They stood their speechless. Disbelief blossomed through Lorena. The hurt was evident in Murtagh's eyes, and Lorena forgot what was so terrible and instead reached out for him, wanting to comfort him.
The sound of crashing trees stole their attention, Saphira burst through the vegetation to stand at Eragon's side, fangs bared, tail raised threateningly.
"You are his heir?" asked Eragon, surreptitiously reaching for Zar'roc.
"I didn't choose this!" cried Murtagh, anguish twisting his face. He ripped at his clothes with a desperate air, tearing off his tunic and shirt to bare his torso. "Look!" he pleaded, and turned his back.
Lorenas' breath hitched. There, against Murtagh's tanned and muscled skin, was a knotted white scar that stretched from his right shoulder to his left hip—a testament of some terrible agony.
"See that?" demanded Murtagh bitterly. He talked quickly now, as if relieved to have his secret finally revealed. "I was only three when I got it. During one of his many drunken rages, Morzan threw his sword at me as I ran by. My back was laid open by the very sword you now carry—the only thing I expected to receive as inheritance, until Brom stole it from my father's corpse. I was lucky, I suppose—there was a healer nearby who kept me from dying. You must understand, I don't love the Empire or the king. I have no allegiance to them, nor do I mean you harm!" His pleas were almost frantic.
Eragon uneasily removed his hand from Zar'roc's pommel. "Then your father," he said in a faltering voice, "was killed by..."
"Yes, Brom," said Murtagh. He pulled his tunic back on with a detached air.
A horn rang out behind them, prompting Eragon to cry, "Come, run with me." Murtagh looked to Lorena.
"Let's go." She whispered. They pulled on the horses' reins and forced them into a tired trot, eyes fixed straight ahead, while Arya bounced limply in Snowfire's saddle. Saphira stayed by Eragon's side, easily keeping pace with her long legs.
"You're tale is hard to believe. How do I know you aren't lying?"
"Why would I lie?"
"You could be—"
Murtagh interrupted him quickly. "I can't prove anything to you now. Keep your doubts until we reach the Varden. They'll recognize me quickly enough."
"I must know," pressed Eragon. "Do you serve the Empire?"
"No. And if I did, what would I accomplish by travelling with you? If I were trying to capture or kill you, I would have left you in prison." Murtagh stumbled as he jumped over a fallen log.
"You could be leading the Urgals to the Varden."
"Then," said Murtagh shortly, "why am I still with you? I know where the Varden are now. What reason could I have for delivering myself to them? If I were going to attack them, I'd turn around and join the Urgals."
"Maybe you're an assassin," stated Eragon flatly.
"Maybe. You can't really know, can you?"
"This is ridiculous!" cried Lorena. "What motivation would Murtagh have for revealing his heritage, if he were to betray you? None I say." She tugged harder on the horses reins. "Just keep a look out for any valley Murtagh and I can leave through."
They could hear a waterfall growing louder. The horn sounded behind them again. Lorena glanced over her shoulder, expecting Urgals to rush out of the darkness. The waterfall throbbed dully ahead of them, drowning out the sounds of night.
The forest ended, and Murtagh and Lorena pulled the horses to a stop. They were on a pebble beach directly to the left of the mouth of the Beartooth River. The deep lake Kóstha-mérna filled the valley, blocking their way. The water gleamed with flickering starlight. The mountain walls restricted passage around Kóstha-mérna to a thin strip of shore on either side of the lake, both no more than a few steps wide. At the lake's far end, a broad sheet of water tumbled down a black cliff into boiling mounds of froth.
"Do we go to the falls?" asked Murtagh tightly.
"Yes." Eragon took the lead and picked his way along the lake's left side. The pebbles underfoot were damp and slime covered. There was barely enough room for Saphira between the sheer valley wall and the lake; she had to walk with two feet in the water.
They were halfway to the waterfall when Murtagh warned, "Urgals!"
They spun around, by the shore of Kóstha-mérna, where they had been only minutes before hulking figures streamed out of the forest. The Urgals massed before the lake. One of them gestured at Saphira; guttural words drifted over the water. Immediately the horde split and started around both sides of the lake, leaving Eragon, Murtagh and Lorena without an escape route. The narrow shore forced the bulky Kull to march single file.
"Run!" barked Murtagh, drawing his sword and slapping the horses on their flanks. Saphira took off without warning and wheeled back toward the Urgals.
"No!" cried Eragon. Eragon and Lorena drew their swords and the three of them ran. Saphira dived at the Urgals, bellowing fiercely. They tried to scatter but were trapped against the mountainside. She caught a Kull between her talons and carried the screaming creature aloft, tearing at him with her fangs. The silent body crashed into the lake a moment later, an arm and a leg missing.
The Kull continued around Kóstha-mérna undeterred. With smoke streaming from her nostrils, Saphira dived at them again. She twisted and rolled as a cloud of black arrows shot toward her. Most of the darts glanced off her scaled sides, leaving no more than bruises, but she roared as the rest pierced her wings.
The three humans ran along the pebble beach, spurred to go faster by Saphira's loud roars, but close to falling on the slippery rocks.
Then, with a loud splash, Saphira plunged into Kóstha-mérna. She submerged completely, sending ripples across the lake. The Urgals nervously eyes the dark water lapping their feet. One growled something indecipherable and jabbed his spear at the lake.
The water exploded as Saphira's head shot out of the depths. Her jaws closed on the spear, breaking it like a twig as she tore it out of the Kull's hands with a vicious twist. Before she could seize the Urgal himself, his companions thrust at her with their spears, bloodying her nose.
Saphira jerked back and hissed angrily, beating the water with her tail. Keeping his spear pointed at her, the lead Kull tried to edge past, but halted when she snapped at his legs. The string of Urgals was forced to stop as she held him at bay. Meanwhile, the Kull on the other side of the lake still hurried toward the falls.
As they ran a rock gave under Eragon's boot and he pitched forward. Murtagh's strong arm kept him on his feet, and clasping each other's forearms, the three urged the horses forward with shouts.
They were almost at the waterfall. The noise was overwhelming, like an avalanche. A white wall of water gushed down the cliff, pounding the rocks below with a fury that sent mist spraying through the air to run down their faces. Four yards from the thunderous curtain, the beach widened, giving them room to maneuver.
Saphira roared as an Urgal spear grazed her haunch, then retreated underwater. With her withdrawal the Kull rushed forward with long strides. They were only a few hundred feet away. "What do we do now?" Murtagh demanded coldly.
"I don't know. Let me think!" cried Eragon. He scanned the ground, then grabbed an apple sized rock, then pounded on the cliff next to the falls, shouting, "Aí varden abr du Shur'tugalar gata vanta!"
Nothing happened.
He tried again, shouting louder than before, but again nothing happened. He turned to the others in despair. "We're trap—" His words were cut off as Saphira leapt out of the lake, dousing them with icy water. She landed on the beach and crouched ready to fight.
The horses backpedalled wildly, trying to bolt. Behind them the lead Urgal ran at them with a heavy spear raised. Up close a Kull was as tall as a small giant, with legs and arms as thick as tree trunks.
Murtagh drew back his arm and threw his sword with incredible speed. The long weapon revolved once, then struck the Kull point first in the chest with a dull crunch. The huge Urgal toppled to the ground with a strangled gurgle. Before another Kull could attack, Lorena rushed forward and yanked the sword out of the body. She handed it back to Murtagh shouting, "Never throw your weapon away!"
Eragon raised his palm, shouting, "Jierda theirra kalfis!" Sharp cracks resounded off the cliff. Twenty of the charging Urgals fell into Kóstha-mérna, howling and clutching their legs where shards of bone protruded. Without breaking stride, the rest of the Urgals advanced over their fallen companions.
A flight of arrows, impossible to see in the darkness, brushed past them and clattered against the cliff. The humans ducked, covering their heads. With a small growl, Saphira jumped over them so that her armoured sides shielded them and the horses. A chorus of clinks sounded as a second volley of arrows bounced off her scales.
"What now?" shouted Murtagh. There was still no opening in the cliff. "We can't stay here!"
They heard Saphira snarl as an arrow caught the edge of her wing, tearing the thin membrane. "I don't know! This is where we're supposed to be!"
"Why don't you ask the elf to make sure?" demanded Murtagh. He dropped his sword and snatched his bow from Tornac's saddlebags, and with a swift motion loosed an arrow from between the spikes on Saphira's back. A moment later an Urgal toppled into the water.
"Now? She's barely alive! How's she going to find the energy to say anything?"
"I don't know," shouted Murtagh, "but you'd better think of something because we can't stave off an entire army!"
Eragon slammed Zar'roc back into its sheath and exclaimed, "The Varden are on the other side of the lake. We have to go through the waterfall!" Lorena looked and saw that the Urgals across Kóstha-mérna were almost to the falls.
Murtagh's eyes shot toward the violent deluge blocking their way. "We'll never get the horses through there, even if we can hold our own footing."
"I'll convince them to follow us," snapped Eragon. "And Saphira can carry Arya." The Urgals' cries and bellows made Snowfire snort angrily. The elf lolled on his back, oblivious to the danger.
Murtagh shrugged. "It's better than being hacked to death." Lorena swiftly cut Arya loose from Snowfire's saddle, and Eragon caught the elf, as Murtagh let off arrows.
"Now!" cried Eragon. He and Lorena heaved Arya onto Saphira, then secured her legs in the saddle straps. The second they were finished, Saphira swept up her wings and soared over the lake. The Urgals behind her howled as they saw her escaping. Arrows clattered off her belly. The Kull on the other shore redoubled their pace so as to attain the waterfall before she landed.
Eragon spoke mentally to the horses, causing them to dash into the thundering waterfall, whinnying as it struck their backs. They floundered, struggling to stay above water. Lorena and Murtagh sheathed their swords, and jumped after them.
The bite of the cold water was something Lorena was use to from childhood, but the tremendous weight of the waterfall slamming onto their shoulders pushed her below the surface. Lorena struggled to get her head above the water, before kicking her strong legs and stabilising herself. She reached out and grabbed Murtagh, and together they cut their way through the water.
She pushed Murtagh onto land and climbed up onto the slippery pebble beach beside him. Lorena looked up in time to see a dwarf jump past them into the water, behind her Eragon was nowhere to be seen.
Ahead of them twelve-feet-thick stone doors had opened in the cliff, revealing a broad tunnel nearly thirty feet tall that burrowed its way into the mysterious depths of the mountain. A line of flameless lamps filled the passageway with a pale sapphire light that spilled out onto the lake.
Suddenly she felt Murtaghs strong grip pull her to her feet and they ran to the people emerging from the doors. To their right the Urgals were being assaulted by hidden archers. A bald head man lead the mixture of men and dwarfs. "Who are you?"
"Our friend," Murtagh pointed back to the waterfall, "He's a Rider."
With a movement faster than would have been anticipated by the look of the man, he grabbed Murtagh and from his sleeve produced a dagger. He held the dagger to Murtagh's throat. Before she could react, one of the soldiers grabbed her, and held his own blade to her throat.
They watched as Eragon was pulled from the lake by the dwarf. He stood dazed, then he spotted them. A flash of anger crossed his face and he appeared to prepare himself for magic. The bald, purple robed man said in a sharp dangerous voice, "Stop! If you use magic, I'll kill your lovely friend here, who was so kind as to mention you're a Rider. Don't think I won't know if you're drawing upon it. You can't hide anything from me." Eragon tried to speak, but the man snarled and pressed the dagger harder against Murtagh's throat. "None of that! If you say or do anything I don't tell you to, he will die. Now, everyone inside." He, and his men backed into the tunnel, pulling Lorena and Murtagh with them.
Lorena kept pace with her captor, trying to keep her eyes on Murtagh. She heard Eragon and Saphira enter behind them, then she heard the doors quietly swing shut. They were trapped inside. But were they any safer?
