Most of the day was spent on long detours to avoid detection by soldiers with hunting dogs. When they eventually stopped for the evening the group had a dark temper. They ate a small dinner in silence. When they had finished, Murtagh said, "We can't keep up this pace; we aren't gaining any ground on the soldiers. Another day or two of this and they'll be sure to overtake us."
"What else can we do?" snapped Eragon. "There's too many of us, even if we left the horses Saphira couldn't fly us out of here. It's impossible."
Murtagh looked at him carefully. "If you want to go your own way, I won't stop you. I can't expect you and Saphira to stay and risk imprisonment. Lorena and I can take care of each other."
"Don't insult me," Eragon muttered. "The only reason I'm free is because of you. I'm not going to abandon you to the Empire. Poor thanks that would be!"
Murtagh bowed his head. "Your words hearten me."
"But they haven't solved our problem." stated Lorena.
"What can?" Eragon asked. He gestured at the elf. "I wish she could tell us where the elves are; perhaps we could seek sanctuary with them."
"Considering how they've protected themselves, I doubt she'd reveal their location. Even if she did, the others of her kind might not welcome us. Why would they want to shelter us anyway? The last Riders they had contact with were Galbatorix and the Forsworn. I doubt that left them with pleasant memories. And we," Murtagh gestured to himself and Lorena, "Don't even have the dubious honour of being a Rider like you. No, they would not want us at all."
Eragon shrugged. "Even if they would protect us, we can't find them, and it's impossible to ask the elf until she regains consciousness. We must flee, but in which direction—north, south, east, or west?"
Murtagh laced his fingers together and pressed his thumbs against his temples. "I think the only thing we can do is leave the Empire. The few safe places within it are far from here. They would be difficult to reach without being caught or followed... There's nothing for us to the north except the forest Du Weldenvarden—which we might be able to hide in, but I don't relish going back past Gil'ead. Only the Empire and the sea lie westward. To the south is Surda, where you might be able to find someone to direct you to the Varden. As for going east..." He shrugged. "To the east the Hadarac Desert stands between us and whatever lands exist in that direction. The Varden are somewhere across it, but without directions it might take us years to find them."
"It's too dangerous to go to Surda. We would have to traverse most of the Empire, avoiding every town and village. There are too many people between us and Surda to get there unnoticed."
Murtagh raised an eyebrow. "So you want to go across the desert?"
"I don't see any other options. Besides, that way we can leave the Empire before the Ra'zac get here. With their flying steeds, they'll probably arrive in Gil'ead in a couple of days, so we don't have much time."
"Even if we do reach the desert before they get here," said Murtagh, "they could still overtake us. It'll be hard to outdistance them at all."
"That's assuming they can follow our trail. To catch us, though, they'll have to leave the soldiers behind, which is to our advantage. If it comes to a fight, I think the four of us can defeat them... as long as we aren't ambushed the way Brom and I were."
"If we reach the other side of the Hadarac safely," said Murtagh slowly, "where will we go? Those lands are well outside of the Empire. There will be few cities, if any. And then there is the desert itself. What do you know of it?"
"Only that it's hot, dry, and full of sand," confessed Eragon.
"That about sums it up," replied Lorena. "It's filled with poisonous and inedible plants, venomous snakes, scorpions, and a blistering sun. You saw the great plain on our way to Gil'ead?"
"Yes," replied Eragon, "and once before."
"Then you are familiar with its immense range. It fills the heart of the Empire. Now imagine something two or three times its size, and you'll understand the Hadarac Desert. That is what you're proposing to cross."
Eragon retrieved his map of Alagaësia from the saddle bags, and unrolled the parchment on the ground. "No wonder the Empire ends at the desert. Everything on the other side is too far away for Galbatorix to control."
Murtagh swept his hand over the right side of the parchment. "All the land beyond the desert, which is blank on this map, was under one rule when the Riders lived. If the king were to raise up new Riders under his command, it would allow him to expand the Empire to an unprecedented size. But that wasn't the point I was trying to make. The Hadarac Desert is so huge and contains so many dangers, the chances are slim that we can cross it unscathed. It is a desperate path to take."
"We are desperate," said Eragon firmly. "If we rode through the belly of the desert, it would take well over a month, perhaps even two, to cross it. But if we angle south-east, toward the Beor Mountains, we could cut through much faster. Then we can either follow the Beor Mountains farther east into the wilderness or go west to Surda. If this map is accurate, the distance between here and the Beors is roughly equal to what we covered on our way to Gil'ead."
"But that took us nearly a month!"
Eragon shook his head impatiently. "Our ride to Gil'ead was slow on account of my injuries. If we press ourselves, it'll take only a fraction of that time to reach the Beor Mountains."
"Enough. You made your point," acknowledged Murtagh. "Before I consent, however, something must be solved. As I'm sure you noticed I bought supplies for us and the horses while I was in Gil'ead. But how can we get enough water? The roving tribes who live in the Hadarac usually disguise their wells and oases so no one can steal their water. And carrying enough for more than a day is impractical. Just think about how much Saphira drinks! She and the horses consume more water at one time than we do in a week. Unless you can make it rain whenever we need, I don't see how we can go the direction you propose."
"I have an idea," Eragon said. "Let me experiment, then I'll give you an answer." He then strode out of the camp with Saphira following closely.
Lorena turned to face Murtagh, "So what are you going to do when we reach the Varden?"
"I've already made it clear that I won't go to the Varden. When we are close, I'll take my leave." Murtagh paused as he started down at the dirt. "What will you do? I figured your plan is to go with Eragon, but you are welcome to come with me."
Lorena shuffled closer, "Is that a request?" she asked, a small smile lifting the corners of her lips. "And what shall we do if we travel together?"
"I don't know," Murtagh replied, leaning in, his leg brushing against hers, "We could climb through the Beor Mountains, amble through Du Weldenvarden, explore Surda, or do them all."
"That'll be enough for a lifetime," Lorena gazed into his grey eyes, her chest tight with excitement.
"We-"
"The desert is open to us," Eragon called out as he returned to the camp, Saphira close behind him.
Lorena focused on her breathing as Eragon explained how he could life water from under the ground to the surface, without expelling too much energy.
"I would be able to bring forth enough for all humans, horses, and dragon to drink."
"Good." replied Murtagh. He went to the saddle bags and removed the bedding. "We have a slight problem."
Eragon groaned. "What could it be now?"
"We don't have enough bedding."
"Let me see." Lorena stated as she looked at the blankets. "Here Eragon, you can have one blanket, use Saphira's body heat to make up for the lack of another. The elf needs two, we need to keep her as warm as possible. I spent much of my childhood with less than this, so I will be quite happy with just one. Murtagh you can take the last two." Lorena, finished handing out the blankets. She raised a hand, silencing Murtagh's protest. "You put your foot down about Gil'ead. I put my foot down about this."
Grudgingly Murtagh took his blankets, and the group all went to sleep.
