Chapter Three

The Trials

The Riders' Trials, as they were called, were a yearly event. On the first day of spring in every city, young adults of both sexes were free to gather at an appointed government building in their home town and ask for a chance to face the trials. These were a series of tests designed to demonstrate each candidate's qualities. But not many people ever went. The trials were hard, and the competition extremely tough. Only one or two candidates would actually be chosen – and it was more common for one to be chosen than two. Even passing the trials and being given that great opportunity to handle the dragon eggs didn't mean becoming a rider. Plenty of candidates would make it that far, only to be rejected by the dragon hatchlings inside those eggs. In the end, out of hundreds of hopefuls, only a handful would ever become riders. It meant that quite a few people never even bothered to apply in the first place. Most young people had already chosen a path in life by that stage, and it was those who hadn't done so that went to try their luck. They were the poverty-stricken, the orphans, the dreamers and, of course, the supremely ambitious. And in spite of all the odds against him, Galbatorix determined that he would join them. He knew that he was strong and fast, and intelligent as well. It had to be worth a try.

So when the day came, months later, he took his leave of his foster parents and made his way to the Palace. There was a gate around the back, and a group of about ten other young people had gathered there. He went to stand unobtrusively at the back of the group, and listened to them all chattering amongst themselves until the gate opened and someone appeared on the other side. It was a tall, stocky woman clad in green with a weird green-bladed sword strapped to her back. Her hair was brown and she wore it in a ponytail, and she had a rough, honest face with green eyes that matched her outfit rather nicely.

The group of candidates went quiet, and stood watching the green-clad woman with respectful expressions. She regarded them for a few moments, and then said; 'I assume you're all here for the trials?'

They nodded or murmured their assent.

'Good,' said the woman. 'Anyone who isn't here for the trials, go away. The rest of you, come with me.'

A few people who had gathered to watch wandered off, some pausing to wish good luck on friends or family members who were among the candidates. The candidates followed the green-clad woman through the gate, which closed behind them, and she led them through a short passage and into the open air of a large courtyard. A quick glance around at the courtyard revealed that it was a training-yard for guards and other fighters – the ground was packed soil with only a few sad clumps of grass on it, and there was a row of archery butts against one wall and a number of wooden dummies which were covered in sword-cuts. But there was something else in the yard which rendered all that very uninteresting indeed. The candidates stopped dead in the entrance, staring at it in wonder.

It was a dragon. The dragon was about three times the size of a horse, and sat in the middle of the yard with its short, powerful legs gathered beneath it as if in readiness to pounce. Its back was hunched, its tail curled around it and its head raised like a swan's with the neck in an elegant s-shape. Its wings were folded neatly on its back, spiked joints pointing forward, the delicate membranes crumpled between the vanes. The dragon's scales were bright green, its talons ivory white, and its eyes rich gold and disconcertingly intelligent. There was an air of great power and majesty around it as it moved its horn-crowned head forward a little to look at the candidates.

The green-clad woman went to stand by the dragon's shoulder, resting her hand on its scales. They looked utterly relaxed and comfortable in each others' presence.

'Don't be shy,' the woman said. 'If you're afraid of dragons, you won't make very good riders, now will you?'

The candidates obeyed, some of them letting out a few nervous chuckles. Galbatorix, keen to make a good impression straight away, came to the front and stood fearlessly right under the dragon's snout. The dragon glanced down at him, and he bowed respectfully to it.

'That's right,' said the woman, a note of approval in her voice. 'Now then. My name is Carina and this is my partner, Leaf. We'll be testing each of you to find out whether you have the potential to be riders. Now, I should warn you that these tests are not for the faint of heart. If you're not completely committed to this ambition of becoming a rider, then I suggest you leave right now.'

No-one, of course, left.

'Very well,' said Carina, who had probably been expecting that. 'To begin with, I'd like you to introduce yourselves. Give me your names, tell me where you come from and why you think you want to become a rider. And be honest.' She nodded at Galbatorix. 'You first. Start with your name.'

'Arren.' That was a lie, in his mind at least. But he didn't want to risk exposing his secret again, and if the riders knew him by any name it definitely wouldn't be Arren. It was far too common a name to be recognised. 'I'm from Teirm,' he went on. 'And I want to be a rider because I want to try and make things better for people.'

'And how do you propose to do that?' asked Carina, fixing him with a keen gaze.

Galbatorix shrugged. 'Influence in the right place can have a powerful effect. If you know how to use it.'

Carina nodded and turned to the boy next to him. 'And now you. What's your name?'

This went on until every candidate had introduced him or herself. Fortunately, although Galbatorix knew a few of them by sight, none of them were likely to know what he was. He had a very strong suspicion that if the rider found out about that he would be immediately disqualified.

Once the introductions were over with, Carina said; 'The first few trials are the easiest. We will be testing your aptitude with weapons and combat, so they will only test you physically. Now go to the crate by the wall over there and take a practise sword.'

The candidates obeyed. The practise swords were wooden, but still quite heavy, and Galbatorix guessed they had metal inside them to weigh them down. He hefted the one he'd taken, testing it. The weapon felt natural in his hand, and he took that as a good sign. They returned to stand in front of Carina, who said; 'I suggest you prepare to be hurt.'

The gate behind them swung open, and as the candidates turned around to see what was going on there was a harsh shout and a dozen armed men came charging into the yard. Without pausing, they attacked. Instinctively the candidates bunched together, raising the useless practise swords to defend themselves. But the attackers wouldn't allow them to do that. They charged straight into the group, driving them apart and then attacking them separately. Before he knew what was happening, Galbatorix found himself backed up against a wall, trying desperately to block a swordblade which was being swung hard and fast toward his face. Even as he started to fight back as best he could, he realised that the other man's blade was wooden.

But regardless of that, his assailant didn't hesitate. He gave Galbatorix no room or time to pull himself together, and launched a merciless assault on him, his wooden sword lashing back and forth, landing painful blows on him right and left. Galbatorix gritted his teeth and pushed forward with all his might, using the wall behind him for leverage. The man, who was a lot heavier than he was, took a few steps backward. Galbatorix took advantage of it straight away. Now he had room to use his own sword, and he did. Not knowing any of the proper techniques, he swung it wildly toward the man's head. The blow wasn't just blocked – the sword was knocked out of his hands altogether. Galbatorix dived for it, taking the man by surprise. Catching it by the hilt, he sprang upright again and resumed his attack as the man turned to face him. But he quickly found himself out-classed. The man was obviously a trained swordsman, and before Galbatorix had managed to do more than land a couple of glancing blows on him he found himself disarmed and then knocked over. The next thing he knew he was flat on his back, the tip of the wooden sword resting in the hollow at the base of his throat.

'Yield,' said the man.

Galbatorix glanced around quickly. All the other candidates had been disarmed and were being held at sword-point by now. Carina and Leaf were looking on in apparent amusement.

'Yield,' the man said again.

Galbatorix's eyes narrowed. He grabbed hold of the sword-blade and wrenched it sideways. The man, taken by surprise, lost hold of it. Galbatorix scrambled to his feet and went for him. Now that he was unarmed, the fight was equal. The man tried to retrieve the wooden sword, but Galbatorix stood between him and it and threw a punch at him. It connected, and the two of them began to fight hand-to-hand. Now the odds had changed. Galbatorix had never learnt even the basics of swordplay, but after so many fights in the street he had learnt a thing or two about fighting with his fists and it soon became plain that the man, however skilled he might be with a sword, had no training in that area. Now that he had the opportunity to use his innate speed and strength, Galbatorix easily avoided his opponent's kicks and punches. He aimed his own blows at the man's head, intending to distract him. It worked, and, grabbing hold of the man's arm, he kicked his legs out from beneath him and then pinned him down with a boot on his neck.

'Yield,' he said.

'Let him up,' said a voice from behind him. Galbatorix looked up and realised that all the other candidates were staring at him. Carina was there, and it was she who had spoken. Galbatorix removed his boot from the man's neck, and helped him up. The man stood, massaging his throat. 'Good job there, lad,' he said. 'Not sure what she'll think of it, mind.'

Galbatorix stood there nervously, not liking all the eyes turned toward him. 'Did I do something wrong?' he asked Carina.

Carina regarded him for a moment, then turned away to face the other candidates. 'I'm sorry to tell you,' she said, 'That this boy here is the only one to have passed the first trial. It was intended to test your fighting skills and how well you respond in a crisis. And – what was your name again? – Arren here displayed the skills a rider needs. Strength, agility, good reflexes and the ability to improvise at short notice. I have to say I've not seen such a candidate do as well as he did. Well done.'

Galbatorix smiled bashfully, and the other candidates either applauded or glared at him.

'However,' Carina went on, 'This isn't the end, and you shouldn't think you've been disqualified already. There are riders who aren't so skilled at fighting, and if any of you are chosen you'll receive training in these things. You men can leave now.' She nodded to the soldiers who had provided the simulated attack, who gathered up the practise swords from the ground and made an exit. 'Now then,' said Carina. 'We're ready for the next task. If anyone got hurt during the first one, come to me and I'll heal you.'

Two candidates came forward with sprains and minor cuts, and Carina healed them with a few muttered words. Galbatorix, standing near here, was thrilled to see that. He had heard that riders could use magic, and here was the proof. If he was chosen…

The next trial began. This one tested their endurance, as they had to carry and stack heavy logs and stones until they were too tired to carry on. Galbatorix was reasonably fit from the fetching and carrying he had to do as part of his old job, but he was light and slim and found this task quite taxing. But he kept on for as long as he could, gritting his teeth and ignoring the strain in his arms. By the time he decided he could take no more, over half the other candidates had given up. Deciding that he'd done enough, he walked somewhat unsteadily over to the wall and sat down with the others who'd retired. He was utterly exhausted, and was more than happy to watch the remaining candidates work on. When Carina eventually called a halt to the trial, only two of the strongest candidates were left.

'These two have passed with flying colours,' she said. 'As have all those who managed to continue until the halfway mark. But endurance, of course, is only a small part of what you will need to become one of us. We have tested you physically… now it is time to test your minds. Now… can all of you read and write?'

Most of the candidates nodded.

'If you can't,' said Carina, 'That's nothing to be ashamed of. All apprentice riders receive training in that area. Those of you who can read will read these scrolls and write answers to the questions on them. The rest will go inside where they will be separated and take the test aurally.'

Galbatorix took one of the scrolls which she passed out, along with a stick of charcoal. The group of illiterate candidates were shown a door leading to the Palace's interior and vanished through it, while their more educated peers settled down in the yard, charcoal sticks at the ready.

Galbatorix examined his own scroll. It had a long list of questions on it, and he set about answering them as best he could. The first one was What is your name? He hesitated over that one, and eventually wrote Arren Cardockson of Teirm.

After that the real questions began. And they weren't all what he had expected. Such as; If you could do anything at all, what would it be? For that one he answered; I would end prejudice and bring about equality and justice for all. Then there was; When you enter a room you've never been in before, what do you notice first, and even What is your favourite colour? He answered them all, taking his time to think each one over, even the one asking what his favourite colour was. There were questions to test logic, analytical skills, mathematics, political sense and even business management. Galbatorix had to delve deep into his mind to answer some of them, and he found himself enjoying the challenge.

When he'd finished he handed the scroll back to Carina who, once she'd gathered them all, packed them away into a box and handed them to a servant who'd come into the yard for just that purpose. He took them away, and once the candidates who'd gone inside returned it was time for the next trial.

'This trial,' said Carina, 'Is intended to test your kindness and compassion, which are both things vital to a rider. Even the most powerful rider must have a warm heart.' The door behind her opened, and a servant came through it, leading a group of small children. At Carina's command the candidates came forward and each took charge of a child while the servant departed. Galbatorix's child was a girl, and she went with him readily enough, all innocent and sweet.

'Now you must care for these children,' said Carina. 'And keep them safe.'

Leaf came forward from where he had been standing just behind her. He lowered his head and roared. Every candidate in the yard cringed. The children burst into tears. Galbatorix lifted his into his arms, hugging her protectively. 'It's all right, it's all right,' he told her, though he kept glancing warily at Leaf. The green dragon moved back, blinking serenely. Every candidate suddenly found him or herself having to contend with a frightened child, and not all of them were ready for the challenge. Galbatorix's child bawled at the top of her lungs, putting her arms around his neck and holding onto him. He did his best to comfort her, in spite of his inexperience with children, and she eventually calmed down. When she had, he took a few steps toward Leaf. 'How dare you do that?' he demanded. 'She's just a baby; you scared her out of her mind, you brute.'

Leaf bared his teeth and growled deep in his throat, but Galbatorix didn't back down. He held his ground and glared at the dragon. Several other candidates did the same.

'Good,' said Carina, suddenly leaping in and taking Galbatorix by surprise. 'The trial is over. You may let the children go.'

Galbatorix put his down obediently, but said; 'Shouldn't I hold onto her a bit longer? She's very nervous.'

'I'm fine, thankyou,' said the child.

Galbatorix started. He looked down at the child, and saw her grinning at him. Some of the other children laughed, and he heard his fellow candidates exclaiming in surprise.

He crouched to speak to his own child. 'You're not human, are you?' he said.

The child shook her head. 'No. You're clever, aren't you?'

Galbatorix smiled slightly. 'I'd like to think so.'

'Well done, Arren,' said Carina from somewhere above him. He looked up and saw her watching him. 'You're correct,' she said more loudly, so that the other candidates could hear. 'These are dwarfish children of about twelve years old. They kindly agreed to play at being much younger human children, and I assure you they're not afraid of Leaf. They were introduced to him yesterday so that they'd get used to him.'

The children came forward, abandoning the astonished candidates, and gathered around Leaf's forelegs, giggling and prodding at his scales with their tiny fingers. Now that Galbatorix had the chance to look at them properly, he realised their proportions were completely wrong for humans. Tricked again. He stood up and listened as Carina spoke on. She indicated him. 'You did well on this one, Arren. Most of you did quite well, but Arren here went a step further. He didn't just comfort his child; he also confronted what had scared her and showed he wasn't afraid of it. Courage in the name of helping another is an admirable thing. Again, well done. And well done to those who went to stand beside him. You all did very well. And now…' she paused. 'On to the final and hardest trial of all.'

The candidates exchanged nervous glances. They were all worn out and strained by what had happened in the trials so far, and if this last one was going to be even harder… Galbatorix, however, stood up a little straighter. He was feeling a lot more confident now. He'd gotten through every trial so far without making any serious blunders, and been singled out for praise twice. On the whole, things were going very well. And now it was nearly over. He was determined that this last task, whatever it was, wouldn't be the one to trip him up. Not now when he was so close.

Carina nodded. 'Be prepared,' she said. 'This last trial is very dangerous. In the past, candidates have been killed by it. Others have been seriously wounded. In taking on the final trial, you acknowledge the fact that you want to be a rider badly enough that you will risk your life for it. Anyone who refuses to attempt it will be automatically disqualified and told to go home. Now… knowing all this, are you still willing to try it?'

The candidates all nodded, though with some trepidation. Even Galbatorix couldn't help but feel apprehensive after this speech, but he was on the alert for another trick.

Carina nodded. 'Very well then.'

Leaf raised one big forepaw and thumped it on the ground, twice. Moments later, the large gate which the candidates had originally entered by opened. A gang of powerfully built men came through it, hauling a huge crate between them on a series of rollers. The crate was roughly square in shape, and had been draped in cloth. Deep, rumbling growls and snarls were coming from inside, and every now and then the entire thing would shake dangerously from side to side. The men moving it let it slide off the rollers and onto the dirt, which it did with a loud thud. A couple of them hurried around the back to carry away the rollers, and the rest removed the sacking from the crate.

Every one of the candidates took a step backward. Even Leaf and Carina looked wary. The crate was a large iron cage. And inside it was a dragon. It was nearly as large as Leaf, but its scales were a violent shade of red. The rest of it was just as violent. Unlike Leaf this dragon was not tranquil but enraged. It hurled itself against the bars of its cage, roaring, its teeth bared. On seeing the assembled candidates, it spat bright orange flames at them, causing them to leap out of the way.

'Now then!' Carina shouted over the racket, as the porters made a hasty exit and slammed the gates behind them. 'This dragon not bonded to a rider; she is wild. She was trapped in the Spine a few days ago, and brought here against her will. She is very angry and frightened, and she will kill in order to regain her freedom. And she is your final trial. You must approach her in turn, and try and calm her down. If you balk at this, if you run away, if you succumb to fear, you will fail the trial.'

The candidates let out cries of horror. 'No!' one cried. 'You must be out of your mind!' another one protested.

'I haven't finished yet,' said Carina, who no doubt had been expecting something like this. '"Out of your mind", indeed. As it happens, the mind is exactly what you will have to use here. Leaf…'

She fell silent, and Leaf took her place. He raised his head, fixing the candidates with his golden gaze. And then, quite suddenly, Galbatorix heard a voice in his head.

'Greetings,' it said. 'I know you can all hear me. As a dragon I am capable of using conventional speech, but to communicate through the mind is a far more subtle and refined thing and the vast majority of dragons prefer to use it. All sentient creatures have the ability to speak in this way, but few ever learn how. If you become riders, you will become accustomed to it. You and your partner will rarely speak to each other in any other way. Now I will teach you how to reach into another's mind, just as I am reaching into yours now. If you can master it, you will be able to reach into the wild dragon's mind and tell her that you are a friend.'

The voice, Leaf's voice, paused to let the candidates take all this in. Then it resumed.

'To reach into a mind is quite simple. And if you are not used to it, it helps to make eye-contact first. Then focus on the mind that is your target. Imagine yourself wrapping around it, absorbing it; drink in that mind's essence. And then concentrate as hard as you can. If you encounter resistance, don't fight it. Probe gently. To break into another's mind is a violation more heinous than rape, and must only be done under extreme circumstances. Now, once you have entered the wild dragon's mind, summon up feelings of calmness and stillness. Let her feel them. If you are successful, she will respond with calmness of her own and you will be out of danger. And now… go.'

The presence of the green dragon withdrew.

Carina signalled the one of the candidates. 'You first,' she said.

The candidate, a brown-haired girl, began to approach the cage and its savage occupant with slow, halting steps. The red dragon watched her approach through wide, maddened orange eyes. The candidate stopped when she was close to the cage, and made eye-contact with its occupant. Several seconds passed, and then the dragon hurled herself at the bars separating them. She thrust a paw between two of them, and lashed out at the candidate, catching her on the arm with a talon and knocking her down. The candidate screamed and scrambled out of reach, her arm dripping blood. Carina ran to help her, and once she was safe and had had the healing spell said over her the rider said; 'Next!'

The remaining candidates glanced at each other – was she really expecting them to try it after what had happened to the first one? Yes, she was. Eventually one of them plucked up courage and went forward. He, too, was attacked and had to retire. So was the third. And all the while the red dragon became more and more aggressive. Some of the candidates got her to calm down for a short while, but none got close enough to touch her and only one or two escaped uninjured. Galbatorix waited for his turn, his tension mounting unbearably. Still, he was not called upon. And, with the second-to-last candidate, disaster struck. When this one came forward, the red dragon belched flames at him before he'd gone more than a few paces. He screamed, and the other candidates had to avert their eyes in horror as the poor unfortunate was enveloped. Leaf himself leapt forward, throwing himself in the way and blocking the flames with his body while Carina ran to the collapsed teenager's side. She spoke the healing spell as fast as she could. It worked. But everyone there knew that if it had been delayed by even a minute or two then the boy would have died. He got up, trembling in fright, and was helped away by Carina while Leaf did his best to subdue the wild dragon, ignoring the scorched scales on his flank.

Carina led the shivering candidate back to his fellows, who gathered around, all concerned. She gave him a flask of wine to drink, saying; 'It's all right, here, drink this. The rest of you… this trial is over.'

'Wait,' said Galbatorix. Everyone turned to look at him, and he said; 'I haven't tried it yet.'

'I know,' said Carina. 'You won't be doing this trial. The dragon has obviously passed beyond the stage where telepathy can calm her. I'm not risking it.'

'Does that mean I'm disqualified?'

Carina hesitated. 'Yes. I'm sorry.'

'But that's not fair!'

'I'm sorry,' said Carina again. 'I know it's not your fault, but the rules are absolute.'

Galbatorix stared at her, thunderstruck. Just like that, his one chance was gone. It was forbidden to stand trial more than once. But rage and determination quickly followed astonishment. Before he knew what he was doing, he strode toward Leaf.

'Move,' he said, and to his surprise Leaf found himself doing just that. The green dragon stood aside, and Galbatorix went straight toward the growling red dragon.

'Stop, you idiot!' Carina shouted.

Galbatorix ignored her. He continued on, making eye-contact with the dragon as he did so, jet black to flame-orange. He concentrated on reaching into her mind, just as Leaf had described. He found himself strangely calm as he did so, as if he'd done this a million times before. It worked, and he began to probe gently at the dragon's consciousness. He encountered fierce resistance, but he absorbed the dragon's anger and sent back his own calmness and, after a few minutes of mental wrestling, she relaxed and let him in.

It was the most incredible thing he had ever felt in his life. Suddenly he found his mind expanding, spreading out to touch everything around him. And that included the mind of the dragon, which was a red, bunched mass of boiling emotions. He reached out to touch it. And that was when he found his own mental voice.

He said; 'Don't be afraid.'

The red dragon's reply was instantaneous. 'I fear nothing!' her voice roared.

He was wrenched back into the physical realm by pain, and found himself lying on his back in front of the cage, his tunic torn. There were two deep gashes on his chest, both bleeding profusely, and he realised dully that the dragon had attacked him.

'That's enough,' said Carina from behind him. 'Get back here, now.'

Galbatorix struggled to his feet, wincing at the pain. He reached out into the dragon's mind again, closing his ears to Carina's shouts. 'I can't hurt you,' he said. 'I want to help you.'

'Liar,' the dragon growled, rearing up as far as the cage would allow her. 'You're going to kill me.'

'No,' said Galbatorix. 'I want to help. I am a friend. My name is… Galbatorix. What's yours?'

'I am Illia,' said the dragon, calming down a little. 'You'll help me?'

'Yes. I'll help you, Illia.'

'Then set me free,' the dragon said. 'Let me out of this prison.'

Galbatorix hesitated. He had little doubt about the havoc which the dragon could create if she got out of the cage. But, touching her mind as he was, he could feel her fear and her longing to be free. And that suddenly woke a powerful anger in him. It was disgusting that anyone would dare to cage a wild and proud creature like this, and to use her as a tool. 'All right,' he told her recklessly. 'I'll let you out. If you promise not to attack us.'

The red dragon radiated contempt. 'Once you have let me out, I will leave you unharmed. But these others…'

'No,' said Galbatorix. 'Don't do that. Just fly away, Illia.'

The red dragon snarled out loud. 'Give me a reason, human.'

Galbatorix hesitated for a fraction of a second, and then said; 'Because there's a rider here. Riders have powerful magic. They trapped you in the first place, didn't they?'

'Yes. Cowards and scum.'

'If you don't fly away as soon as you can, the rider might kill you,' said Galbatorix.

'I'm not afraid of death.'

'Of course not. But it's beneath your dignity to kill these other humans. They're tiny and weak. They wouldn't stand a chance. It would be a waste of time. And if you attacked the rider she could kill you… and then you'd lose your freedom forever.'

Illia paused. He could sense her thinking it over. At last she said; 'Very well. If you will set me free, I will leave and not fight.'

'Thankyou,' said Galbatorix. He approached the cage.

'Stop!' Carina shouted from behind him. 'What are you doing? Stop it!'

Galbatorix glanced back at her. She was standing there by Leaf's side, evidently reluctant to come closer and forcibly drag him away from the cage lest they both be attacked. The other candidates were watching with shocked expressions. As for Leaf, he appeared much more relaxed. As if he knew what was happening and accepted it.

Galbatorix said nothing. He went to the cage and wrenched out the thick metal pins which held one wall in place. Carina, realising what he was doing, ran to stop him. But before she reached him he removed the last one, and moved out of the way as the cage wall thumped onto the ground. Carina dodged around the cage and grabbed him by the shoulder, shouting; 'You fool! What have you done?'

Too late. The cage had been opened, and Illia thrust her way out of it, her wings unfolding as soon as she was in the open. The candidates ran for it, taking shelter in the doorway which led into the Palace. But they went no further. They stayed where they were, watching. None of them wanted to miss what happened next.

Illia raised her head, stretching her neck and arching her spine. She flapped her wings once or twice, and then turned to face Galbatorix and Carina. The rider was still holding onto her charge, and she muttered; 'Don't make any sudden moves.'

Galbatorix pulled away from her, and she made a grab for his shoulder. Illia acted immediately. She darted forward and batted Carina out of the way, knocking her violently to the ground. Leaf roared and ran to help her, but the red dragon pinned Carina to the ground, threatening her with her talons even while she stood protectively over Galbatorix, who stayed by her other foreleg. She looked down at him. 'Shall I kill her, little friend?' she asked, projecting her thoughts to all those present.

'No,' said Galbatorix out loud. He went to Carina and tried to lift the dragon's claws off her. 'Let her go. You promised me, Illia.'

Illia looked irritable, but she removed her paw and let Carina go. 'Since you insisted,' she said. 'Thankyou.'

'Goodbye,' said Galbatorix.

Illia nodded and spread her wings. Then she flew away, taking to the air with a powerful thrust of her legs on the ground and her wings at the air. Leaf made no attempt to go after her. He went straight to his rider's side, and Illia flew up away from the Palace and the city and was gone in moments. Galbatorix went to Carina. 'Are you all right?' he asked her.

Carina sat up, wincing slightly. 'I'm fine,' she said, fending off Leaf's snout. 'Let me up, Leaf.' She stood up and dusted herself down. 'No harm done.'

Then she turned to Galbatorix. He looked back at her. He was not afraid any more, not even when the other candidates gathered around, all talking at once. He didn't care if he'd just failed the trial. There was a wonderful sense of power and certainty in him that hadn't been there before, and he knew in his soul that he had done the right thing.

Carina, looking around at the other candidates, appeared to reach a decision. 'The trials are over,' she announced. 'You are all free to go. Those of you who are selected will receive a message by this time next week. You have all done well, and even if you are not chosen you should still take pride in what you have accomplished. Now go. You will each receive a small gift on the way out.'

The candidates shuffled out. Galbatorix tried to go with them, but Carina said; 'Not you, Arren. You stay behind. I want a word with you.'

Galbatorix returned to her side and watched the other candidates leave, aware of their sympathetic glances toward him.

'Now,' said Carina once they had all gone. 'You have five minutes to explain exactly what you just did.'