Chapter Four

It's most certainly valuable. Eragon cringed at the words, a feeling of protectiveness toward the stone coming over him again. He remembered the tingling warmth that spread up his arm when he first touched the stone. He absent mildly stroke it, tracing his finger tips over its smooth surface. Eragon recalled the circumstances under which the stone had been found. What had caused the nest of burnt foliage surrounding the stone? The three had confirmed a simple forest fire had not been the cause. The only place harmed had been that specific spot. No tree's had been damaged. As to the stone itself, it couldn't have been natural. Someone had to have shaped it; its smooth, flawless, glass-like surface couldn't be natural results. There was certainly an unknown factor here.

Despite what it would mean in matter of coin for the family, Eragon clung to the hope that Garrow would find no buyer. He was baffled as to why he felt like this. What am I thinking? What would I do with an unusually large gemstone? If we can't sell it, what good will it be around the house? Eragon's logical side wanted Garrow to succeed in selling the gem. But a tiny part, a protective part of him, wanted to clutch the stone to his chest. Eragon shook his head to clear it of muddled thoughts. As he set the stone onto his bed, he gasped. Suddenly overwhelming him was a feeling of disappointment at the action. Eragon couldn't say how, but he instinctively knew the feeling wasn't his own, yet he felt it. He was tempted to cradle the stone; he felt a powerful nudge from someone to do so. Casting the push aside, Eragon set the stone under his pillow in one, firm movement, all the while wondering at the misplaced emotions and nudges.

"Eragon?" the voice of an uneasy Garrow drifted to the boy's ear. As Eragon emerged from his bedroom, Garrow told him, "There are some people here looking for a blue stone." Garrow sounded a bit desperate, and Eragon realized the stone he'd come upon must have been "blue". This immediately alerted Eragon's protective side, and he yearned for the possibility that Garrow hadn't informed the strangers that the item they sought was in his possession.

"Have you sssseen our sssstone?" a new voice hissed, that of one of the strangers. Eragon knew Garrow would be silently pleading with his nephew to give up the stone without a struggle. But at the stranger's first words, Eragon knew he would never trust them with the stone. I'm sorry, Father.

"I'm sorry to say that I haven't beheld anything of the sort," Eragon said, as dignified as possible. He felt Garrow jerk in surprise at his words, but he remained silent. Though, mused Eragon bitterly, His demeanor will give me away even if he says nothing throughout the rest of this entire ordeal. Changing tact so as to hopefully avoid suspicion on the subject, at least momentarily, Eragon asked, "How many of you are here?"

There was a slight confused pause from the strangers. "Can't count, boy?" one stranger asked.

Roran, who hadn't said anything as of yet, replied sarcastically,"How can he count what he can't see?"

"Blind," Eragon smirked, waving a hand in front of his eyes with no results, as if in confirmation, though inwardly he was nervous, mind still on the stone, and he could tell the strangers' minds were too.

Seeming to loose interest by his,(or her, Eragon wasn't sure with their harsh, hissing voices), tone, a stranger replied, "Two."

"Where was your stone last known to be?" Eragon asked, as casually as he was able.

"It is of no consequence," a stranger hissed, "we know it's here." His tone had grown suspicious by the end. Eragon wasn't aware if the stranger was referring to Carvahall or the Spine and surrounding area, or in the house.

"Aye, it is most unfortunate such a thing is lost. We will be sure to alert you if we are to find what you are looking for," Eragon said smoothly, but he was panicking. He needed this conversation to end soon, lest Garrow or Roran let the cat out of the bag. Eragon was surprised they hadn't yet, they couldn't sense his urge to protect the stone, yet he was grateful nonetheless.

"Well, if that's all you'll be needing…" Garrow trailed off nervously. Eragon heard the strangers grumbling before stocking unceremoniously out of the house, after which Eragon sighed in relief. After several minutes, when they were sure the strangers were out of earshot, Roran questioned, "Why didn't you tell them? They looked dangerous."

"I don't believe they were human," Garrow stated gruffly, to which Eragon stiffened in alarm.

"What are you talking about?" Eragon asked.

It was Roran who answered. "They wore cloaks, and we couldn't actually see their faces. But they have strangely shaped bodies. Bumps where a human wouldn't have them, humpbacks too."

Eragon shrugged helplessly. "I can't let them have it."

"Why not?" Garrow and Roran asked simultaneously.

Eragon didn't have an answer. "I… can't." He hoped the others would see his attachment to the stone as something he wanted to sell, and nothing more.

The others were not satisfied with this answer, but he left it at that.

Garrow sighed. "I have a feeling we're going to regret that."