All throughout dinner, Arya's emerald gaze had been fixed on Serena down the table a ways. Edoc'sil sat diligently by her side, and Eragon and Saphira sat directly across from her. But something was just not right, and the elf could feel it.

First of all, Edoc'sil was acting strangely. He did not look up once during dinner, and Arya could feel a bit of gloom within him, but the barrier that he held up around his mind would not allow her to investigate. Also, the barrier around Serena's mind was unusually strong, much stronger that it usually was when she was around friends.

Another thing that Arya noticed was that her sword, Karma, it was called, was absent at her side, but Arya could feel the presence of four knives hidden beneath her crimson dress. Why would Serena not take her trusted sword to dinner in a foreign country, but take four flimsy knives hidden within her person?

Also, she did not glare once at the elf, nor did she show any signs of resentment towards Arya. Another thing that bothered Arya was that Serena did not seem to show the same respect that she had shown before. "Arya svit-kona" was what the young human girl had always called the high-ranking elf, as she had been taught all her life. Serena had been raised in an elven city, so it was normal for her to show undying respect to someone of a royal rank; but that was not what she was doing now. Not once did the elf hear Serena utter "svit-kona" after her name. It crossed Arya's mind that Serena may just be acting higher than even Queen Islanzadí because of the mere fact that she was a Dragon Rider, but Serena did not strike Arya as that type of person.

But what really bothered Arya was that the air about Serena's person was strangely different than it had been. Her aura was the same; strong, willful, smart, and filled with Shade's magic, which was normal for this human. But her personality… She was more cunning, much quieter, and she seemed almost paranoid; like something would jump out and grab her.

The elf crossed her arms and continued to stare across the table at Serena and Edoc'sil, whom seemed to be engrossed in a heated argument.

Arya watched Serena's movements with the eyes of a hawk hunting its prey. She would run her left hand through her hair then roll her eyes.

Hm…but…isn't she right-handed? thought the elf. Nothing too abnormal…yet.

Serena reached with her left hand to pick up her goblet and take a well-performed sip of wine before setting it back down and stroking Edoc'sil's cheek with her right hand.

Suddenly, Arya's eyes widened. Her breathing stopped. Her…Her right hand…! Arya locked gazes with Eragon and quickly uttered inside his mind, Directly inside the kitchen, there is a small hallway. Meet me there. Saphira, you must stay with Serena and Edoc'sil. When he started to get up, she shouted into his mind, No! I will go first, then wait about ten minutes and meet me there. We must talk. She instantly closed the connection and started a conversation with a nearby member of the Varden.

They were only halfway through the dinner, and Edoc'sil was already beginning to naw at Korin's last nerve.

Eragon and Saphira are too smart for you, he kept saying. Saphira undoubtedly hears this conversation right now, and she and Eragon are already concocting a plan to ruin you!

Korin whipped her head around to glare at the purple beast. I sincerely doubt that, my purple and orange friend.

Edoc'sil grunted.

Because right now, I have set an amazingly powerful barrier around both of our minds so that no one, not even the strongest elf that you have here, can get through its walls.

Don't you think that would raise an endless amount of red sirens? He gloated.

I don't think so, Korin smirked. No elf around here can come close to possessing that kind of power.

A grin shrouded Edoc'sil's face. And how, exactly, do you know that?

Korin had to think quickly. She had not exactly planned on the elf, Arya, being here, but she was sure that the elf posed no threat. With a hesitance that Edoc'sil could sense, Korin answered, Because I breached that elf's mind, and she poses absolutely no threat to me. She lied. Try as she might, the elf's barrier was too complex and confusing for Korin to crack. Korin took a well-rehearsed sip of her wine goblet then set it down. She looked back to Edoc'sil and smiled warmly. Her lace-gloved hand stroked his cheek. Do not forget that I hold your Rider's life in my very hands. She will die if you keep resisting me. Then, leaning closer to him, she whispered, And if you think I'm merciless, you obviously don't know my friend Murtagh too well… The purple and orange beast's temper started to rise.

Eragon's brother…

Korin nodded and smiled childishly. Yup. And like I said, if you keep resisting me, even I don't know what he'll do to your precious Serena. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Eragon start to get up, but sit back down quickly.

"What is it, Eragon?" she asked in her sweet voice.

His chocolate eyes whizzed back to her sapphire gaze and he smiled. "N-Nothing…" he stuttered. "It was nothing…"

She nodded and turned her attention back to Edoc'sil. Remember, she warned again. One tiny slip-up, and my dragon's grip around your Rider's neck may accidentally…slip up.

I doubt that I will be the one to slip up, Nirök. Edoc'sil snarled, and he cut the connection off between him and the impostor.

After about five minutes, Arya excused herself from the conversation with the beings around her, which, to her surprise, had become quite a heated argument, and entered the kitchen. Once inside, she looked to her left and saw the small but cozy hallway where she and Eragon would converse.

When ten minutes had passed, Eragon entered the hallway and found Arya's emerald-green gaze staring straight back at him. He could instantly feel the blood rising to his cheeks. When he started to speak, the elf pressed a thin, white finger against his lips. His heart skipped a beat as she took his hand in her own and led him deeper into the hallway, where she turned a corner into a desolate room.

Safely inside the room, Eragon began to speak. "Arya," he started. She quickly closed the thin, wooden door. "What is going on?" she turned and faced him, emerald eyes blazing.

"That…thing…is not Serena," she whispered.

Eragon's eyes widened. "What?" he could hardly believe his ears. "Wh-Why…Arya, what do you mean?"

The elf sat down in a chair beside the door. "The person of whom you were just speaking to is not who you think she is. She's not Serena."

"But how—"

"I do not have time to explain," Arya spoke quickly. "She could have heard us talking to one another inside your mind and already be on her way."

"How do you know that she's not really Serena?" he questioned.

"Her right hand,"

Eragon frowned, confused. "What?"

"Her right hand!" the elf repeated. "The last time I checked, Serena was right-handed, yes?"

Eragon nodded.

"So that means that when she reached out to Edoc'sil, she received the gedwëy ignasia on her right hand, correct?"

He nodded again, not sure where she was going with this.

Arya sighed in frustration. "This impostor is left-handed! When she reached out to Edoc'sil just tonight to touch him affectionately, I did not see the silver gash on her right palm!"

"She's wearing lace tonight, Arya, perhaps you—"

"Are you doubting me, Eragon Shadeslayer?" Arya asked, her green eyes filled with rage. Eragon suddenly felt two inches tall.

"N-No, but—"

"I know what I saw," she growled quietly. "But there have been other things," she explained to him about the unusually strong barrier around hers and Edoc'sil's minds, about Karma not being at her side and four measly knives tucked inside her dress in its stead, and about how since they had met Serena at her room just before the feast, she had yet to even mutter "Arya svit-kona".

Eragon was a bit skeptical of the last reason. "But you couldn't have expected her to call you 'Arya svit-kona' for long…"

Arya glared at him again, making him feel even smaller. "She was raised in Ellesméra, Eragon, raised by the elven people. Do you honestly believe that she would not know when to show great respect to an elven woman?"

"I'm just saying, Arya," he explained. "That maybe she considers herself higher than even you…?"

"Do you consider yourself above me?"

The question caught Eragon totally off-guard.

"I…I—"

Arya folded her arms. "Exactly what I thought. Serena would give me the exact same answer."

Eragon sighed and gave in. "All right, let's say that you are right, and that person out there isn't Serena,"

The elf nodded.

"Then why is Edoc'sil acting like nothing is wrong?"

"But he is not," Arya interjected. "Did you not notice? He never once raised his head to look either you, Saphira, or me straight in the eyes. He only looked at the replica-Serena. And they have been fighting. Is this normal?"

Eragon shook his head. "No, not for those two," he crossed his arms and leaned against one of the room's bare walls. "They're inseparable. They have their silly quarrels, but nothing to the point where one is ignoring the other."

Arya nodded. "And that is exactly what I saw: Edoc'sil trying to ignore the replica."

"Can we please stop referring to her as 'the replica'?"

"Then what, pray tell, do you suggest calling her? What do you call a person who looks exactly like another, has almost the same presence, and can fool even an elf for an hour?"

Suddenly, Eragon froze. "Korin…" he muttered. Arya frowned.

"What is it, Eragon?" she asked. He looked up at her.

"I…While I was in Ellesméra, I had dreams…dreams of Murtagh and Thorn and Galbatorix…but there was one thing that bothered me," he quickly explained that he distinctly remembered seeing Serena's face inside the Castle of Urû'baen, aiding Galbatorix. Then he told her of the night that he had seen this girl, Korin, she was called, hatch a small, emerald dragonling inside the Hatching Room of the Castle of Urû'baen. He had concluded, after hearing the conversations of Murtagh, the King, and Korin, that Korin and Serena were twins, separated at birth; one raised by elves, the other raised by evil.

His tale finished, Eragon paused to allow what he had just said sink into Arya's consciousness. After awhile, she sighed.

"I knew that it could be possible, that Serena could be the spawn of a powerful Rider…but I never imagined…Galbatorix…"

Eragon nodded. He paused again, then spoke. "So you agree with me, then? The Serena now is Korin, her twin sister, who is working for Galbatorix undercover?"

Arya nodded. "The only thing left unexplained, in my opinion, is why Galbatorix wanted Korin to take over Serena's spot in the first place?"

"My guess is that he wanted someone closer to Saphira and me. To try and make me join his side, and Saphira to breed and produce more eggs. That is the reason, I think." Arya shifted her gaze to him and then nodded.

"Then we must lure this replica into a trap and discover where she is keeping Serena."

"I agree, but how?"

A small smile tugged at Arya's lips. "Let us be creative…"

here are ur answers! the #1 answer was that Korin's gedwey ignasia is on her left hand, and Serena's is on her right. XD told ya ya had to read DEEP into the story. a lot of you got the scars on her upper arms, but that's covered up so no one could see it, so i felt no need to address it in this chapter, though it will be discussed in the chapter to come. and now i have to applaude lyokolady, for figuring out that Korin did not have Serena's sword. remember? no one can touch Karma but Serena. XP i'm weird...so sue me...O.o

ENJOY AND THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH, MY FAITHFUL REVIEWERS!

Shadeslayer390