Cailin was sitting on her bed reading some scrolls Oromis gave her by candle light. She then felt a strange presence.
"Gosh, everything in your head is so boring, all there is in there is fact about this, fact about that, don't you live anymore?"
Cailin started. She recognized that voice. It was the one who weakened her and Muirgrid. That voice was the start of her fears and troubles.
"By the way, what do you have around your neck? Do you know how hard it was to get inside your head?"
"The necklace around my neck is to keep you out," answered Cailin.
"Now why would you want to do that?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you took away from me my memories, you weakened me, you weakened Muirgrid…."
"Muirgrid? Who's this Muirgrid? Is he cute?"
Cailin rolled her eyes. "Yes, he's beautiful." Across from her, Muirgrid beamed.
"Is he elvenly beautiful, humanly beautiful, or what?"
"He's dragonly beautiful."
"Dragonly beautiful? That's a first, why would he be dragonly beautiful?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because he's a dragon." Cailin felt Muirgrid enter her mind and suppress the voice in her head. The voice gasped. Cailin could just imagine Muirgrid's mind forming a fist and squeezing the voice until it begged for mercy. The voice did beg for mercy after about a minute. Shortly afterwards, it withdrew.
Thank you Muirgrid.
What does she want from you?
I take it your assuming the voice is a girl.
Would a man have such a voice?
I guess not. I don't know what she wants from me. I don't even know who she is.
I suggest we confront her sometime.
If she's human.
You are human too.
I mean if she has a body. Wait, did you say I was human?
Muirgrid turned his head away and said, Good night, my dear.
Muirgrid!
Good night. Muirgrid barred his mind from her so all she could do was sit there and think about Muirgrid and how beautiful his dark green scales looked when light was reflected off.
Yes, you are dragonly beautiful.
Thank you.
Cailin started, she seemed to be doing that a lot lately. You're awake?
Not anymore. Good night, dear one. Muirgrid went to sleep.
Cailin thought about Muirgrid's words, you are human too. Why did he say that? She made up her mind to find out, and once Cailin makes up her mind, she usually does not stop until she gets what she wants.
The next morning Cailin woke up, conducted her morning routine, and took off the necklace Eragon gave her. She concentrated, and screamed with her mind, Where are you? I have decided to confront you. I have been living in fear for far too long. Show yourself!
A womanly voice chuckled. Where? Why don't you meet me a little ways from Ellesmera? Go to the north of the city, travel for 2 miles straight north, then turn left at the first stream you come to. Travel for another mile and you will see the trees begin to shape into the form of a tunnel. Walk into the tunnel and you will meet me there. And when you come, make sure you bring your sword. The voice quickly departed. Muirgrid lifted his head.
Why did you do that?
Cailin stared at him. I needed answers.