently, breaking free, and backed into a corner. She hugged her knees to her chest, wincing as her left shoulder screamed with white-hot pain.
She looked at her shoulder, fingering the blood-stained bandages, and tried to remember where she was and what had happened.
"Rei," the voice whispered, "it's Eragon."
I'm going to heal you, Rei. His voice floated back.
"Hey," he soothed, gently touching her face.
Tolan! she remembered, anger flooding her. That bastard!
Reilyn tried to move, only to be pinned by the young brunette.
"Whoa! Hey, stay still!" he commanded her, climbing on the bed and blocking her in.
She looked at Eragon, noting how scared and rough he looked: dark circles under his caramel eyes, shaking hands, and a quivering lip.
How bad is it? she wondered.
As if to answer her, the young boy started to sob uncontrollably, burying his face in his hands.
"Oh, Eragon," she breathed, pulling the boy close with her right hand on his neck. Reilyn shifted, putting her knees down, to give them room.
Slowly, Eragon allowed himself to be pulled against her, curling on her lap and crying. She let him get it out, stroking his brunette locks and touching his neck. For the next few minutes, he stayed like that and sobbed, clutching her pant leg.
"Eragon," she whispered when the boys sobs were letting up, continuing to stroke his hair.
"Rei," he hitched, sitting up and looking deep into her eyes. "I thought I lost you!"
His words brought tears to her eyes and she let them fall. She pulled him to her, feeling him hide himself in her neck, and kissed his neck and face.
"I was so sure. . .," he gasped into her skin.
"Eragon, I want you to look at me," she managed to say, around her tears.
Eragon obeyed her, pulling back and looking at her face. He ran his fingers over her cheek and then her lips, almost like he still didn't believe he hadn't lost her.
"I was so scared, Rei," he whimpered, fresh tears falling.
"Eragon," she took a deep breath, "nothing could ever take me from you!"
"But," he protested, eyeing her shoulder.
"No, Er," she shook her head, "listen to me!" She cupped his face with her good hand, forcing him to look at her eyes. "The head demon of Hell couldn't tear me from you! Sir Death himself could never carry me away! Do you understand me?' he voice had risen, she was close to shouting.
"Rei," he cried, with a faint smile of relief. Reilyn put a finger to his lips so she could finish.
"If neither of them could pull me from you," she smiled, "what makes you think some blonde bastard would?"
"Reilyn!" he cried, clinging to her neck, laughing and crying at the same time.
"Er, when's the last time you slept? How long have I been out?"
"Two, almost three, days. I haven't slept at all. . . I've been keeping watch over you."
"You need to sleep," she said strictly.
Eragon shook his head and clung to her neck tighter.
"I didn't say you had to leave, Er," she laughed.
"I can stay with you?" he whispered sheepishly.
"Of course."
They lay on the bed, Eragon with his face buried into her neck and she with her good arm around him. Eragon wrapped his legs over hers, pulling himself even closer to her, and she felt his soft lips on her neck.
"I love you so much, Rei," his shaky voice said through the dark.
"I love you too, Rider," she pressed her lips to his face, "and I'm never going anywhere."
Shoe says: See!!! Reilyn is way too strong for stupid Tolan!! Do you really think I'd kill off Eragon's best friend and Murtagh's latest obsession? I'm not that mean!