The scuff of boot on stone woke Lorena from her sleep. Murtagh picked up his bow and was heading toward the entrance of the cave.

"Where are you going?" Lorena asked, sitting up.

"Hunting."

Lorena looked over at Eragon's sleeping form. I think it might be good to give him some time alone. "If you have a weapon to spare, I'll come with you."

Together they climbed down the sandstone hill, with more ease than when they had the horses with them. For awhile Saphira followed them from above, then disappeared to do her own hunting. They stalked a pair of rabbits in silence. Murtagh caught one with an arrow. The other tried to flee but ran past the pair, close enough for Lorena to throw and land a dagger in its chest. Murtagh turned and gave her a puzzled, yet impressed look. "I told you that I can come in handy." said Lorena, smiling.

Carrying their prizes the two made their way back. Eragon sat on the lip of cave. Without a word Murtagh sat himself beside Eragon. Lorena took Murtagh's rabbit and got to work skinning and gutting them. "How are you?" asked Murtagh.

"Very ill."

Murtagh considered him thoughtfully. "Will you recover?" Eragon shrugged. After a few minutes of reflection, Murtagh said, "I dislike asking this at such a time, but I must know... Is your Brom the Brom? The one who helped steal a dragon egg from the king, chased it across the Empire, and killed Morzan in a duel? I heard you say his name, and I read the inscription you put on his grave, but I must know for certain, Was that he?"

"It was," said Eragon softly. A troubled expression settled on Murtagh's face. "How do you know that? You talk about things that are secret to most, and you were trailing the Ra'zac right when we needed help. Are you one of the Varden?"

Murtagh's eyes became inscrutable orbs. "I'm running away, like you." There was retrained sorrow in his words. "I do not belong to either the Varden or the Empire. Nor do I owe allegiance to any man but myself. As for my rescuing you, I will admit that I've heard whispered tales of a new Rider and reasoned that by following the Ra'zac I might discover if they were true."

"I thought you wanted to kill the Ra'zac," said Eragon.

Murtagh smiled grimly. "I do, but if I had, I never would have met you."

There was silence, Lorena had finished skinning the rabbits and had begun to gut them when she felt a presence probe at her mind. She froze and concentrated on the sandstone, bring up walls around her mind. Eragon shifted. She turned toward the young man and found him looking at her. "Watch yourself Rider." Lorena said, smirking.

Eragon looked startled, confused as to how she knew how to do that. But with parents who had been part of the Varden, and a father who was a weak magician at best, Lorena had been taught from a young age how to protect the mind. Eragon turned back to Murtagh, and asked, "Where is Saphira?"

"I don't know," said Murtagh. "She followed us for a time when we went hunting, then flew off on her own. I haven't seen her since before noon." Eragon rocked onto his feet and returned to the cave. Murtagh followed. "What are you going to do now?"

"I'm not sure." He rolled up his blankets and tied them to Snowfire's saddlebags. Murtagh joined Lorena and helped prepare the rabbits. Eventually Eragon joined them by the fire with a map of Alagaësia.

Murtagh paused, then indicated to the sword Eragon had buckled to his belt. "That sword. May I see it?" he asked, wiping his hands.

Eragon hesitated, then nodded. Murtagh examined the symbol on the blade intently. His face darkened. "Where did you get this?"

"Brom gave it to me. Why?"

Murtagh shoved the sword back and crossed his arms angrily. He was breathing hard. "That sword," he said with emotion, "was once as well known as its owner. The last Rider to carry it was Morzan – a brutal, savage man. I thought you were a foe of the Empire, yet here I find you bearing one of the Forsworn's bloody swords!"

Eragon stared at Zar'roc with shock. "Brom never told me where it came from. I had no idea it was Morzan's."

"He never told you?" asked Murtagh, a note of disbelief in his voice. Eragon shook his head. "That's strange. I can think of no reason for him to have concealed it."

"Neither can I. But then, he kept many secrets," said Eragon. "Even so, I'm going to carry it. I don't have a sword of my own. Until such a time as I get one, I'll use Zar'roc."

Murtagh flinched as Eragon said the name. "It's your choice," he said. He returned to helping Lorena prepare the meal, keeping his gaze focused downward. Lorena glanced between them, surprised by what she was hearing.

When the meal was ready, they ate slowly. As they scraped out their bowls, Eragon said, "I need to get some supplies."

Lorena sat her bowl in her lap. "I'm sure we can find somewhere to buy in some town or village."

"We?" asked Eragon.

Murtagh looked at him sideways in a calculating way. "You won't want to stay here much longer. If the Ra'zac are nearby, Brom's tomb will be like a beacon for them. And your ribs are going to take time to heal. I know you can defend yourself with magic, but you need companions who can lift things and use a sword. I'm asking to travel with you, at least for the time being. But I must warn you, the Empire is searching for me. There'll be blood over it eventually."

Eragon laughed weakly, eventually half crying crutching his side. Once his breath was back, he said, "I don't care if the entire army is searching for you. You're right. I do need help. I would be glad to have you two along, though I have to talk to Saphira about it. But I have to warn you, Galbatorix just might send the entire army after me. You won't be any safer with Saphira and me than if you were on your own."

Lorena smiled at him.

"I know that," said Murtagh with a quick grin. "But all the same, it won't stop me."

"Good." Eragon smiled with gratitude.

While they spoke, Saphira crawled into the cave. She laid her big blue head on the floor. Lorena noticed that she and Eragon were somehow communicating.

Must be through their thoughts.

The two seemed to be in communication for a long while.

"Saphira says that we need to make our way to Gil'ead. There's a man there named Dormnad who can help us find the Varden." Eragon said.

Murtagh said, "If you find this Dormnad and then continue on to the Varden, I will leave you. Encountering the Varden would be as dangerous for me as walking unarmed into Urû'baen with a fanfare of trumpets to announce my arrival."

"We won't have to part anytime soon," said Eragon. "It's a long way to Gil'ead." His voice cracked slightly, and he squinted at the sun. "We should leave before the day grows any older."

"Are you strong enough to travel?" asked Murtagh, frowning.

"I have to do something or I'll go crazy," said Eragon brusquely. "Sparring, practicing magic, or sitting around twiddling my thumbs aren't good options right now, so I choose to ride."

"Before we go," said Lorena, "I want to change my bandages."

She reached up to feel for the knot, but Murtagh's hands found it first. He began to unwrap the bandages, Lorena leaned towards him to allow him better access. As the last bandage came off the bunched up cloth began to fall, but was caught by the cloth sitting against the wound, which stuck from the dried blood. Lorena winced. Murtagh slowly pulled it off and gave a low whistle. Eragon leaned closer to have a better look, "That doesn't look good. I know I said I probably shouldn't be doing magic, but I think it may be necessary to heal that wound."

Eragon held his hand over her face, and just like when he had healed Brom his hand glowed. When the light faded and he removed his hand, Lorena reached up and touched her face. All she found was smooth skin where the cut had been. "Thank you."

Eragon smiled and nodded his head.

They doused the fire, packed, and led the horses out of the cave. Eragon handed Snowfire's reins to Murtagh, saying "Go on, I'll be right down." Murtagh and Lorena began the slow descent from the cave.

Lorena looked back up to the top of the mountain, where Eragon and Saphira had gone to visit Brom's grave. The sight she saw made her gasp, making Murtagh look as well. They could see the top of the spire, and they watched as it changed from sandstone into magnificent diamond.