ELDEST V

"Caomhim."

Brom lifted his head as brown bangs waved over his eyes. His one arm was bound to a cold stone wall, while his two feet were shackled below. A small breeze waved from a exposed hole in the layered brick while light invaded his quiet world. His eyes narrowed as he saw the silhouette of Queen Islanzadi sway into view, after which a door slammed shut, locking the both of them into darkness. Suddenly, a dollop of blue flame hovered over thin fingers, swaying as tiny tongues of flame teased the cool air of Brom's cell.

"Queen Islanzadi" Brom muttered, his head rolling on his shoulders. Islanzadi brought the flame closer to her face as she walked up towards Brom. She did not look like a being that was over four hundred years old. Her hair was bright like the sun, while her eyes shimmered like green scales. She wore a gray cape over her body, and a large hood pulled back dangled around her shoulders. She gave Brom a cynical smile.

"It is good to see you still retain your manners." Islanzadi said as she lifted her flame closer to Brom's face. She turned his head left and then right, inspecting his features.

"It is you. Caomhim. Evander used to visit Doru Araeba. Vrael would always point out the star student, Galbatorix, and you and the raven-haired boy were always lurking in the man's large shadow. The only reason I have not killed you yet is because I need to know why you are no longer allied with Galbatorix. What did he do to you?" She snapped her fingers, and Brom fell to the hard floor. He gasped as air was forced from his lungs, and clawed at the stone, lifting himself up and leaning on the wall behind him.

"Galbatorix never betrayed me. I . . . I betrayed Morzan. He killed my dragon and then his own wife. He thought he murdered me and his two sons . . . but I live. They live."

Islanzadi's eyes widened.

"His two sons? You know who they are?"

Brom smiled.

"I know the Elves have their own pantheon of gods. What is the one dealing with irony?"

Islanzadi frowned.

"Ummaye. Though he is more of a trickster. What does that have to do with the sons of Morzan?"

"They are both allied with the Varden. And the youngest one . . . is a Rider." Brom laughed softly.

Islanzadi looked at Brom with disbelief in her eyes.

"Does the boy know?"

"He knows he was adopted by a northerner. Other than that, he has no idea who his father is." Brom answered.

"I see it now. The resemblance. The texture of their hair . . . the eyes . . . yes, this Eragon is Morzan's son. And you say there is another allied with the Varden?"

Brom nodded in answer. Islanzadi bit her lip, and turned away from Brom. She rotated again, and looked back at the man with pale green eyes.

"These are dark times. After . . . after my daughter killed Evander, after she destroyed more than half of our Empire . . . I had thought if we just hid, I would be able to keep my people safe. But the Sealed Elves have rebelled. We're holding . . .but I hear tales, Caomhim. Tales of dark wings in the night. Of ritual sacrifices to free him."

Brom shook his head.

"You don't mean . . . He is just a myth, a legend. That is what we learned in the libraries of Doru Araeba."

Islanzadi gave Brom a pitiful smile.

"Gohlobor exists. And he is striving for freedom. Blood locks him within his prison, and blood will free him. But only one aspect of his old self remains within the enchanted cell. There are three portions of Gohlobor that form the Eldeena's true form, and as long as these aspects do not meet, he will not attain his true power. Nonetheless, even one aspect of Gohlobor could do enough damage to threaten us all."

"Then you must ally with me. With us. The dwarves have already joined the Varden. I . . . I will not lie, Islanzadi. A part of me is still loyal to Galbatorix. The war he fought was just. But if what you say is true, about Gohlobor, then Galbatorix must be made to understand."

Islanzadi placed a small hand on the stone of Brom's cell wall.

"I often thought of what I would do if I were Galbatorix. He was attacked first. Vrael and the others betrayed him. You and the raven haired boy joined him to protect your friend. My daughter . . . I fear her, Caomhim. Not Arya . . . the other. The member of the Forsworn who killed her own father, my husband. I shall not say her name."

Brom didn't need her to. He knew it well enough.

Alauinel Valbhorethlian.

"Fear has kept me from acting. I always hoped she would turn away from her path . . . as it seems you have done. Despite the justification of your war, you are guilty, Brom. Blood pours from your hands. I cannot take that guilt away. But perhaps a deal can be struck . . ."

Brom raised his head at Islanzadi.

What could she be thinking?

"The one you call Morzan fights in the North. I know the Suhureliel Omshurtag is now in Uru'baen . . . if you succeed in killing her, I will join the Varden's cause. She is evil, Caomhim. But even I could not slay her, a being that is part of me."

Brom shook his head. "That would take too long. We both know that there isn't enough time for me to do such a thing. The Sealed Elves will succeed if you do not act. You lack the manpower to fully throw them off. You need allies."

Islanzadi laughed bitterly, a surprisingly sweet sound.

"The Elves have never needed allies. But here I am being convinced by a human otherwise. Many of my own are already among the Varden . . . some returned when they received word of the rebellion . . . "

"The large dwarf in my party is Prince Orik. His station gives him some authority . . . if you ally with him, you ally with the Varden. What's more, each Dwarib prince has a contingent of royal guards. He could call those dwarves into battle to aid you against the Sealed Elves."

Hope glimmered in Islanzadi's eyes as she regarded Brom thoughtfully.

"Yes, yes you're right. With the Summer Fertility coming in a short few weeks, the Sealed Elf war offensive will halt. That will give us enough time to wait for the dwarf reinforcements. If Orik will agree to this." Islanzadi flashed Brom a grin.

"Prince Orik is no fool. He will see the sense in allying with your people, as you will see the sense in allowing Eragon to train with Oromis." Brom lifted his head to Islanzadi. The queen frowned, turning her own head away.

"Oromis Valbhorethlian . . . I have not seen him in some time. Ever since Evander died, Oromis has not been the same. He was Evander's younger brother. He looked up to my husband . . . his death rattled him. He keeps to himself."

"But will he answer a summon if you request it?"

"Without a doubt. He would do so based on the fact that Arya is Evander's daughter, and I was his wife. But to train Eragon . . . the son of Morzan and a human . . . I do not know."

Brom gave Islanzadi a weak smile.

"There is nothing to lose. Either he trains Eragon, or we find ourselves in quite the dire situation."

"You're almost as morbid as I am, Caomhim. I will have Eragon and his friends freed. I will contact Oromis . . . and you will be free as well, Forsworn. But only to hunt down Suhureliel Omshurtag , and kill her."

Brom had fought with Alauinel before. She was crafty, strong, and smart. Her dragon was in a class of its own in terms of destruction. Before, Brom might have been able to defeat her. But his battle with the Shade not only lost him an arm, but also showed how weak he had gotten. Fighting normal beings had caused his skills to decline somewhat, and he knew for a fact he would fail if he fought Alauinel now.

"I will need time to train. To recuperate."

"Anything you need will be granted to you, Caomhim. Did . . . she ever express regret over the hurt she has caused? Has she ever professed sorrow?"

Brom knew that Alauinel did not feel sorrow. In fact, she reveled in the deaths that she caused, and took sadistic delight in killing her own father.

"She has not."

Islanzadi's gaze hardened.

"Then do not stay your sword, Caomhim."

Islanzadi opened the bar doors, and an armored elf materialized in front of her. Brom covered his eyes with his hand as light again burst into the room.

"Free the prisoners, but bring me the Dwarf. Give him his weapons, and be sure to tell him he is being escorted to me, as a guest, not a prisoner."

The elf nodded.

"I will . . . I will talk with Arya later. But free them, and send them on the way to the mainland. Have Dilenu send word to Oromis. It is time he ends his solitude."

Brom rose to his feet, shakily at first, but strengthened after each step. He was of height with the tall Islanzadi, who nearly made him shrink with her intense eyes.

"It seems to all be coming together. What will the result be, I wonder?" Islanzadi said almost conversationally.

Brom's own gaze hardened.

"Victory," He began as he looked at Islanzadi, "Or death." As those words left his lips, he saw Alauinel's beautiful face covered with the blood of her father.

Uru'baen. It has been some time since I last walked the halls of Galbatorix's castle. Brom saw Selena then, resplendent in personality and in figure.

I have kept him safe thus far, Selena. Morzan, I do this for you as well. You hate me, I know that, but they are alive. As am I. Hopefully we will all meet again, as sons and friends, instead of enemies.