Hello everyone! So this chapter is kinda short, sorry about that. Thanks to everyone who reveiwed, and to you guys who alerted/favourited even if you didn't review, you guys make my day. Here is chapter fourteen :)

Right after Meralaena sped away, Murtagh spoke the counterspell as best he could through clamped teeth.

"Brakka du vanyali sem huildar Thorn un eka!"

Reduce the magic that holds Thorn and me!

He threw all his energy into it, fully expecting the bonds to break.

They did not.

By unspoken consent Thorn added his strength to Murtagh's.

When seconds passed ands neither of them felt even a small weakening in the spell, Murtagh started drawing power from the Eldunari and channeling it into the flow of magic.

More seconds passed. Then a minute. Then two. Three.

When five minutes had passed and Murtagh, Thorn and the two dragon hearts were completely drained, he released the counterspell.

"That's not possible," Murtagh said, gasping for air. "Even Eragon with… twelve elves behind him had trouble… matching us… with two… Eldunari. Blast that woman!"

If she is who we think she is, Thorn said wearily, then anything is possible when she is around. But, like everyone else, her spells with weaken with distance. She will eventually be forced to release us.

"Then we have nothing to do but wait," Murtagh surmised.

So it would seem, his dragon agreed.

A few moments of silent waiting later the bonds loosened, then fell away. Murtagh heaved against the remaining resistance holding him in place and felt it snap.

He bounded up Thorn's leg and strapped himself into the saddle. Then they were in the air, flying after Meralaena.

We'll never find her, Thorn said. She could be anywhere by now.

"I know," Murtagh said, frustrated. "I know, but if we don't try then Galbatorix -"

Murtagh broke off and squeezed his eyes shut as a powerful force invaded his mind, effectively shattering his steel barriers.

How goes your hunt? Galbatorix asked coldly. Murtagh thought of trying to lie but immediately dismissed the idea. Galbatorix would get it out of him later anyway.

"We found her," Murtagh replied, dreading the next question.

And? Galbatorix demanded.

"And… She got away."

He flinched as a wordless scream of rage filled his mind. He braced himself for the pain that always followed the King's anger, but nothing came.

There is more, Galbatorix hissed. I see it in your mind, though you try to conceal it. The egg… What has happened to the egg?

"The egg…" Murtagh hesitated, but quickly continued when he felt the King's anger surge. "The egg has hatched for her. I saw the dragon myself."

Hatched… Galbatorix echoed after a moment, as if unsure what the word meant. The last egg in Alagaesia. Hatched.

Murtagh waited, frightened by the abrupt change in the King's mood.

Galbatorix stayed silent but did not withdraw from Murtagh's mind.

You do not have her or the hatchling, I assume, he said eventually.

Murtagh answered reluctantly, "No, my lord."

A sudden, searing pain shot through Murtagh's whole body, making him cry out in pain. Thorn felt it too, making flying difficult. The dragon plummeted briefly, then steadied himself, only to veer off course again. Murtagh screamed and clutched at his head in agony.

Then, as suddenly as it began, the pain stopped.

You've failed me again, boy. Galbatorix snarled. I should destroy you for it now but I still require you alive. Fly back to Uru'baen immediately. You do not know where she is, so you serve me better here.

With no warning, Galbatorix relaxed his death grip on Murtagh's mind, leaving him gasping for air.

Alone again in the clouds, Murtagh asked Thorn suddenly,

"Do you think Galbatorix placed spells to prevent us from killing ourselves?"

Thorn's worry at the question radiated to Murtagh.

I wouldn't put it past him, he said eventually. Why?

Murtagh didn't answer, lost in thought.

"Do you think…One day…" He trailed off, not really caring how it sounded.

Do I think one day we'll have to try it because we've run out of options? Thorn asked. Yes, I do.

Murtagh stayed silent, strangely numb. He felt drained, lifeless; and yet, somehow… Somehow he felt there was something new, something more. A week ago he would never have even contemplated suicide. And now… Now, the idea was both more and less compelling.

"How can something be both more and less appealing at the same time?" Murtagh said, frustrated with his own emotions.

I think I know, Thorn said slowly. The idea of suicide is less appealing because now that you've met Meralaena, you think there might be a way out other than dying. And because you have someone to stay alive for. It's also more appealing because you know that eventually, Galbatorix will order you to kill her, which you would rather die than do.

A moment of silence passed. Then Murtagh said,

"If anyone but you had said that, I would have sworn them to be a liar." He paused, but then admitted, "Yet it's probably true. I would rather die than hurt Meralaena."

Thorn heaved a great sigh.

Soon, small one, you will have to choose between saving yourself and saving this woman. I can only hope that there is indeed some way to break our ties to Galbatorix. Otherwise…

"Otherwise," Murtagh summed up, "One of us is going to die."

Ooh, one of them might die. But I told you that already. Anyway, I hope that you guys aren't hardcore fans of the books, because next chapter I use something that is only from the movie... please don't hate me... and please review! I don't know how many times i've said this but i'll say it again; i really value your ideas and input. Thanks again to all my reveiwers from last chapter :)