A while later Saphira left, making her way to Gil'ead. Lorena sat beside the fire, watching the direction of the distant city for any signs of their return, and keeping an eye out for soldiers or Urgals. While she knew that it could take hours, with every passing moment she worried that something had gone horribly wrong.

Eventually she heard the flapping of Saphira's wings and a wave of relief washed over her. She jumped to her feet and began readying the horses. Saphira drifted down into the clearing, and rested her outstretched wings onto the ground. Then Murtagh and Eragon jumped from her back and began to check her for injuries.

Eragon called Murtagh over and instructed, "Hold her wing down. I have to remove this arrow." He indicated where Murtagh should grip. Saphira extended her neck and grabbed a tall sapling between her curved teeth. With a yank of her head, she pulled the tree out of the ground and clamped it firmly in her jaws. "Hold on."

He broke off the head of the arrow, then swiftly pulled the shaft out of Saphira. She threw back her head and whimpered past the tree in her mouth. Her wing jerked involuntarily, clipping Murtagh under the chin and knocking him to the ground.

Saphira shook her head spraying them with dirt before tossing it away. Lorena left the horses and helped Murtagh up. She cupped his face and examined his chin. "You look fine, you didn't bite your tongue did you?" he shook his head no.

"She caught me by surprise," admitted Murtagh, touching his scraped jaw.

"She didn't mean to hit you," assured Eragon. He then made his way to a beautiful woman strapped onto Saphira's back.

"Who's that?" asked Lorena, surprised by the new group member.

"An elf, we rescued her from the gaol." said Murtagh.

"An elf!" exclaimed Lorena in surprise. A thousand questions ran through her head, but she decided it was best to wait.

After Eragon checked on her Saphira took flight, the three left on the ground mounted their horses and galloped after her. They travelled through the night, despite the men's weariness from their fighting. Behind them, lines of torch-bearing horsemen searched around Gil'ead for their trail.

After many bleary hours, dawn lightened the sky. By unspoken consent they stopped the horses. "We have to make camp," said Eragon wearily. "I must sleep-whether they catch us or not."

"Agreed," said Murtagh, rubbing his eyes. "Have Saphira land. We'll meet her."

They followed Saphira's directions and found her drinking from a stream at the base of a small cliff, the elf still slouched on her back. Murtagh helped Eragon remove the elf from Saphira's saddle and lower her to the ground, while Lorena prepared a cold meal.

Murtagh looked down at the elf, "As far as I know, she's the first elf the king has captured. Ever since they went into hiding, he's been looking for them without success-until now. So he's either found their sanctuary, or she was captured by chance. I think it was chance. If he had found the elf haven, he would have declared war and sent his army after the elves. Since that hasn't happened, the question is, were Galbatorix's men able to extract the elves' location before we rescued her?"

"We won't know until she regains consciousness." Eragon sighed.

"Tell me, what happened?" Lorena asked as she handed out the food.

"I woke up in a cell, with no memory of what happened." Eragon explained, "I was unable to think or use magic. It turns out they were drugging me. So I stopped eating their food and drink."

"I had seen soldiers marching through the halls with the elf. She was always unconscious. And there was a Shade! He spoke to me, trying to find out my true name, but I managed to give him a false one. I wasn't sure if he was convinced, so the moment I could use magic, I escaped my cell."

"It wasn't the best timing," Murtagh claimed, "It was just as I was being escorted to his cell. We had to kill six… five, soldiers."

"It worked out though," shrugged Eragon, "We rescued the elf from her cell and made our way upstairs. We managed to get Zar'roc and the elfs' weapons. However, while we were waiting for Saphira to fly in the Shade found us. I sparred him, but he was too powerful. Murtagh managed to shoot an arrow between his eyes and he disappeared screeching in a billow of mist. A bunch of soldiers came in to try and capture us, but Saphira made it through the ceiling by then. She scared them off, so we jumped on her back and came back here."

"We're lucky you're all relatively unharmed," Lorena turned to Murtagh, "If I had known there was a Shade-"

"You would have told me not to go? Leave Eragon to the mercy of the Empire?"

"No! I just…" Lorena starred at the ground, lost for words.

"I understand," Murtagh seemed to resist a chuckle.

"How did I end up in Gil'ead?" Eragon asked, "I was captured by Urgals."

"The Urgals are working for the Empire," said Murtagh shortly, pushing back his hair. "And, it seems, the Shade as well. I saw the Urgals give you to him-though I didn't know who it was at the time-and a group of soldiers. They were the ones who took you to Gil'ead."

Glowering, Eragon exclaimed, "This will mean war! Once the people of the Empire learn of it, they will rebel and support the Varden."

Murtagh rested his chin in his hand. "Even if they heard of this outrage, few would make it to the Varden. With the Urgals under his command, the king has enough warriors to close the Empire's borders and remain in control, no matter how disruptive people are. With such a rule of terror, he will be able to shape the Empire however he wants. And though he is hated, people be galvanised into joining him if they had a common enemy."

"Who would that be?" asked Eragon, confused.

"The elves and the Varden. With the right rumours they can be portrayed as the most despicable monsters in Alagaësia-fiends who are waiting to seize your land and wealth. The Empire could even say that the Urgals have been misunderstood all this time and that they are really friends and allies against such terrible enemies. I only wonder what the king promised them in return for their services."

"It wouldn't work," said Eragon, shaking his head. "No one could be deceived that easily about Galbatorix and the Urgals. Besides, why would he want to do that? He's already in power."

"But his authority is challenged by the Varden, with whom people sympathise. There's also Surda, which has defied him since it seceded from the Empire. Galbatorix is strong within the Empire, but his arm is weak outside of it. As for people seeing through his deceptions, they'll believe whatever he wants them to. It's happened before." Murtagh fell silent and gazed moodily at his food.

A few minutes of silence followed before Eragon looked at Murtagh. "You risked your life to rescue me; I owe you for that. I couldn't have escaped on my own."

"I'm just glad I could help. It..." Murtagh faltered and rubbed his face. "My main worry now if how we're going to travel with so many men searching for us. Gil'ead's soldiers will be hunting us tomorrow; once they find the horses' tracks, they'll know you didn't fly away with Saphira."

Eragon glumly agreed. "How did you manage to get into the castle?"

Murtagh laughed softly. "By paying a steep bribe and crawling through a filthy scullery chute. But it was Lorena's plan," Lorena gave him a quick smile, "and it wouldn't have worked with Saphira. She," he stopped and directed his words at her, "that is, you, are the only reason we escaped alive."

Eragon solemnly put a hand on her scaly neck, and Saphira hummed contently. Eragon then reluctantly dragged himself upright, and turned to the elf. "We should make a bed for her."

Lorena got a blanket and stretched it out. As the men lifted the elf onto it, the cuff of her sleeve tore on a branch. Eragon began to pinch the fabric together, then gasped.

The elf's arm was mottled with a layer of bruises and cuts; some were half healed, while others were fresh and oozing. Eragon shook his head with anger and pulled the sleave higher. The injuries continued to her shoulder. With trembling fingers, he unlaced the back of her shirt.

The leather slipped off, Lorena sucked in her breath and Murtagh cursed. The elf's back was strong and muscled, but it was covered with scabs that made her skin look like dry, cracked mud. She had been whipped mercilessly and branded with hot irons in the shape of claws. Where her skin was still intact, it was purple and black from numerous beatings. On her left shoulder was a tattoo inscribed with indigo ink.

"Can you heal this?" asked Lorena.

"I-I don't know, there's so much." He sat silent for a minute, "This is going to take some time. Can you boil some rags for bandages; I can't heal all her wounds."

"We can't make a fire without being seen," objected Murtagh. "You'll have to use unwashed cloths."

Murtagh collected the rags, while Eragon began working on the elf's back. Lorena sat next to Murtagh, and watched Eragon work. He continued throughout the morning, only pausing to eat and drink.

The sun was well into the sky when he finally stood, groaning as he stretched his legs. Lorena felt a weight lift off her shoulder, she had been so intent on watching the magic that she had not noticed Murtagh fall asleep on her shoulder. He rubbed his eyes as Eragon draught from the wineskin. "Is it done?" asked Murtagh.

Eragon nodded, trembling.

"Will she live?"

"I don't-don't know," he said in a ravaged voice. "Elves are strong, but even they cannot endure abuse like this with impunity. If I knew more about healing, I might be able to revive her, but..." He gestured helplessly. His hand was shaking so badly he spilled some of the wine. "We'd better start riding again."

"No! You must sleep," protested Lorena.

"I... can sleep in the saddle. But we can't afford to stay here, not with the soldiers closing in on us."

Lorena and Murtagh exchanged glances before they reluctantly gave in. "In that case I'll lead Snowfire while you rest." They resaddled the horses strapped the elf onto Saphira, and departed the camp. Eragon ate while they rode, before he leaned forward against Snowfire and went to sleep.

"Tell me what happened." Lorena said.

"Eragon already did."

"Details Murtagh, you fought a Shade! I can only think of two heroes who have ever survived a battle with a Shade."

"Have I become one of your heroes?" asked Murtagh, a playful smirk on his face. "But no, I don't think I killed him. I've heard that there are only specific ways to kill them."

"From how you describe he sounds very dead to me, oh hero!" Lorena laughed.