A growl echoed through the marble room. Lorena sat up with a start. She looked over to Saphira, she was still asleep but her upper lip trembled as she growled again. Lorena couldn't help but smile at the humorous sight. "Morning," Murtagh murmured.
Lorena turned and looked down, Murtagh lay on his back, their arms still around each other. "Morning," she replied before resting her head on his chest and cuddling in. She listened to the rise and fall of his breathing. "I love this."
"Mm?"
"Having a proper sleep. Not having to get up and run knowing that there's a horde of Kull chasing us, going to kill us." She smiled again, "It's wonderful."
They lay in silence, Murtagh playing with the ends of her long auburn hair. "You were still going to go to Surda with me, even after finding out who I am." Murtagh's voice was filled with emotion.
Lorena propped herself up and looked Murtagh in the eye. "I already knew who you are. You're heritage doesn't change that... you're not your father."
Murtagh smiled, the warmth and affection melting Lorena's heart. He cupped her face and they leaned closer to one another. She closed her eyes as he reached up to her, their lips almost brushed against each other when Saphira growled again. Lorena jumped, and flushed when she remembered they weren't alone.
Lorena spotted movement and looked up to see Eragon emerge from under Saphira's wing. "Morning," called Murtagh, as he let his hand slip from her face.
"How long have you been awake?" asked Eragon in a hushed voice.
"Awhile. I'm surprised Saphira didn't wake you sooner." Murtagh sat up, and they moved so their backs were against the wall.
"I was tired enough to sleep through a thunderstorm," said Eragon wryly. He came and sat next to Lorena and rested his head against the wall. "Do you know what time it is?"
"No. It's impossible to tell in here."
"Has anyone come to see us?"
"Not yet."
They sat together without moving or speaking. Lorena felt an odd emotion come over her, she felt strong with them here. Her bond with Murtagh, Eragon, and Saphira had grown through their travels and shared hardship, and she couldn't help but feel like an odd little family.
She reached out, with one hand she entwined her fingers with Murtagh and grasped Eragon's hand with the other. Both men looked at her, but she just smiled to herself. Leaning back, she rested her head against the wall behind her, sighing contently.
Saphira lifted her head and blinked to clear her eyes. She sniffed the air, then yawned expansively, her rough tongue curling at the tip. She stared at the three of them before she positioned herself by the door. Silence settled over them again.
Voices sounded outside the room. The door opened, and a dozen warriors marched inside. The first man gulped when he saw Saphira. They were followed by Orik and the bald man, who declared, "You have been summoned to Ajihad, leader of the Varden. If you must eat, do so while we march." Eragon, Murtagh and Lorena stood together, watching him warily.
"Where are our horses? And can I have my sword and bow back?" asked Eragon.
The bald man looked at him with disdain. "Your weapons will be returned to you when Ajihad sees fit, not before. As for your horses, they await you in the tunnel. Now come!"
As they turned to leave, Eragon asked quickly, "How is Arya?"
The bald man hesitated. "I do not know. The healers are still with her." He exited the room, accompanied by Orik.
"You go first." Lorena and Murtagh followed Eragon out into the hall, and were followed by Saphira. They returned through the corridor they had traversed the night before, passing a statue of quilled animals. When they reached the huge tunnel through which they had first entered the mountain the bald man was waiting with Orik, who held their horses reins.
"You will ride single file down the centre of the tunnel," instructed the bald man. "If you attempt to go anywhere else, you will be stopped." When Eragon started to climb onto Saphira the bald man shouted, "No! Ride your horse until I tell you otherwise."
Eragon shrugged and took Snowfire's reins. He swung into the saddle and guided Snowfire in front of Saphira. Lorena mounted Cadoc behind Saphira and Murtagh mounted Tornac behind her. The bald man examined their small line, then gestured at the warriors, who divided in half to surround them, giving Saphira as wide a berth as possible. Orik and the bald man went to the head of the procession.
After looking them over once more, the bald man clapped twice and started walking forward. The entire group headed toward the heart of the mountain. Echoes filled the tunnel as the horses' hooves struck the hard floor, the sounds amplified in the deserted passageway. Doors and gates occasionally disturbed the smooth walls, but they were always closed.
For nearly an hour the bald man led them through the tunnel, never straying nor turning. At last a soft white glow became visible ahead of them. The glow increased in strength as they neared it. They eventually reached two colossal black doors, surrounded by thick marble pillars encased with rubies and amethysts. There hung scored of lanterns suffusing the air with liquid brilliance.
The bald man stopped and raised a hand. He turned to Eragon. "You will ride upon your dragon now. Do not attempt to fly away. There will be people watching, so remember who and what you are."
Eragon dismounted Snowfire, and then clambered onto Saphira's back. "I'm ready," Eragon said, squaring his shoulders.
"Good," said the bald man. He and Orik retreated to either side of Saphira, staying far enough back so she was clearly in the lead. "Now walk to the doors, and once they open, follow the path. Go slowly."
Saphira approached the doors at a measured pace. Her scales sparkled in the light, sending glints of colour dancing over the pillars.
Without warning, the doors swung outward on hidden joints. As the rift widened between them, rays of sunlight streamed into the tunnel, falling on them. Temporarily blinded, they blinked and squinted.
They were inside a massive volcanic crater. It's walls narrowed to a small ragged opening so high above that the distance could not be judged. There was a wide cobble stone path extending from the door's threshold. The path ran straight to the centre of the crater, where it ended at the base of a snowy-white mountain that glittered like an uncut gem with thousands of coloured lights.
A dense sea of people clustered around the tunnel's entrance. They lined the cobblestone pathway—dwarves and humans packed together like trees in a thicket. There were hundreds... thousands of them. Every eye, every face was focused on Eragon. And every one of them silent.
Eragon pushed his hand into the air, jerking it in a nervous little wave. When nothing happened he lowered his arm, and ducked his head. A single cheer broke the silence. Someone clapped loudly. For a brief second the crowd hesitated, then a wild roar swept through it, and a wave of sound crashed over them.
Saphira arched her neck and stepped forward. As they passed the first row of people, she glanced to each side and exhaled a puff of smoke. The crowd quieted and shrank back, then resumed cheering, their enthusiasm only intensified.
Lorena couldn't help but laugh. Despite their predicament the atmosphere was amazing. She turned back to smile at Murtagh but he was stiff, his face pale.
They neared the white marble mountain and entered through a massive timber gate. Inside the mountain was filled with even more people, who cheered when Saphira entered. Eragon raised his hand, eliciting another roar from the throng, though many of the dwarves did not join the welcoming shout.
They entered a circular room, perhaps a thousand feet across, that reached up to the mountains peak a mile overheard, narrowing as it rose. The floor was made of polished carnelian, upon which was etched a hammer girdled by twelve silver pentacles, like on Orik's helm.
The room was nexus for four hallways—including the one they just exited—that divided the mountain into quarters. The ceiling was capped by a dawn-red star sapphire of monstrous size. The jewel was twenty yards across and nearly as thick. It's face had been carved to resemble a rose in full bloom, and so skilled was the craftsmanship, the flower almost seemed to be real. A wide belt of lanterns wrapped around the edge of the sapphire, which cast striated bands of blushing light over everything below. The flashing rays of the star within the gem made it appear as if a giant eye gazed down at them.
The bald man walked in front of Saphira and said, "You must go on foot from here." There was scattered booing from the crowd as he spoke. A dwarf took Tornac, Cadoc, and Snowfire away. Eragon dismounted Saphira. Lorena stood beside Murtagh as the bald man led them across the floor to the right-hand hallway.
They followed it for several hundred feet, then entered a smaller corridor. Their guards remained despite the cramped space. After four sharp turns, they came to a massive cedar door, stained black with age. The bald man pulled it open and conducted everyone but the guards inside.
