Chapter 6

Cailin woke to the feeling of cold scales rubbing against her face. She slowly opened her eyes and started at the sight of a reptilian on her body. Then remembrance washed over her like a wave. The small dragon squawked, it was time to eat. Cailin stumbled out of bed toward the tray by the door, filled with sesame buns and blueberry tea and sesame cakes. However, she never made it to the tray. She fell a couple of feet from the tray and started snoring. The dragon squawked loudly in protest and pummeled into her to try to wake her up. Cailin murmured as she felt the body hit her more than a dozen times.

"Alright, alright, I'm getting up, are you happy?" Cailin murmured. Then she thought something was off. Something did not feel right. She actually hit the floor. She never snored. She was never this drowsy. "What is happening?" thought Cailin. Then in her head, she heard a chilling laugh.

"Awake, are we?" said the haughty voice. "You better hurry up, before Eragon and Arya get here. The first day of training and you're still on the floor, which does not make a good impression."

"Who are you?" questioned Cailin, beside her, the dragonling shivered.

The voice chuckled in a high-pitch tone, reserved only for little children.

"You'll find out soon enough," here the voice chuckled, "If you manage to survive that long, that is," answered the voice.

Then the door opened. Eragon, Saphira, and Arya walked in.

"You're still not ready?" asked Eragon with surprise. Cailin just shivered and relayed all that had happened that morning to the trio. They looked at each other in surprise. The chilling laugh erupted in Cailin's head again.

"What's going on? Don't tell me you've told them all about me. Gosh, Cailin, you're such a spoiler," chuckled the voice.

"Get out," growled Cailin. She shook her head violently in an attempt to shake the horrifying voice out of her head.

"You said that so rudely, now I feel sad," said the voice, sniffling, then it burst into a thousand laughs.

"Get out," growled Cailin with more force.

"Ah, well, I'm hungry anyway. I'll catch up to you later, Cailin," and the voice left.

Eragon steeped forward, bent down on one knee, grabbed Cailin by her shoulders, and said in a firm voice, "Cailin, you would do well to learn your dragon's name. Your bond with your dragon is very powerful, and with his help, you can block whatever strength is coming into your mind."

"How do I do that?" asked Cailin.

Eragon stared at her dumbly. "You haven't tried to speak with your dragon yet?"

"I-I don't know. I remember trying to ask its name, and then a voice kept on leading me away from what I was doing. No matter how many times I tried to communicate with him, that voice always distracted me."

The little dragon looked towards Sasphira and cocked its head. Saphira faced it. Then she turned and faced Eragon.

Eragon.

He turned to face Saphira

Eragon, what she says is true. He told me about the voice in Cailin's head. He said that while the voice is there, Cailin can't do anything. It is as if she is under a spell. But it is a weak spell, so he is constantly breaking it, buy because of that he hasn't had time to grow and is getting weaker. We need to help them, Eragon.

Aye, that we will.

Eragon took off his silver hammer necklace and placed it around Cailin's neck.

"There, that may help. If you find yourself weaker, just take the necklace off. We can't tell if the person is scrying you or not, buy it may help a little bit."

"What should I do?" asked Cailin feebly.

"You will stay in your room today and learn your dragon's name. Tomorrow you will join Oromis and me. But today, work with your dragon.

"Yes, Argetlam."

"I thought I told you. You are now Argetlam."