DG: How's that for a speedy update? Okay, replies to you guys…

Vulpix4Life: I updated! I updated!

The Guardian of Elements: Here it is!

Janika: Who said the spell was going to be fixed? Well, we'll see… She has to run away and help Eragon, now that Galbatorix has another rider to help him.

Dracoprince: Wow! You reviewed every chapter! This chapter is for you! Thanks!

The Escape

It had been three months since Jenny first found out what was happening in Alageasia, and her egg still had not hatched. The shining red gem like egg still sat on her bed, not twitching or moving at all. Jenny had begun to wonder if it could possibly be a dud, or… Maybe it wasn't her dragon inside. Jenny had stopped having lessons of any kind the day before, because, as Galbatorix had said, "There is nothing else I can teach you until your dragon hatches." Jenny, however, wasn't going to wait that long. She was going to escape. That night.

Around what she thought was midnight, Jenny quietly slipped through the door of her room. It had been left unlocked after her first week in the castle, which was a blessing. Looking at a window in the hall, she saw that it was about midnight. Creeping down the hall, she made her way through the castle, egg, clothes, the book, and a knife she had stolen from the kitchen were in her old school backpack. Finally, with no hassles, she was at the front gates. She nimbley climbed over them, physically fit from the training she had received. Upon touching the ground outside the gate, however, a magical siren went off. There had been some kind of magical switch, and she'd set it off. She ran off through the forest, hoping to escape.

After barely running, she knocked into something, or rather, someone. It was Mark, his giant purple dragon, Amaiy (a-MAY(as in 'the merry month of'), standing be hind him. She had grown bigger than when Jenny had last seen her.

"Jenny! What are you doing!" Mark exclaimed, looking her up and down.

"What do you think I'm doing!" Jenny yelled, glaring.

"But why-"

"Galbatorix is evil! Insane! He killed all the last Riders, or didn't you know!" Mark blinked.

"He forcibly took the Alageasian throne for his own advancement. He's in a league with the Urgals, for crying out loud!" Mark blinked again.

"You thought I didn't know that?" Jenny started. If he knew, then why…?

"That's why I admire him. When he wants something, he takes it. That's why I am helping him, to get power for myself. If you aren't with us, baby sister…" Mark's face contorted into a sneer. "Then you are against us. But, because, you are my sister, I'll give you a head start. You'd better start running." Behind him, Amaiy hissed, and he laughed. It wasn't light, like it used to be. It was maniacal, like one of the evil cartoon characters on T.V. shows. But this was real. Jenny ran.

Jenny clutched the ruby-colored dragon egg to her chest, her eyes streaming with tears as she ran through the woods. Her brother's heartless, maniacal laughing still ringing in her ears. She couldn't believe that Mark had betrayed Alagaesia and her, his own sister, to greed and power. Even as she ran, she knew she couldn't escape. After all Galbatorix had taught her, he wouldn't let her flee to his enemy and the one rider she knew she could trust. Still, she'd rather die than join Galbatorix and her brother. She heard the footsteps following her, boots sinking into the mud. She knew she could easily kill her pursuers, but then she would give away her position. Unless…

Jenny skidded to a halt, picking up a handful of pebbles. Using the magic possessed by Riders like herself, she made the pebbles levitate, then shoot off into the night like bullets. As she started to run, she was glad to hear yells and thumps of people falling, at least knocked out. She let out an extra burst of speed, running faster. But, just when she thought she had escaped, a giant black form covered the moon.

"Ah, my dear sister, did you truly think you could escape from the King?" A giant black dragon- wait. It wasn't black. It was purple, a dark, malevolent purple, and road by her brother, Mark. They broke through the tops of the trees. Before she could move, the giant dragon had grabbed the girl and was taking to the air again. The dragon and her Rider carried Jenny back to the castle, and Jenny blacked out.

Suddenly, she was jolted awake again. The egg that had been in her hands shook, the creature inside screaming. A lava-red head broke through. Jenny hurriedly tore off the rest of the shell, revealing the beautiful creature inside. It had finally hatched.

The little hatchling chirruped, then turned around and bit Amaiy's claws, the larger dragon howling in pain. They were dropped, and Jenny again lost consciousness.