I Who Should Not Be
You guessed it, I still own nothing. And, hey, could somebody please review? I don't know if you all hate this story or like it… If you don't like how I did something or have suggestions, please tell me. I may use something, and then you will get credit for it!
Chapter 31
The room Onika was in was black. Galbatorix had happened upon her trying to defend herself from her brother's sudden fury. He said a single word and her brother dropped like a stone to the floor, his eyes still burning with rage. The king held down his hand and lifted the female Wolfborn to her feet and examined her face.
Then he ordered her to come with him, and, not sure if there was anything she could do otherwise, she obeyed. Her nose was useless for the first time in her life, giving her no information. It was almost like she had the weak nose of a Tame person, like her sense of smell had been stolen from her…it left her feeling vulnerable.
Now she was in here. There were no windows, and the door was made of heavy metal. When she tried to look out through the small opening, she saw that she could see nothing. Truly nothing. As if the brightly lit hallway that she remembered going down simply no longer existed.
With a sigh, she sat back in the corner and groaned. Her eyes traveled again about the room. There was the small pile of straw, there was a bucket of water, and over there was the other bucket. She considered counting how many more black stones there were than grey, but quickly decided against it. She had done that three times already, and each time the answer was the same. There were 124 more black stones.
She crossed the room on her knees and leaned over the bucket of water. She had no idea how Eragon and Murtagh used mirrors and water to talk to each other when they were apart, but she could try to mix the magic of the dragon rider with the blood magic of the Wolfborn.
Lifting her hand to her mouth, she took a deep breath. She would have to add to the design that wound its way around her body if she ever got the chance. Murtagh had found her on more than one occasion adding to it, and always the same look on his face. The faint disapproval mixed with curiosity and worry. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she got back to the task at hand.
Her teeth tore into the heel of her left hand, and she drew in a great mouthful of blood. When she could get no more in her mouth, she lowered her hand to the floor and stared into the water. She was amused by her face, with her cheeks bulging out like the little tree-rats that had always made her laugh. She wished she had thought to wash her face, but she ignored the thought almost as soon as it crept into her mind.
She spit the blood out of her mouth with enough force to make it into a dark red mist that skittered around the surface for a second before sinking below the surface of the water. She tried to think of the words that would activate the spell, as Murtagh and Eragon said when they did it. But the words slipped out of her mind, twisting away every time she thought she had them.
Finally, she growled and barked a few words that she thought went with speaking.
:Hunt Song.:
Nothing.
:Running Song.:
Again, bloody water remained still. Onika was losing her patience, and she had a feeling that she was also running out of time.
:Far-speaking! Water-speaking! Pack Song! Pack-mind!:
She had shut her eyes as she rambled through the words, fear growing with every breath.
:Just let me see them… Please. Help me.:
When she opened her eyes, she saw three sleeping faces. Or rather, parts of the faces.
:Pack!:
Her sharp yip startled all three faces into wakefulness. She had to laugh when she saw that all three were trying to catch their bearings. She noticed that all of them were windswept, more than likely riding on the dragons.
It was Murtagh that spoke first.
"Where are you? We tried to look for you with magic, but all we saw was grey fog. Are you safe?"
"I don't know. I look out of the room, and there is nothing there. Just…nothing. Like this room doesn't even really exist. The Mad King brought me here, after Cain struck me."
Onika felt Murtagh's anger before she even saw the outrage on the portion of his face that was visable to her. She gasped from the sudden rush of anger that tinted her vision red even as she struggled to force it down, knowing that it was not her own emotion.
:Leader Male be calm!:
She felt the anger cool slightly and become tinged with sudden surprise.
"So she can feel what you are feeling… Would that extend to physical sensations as well, Onika?"
Onika shrugged, torn between being irritated at her question and amused. Before she could say anything, Murtagh spoke again in a sharp voice.
"Who cares about that now? Onika, I need you to tell me what you can about where you are. Galbatorix's keep is massive, we could be searching for days and still wouldn't find you. What did you smell on your way there? What did you see?"
Onika closed her eyes and thought. As she remembered things, she named them off to her comrades: a room full of bloody altars, behind a tapestry of a great army of armored warriors riding dragons, finally reaching a strange door that was covered with glowing runes.
"But… something is wrong with me. I can't smell anything! I didn't notice when… when I woke up, but I have noticed it now. It feels like being blind."
"Don't worry, Onika. We'll be there soon. I'm coming for you. We'll get you out of there, I promise."
Onika jumped when she heard scraping from her door. Without thinking, she lept to her feet and kicked the bucket hard enough to send it spinning into the wall and break apart. She spun to glare at the newcomer, and a harsh growl escaped her throat when she saw the face she once loved more dearly than she loved her own life.
"No pretty words for me anymore then, I suppose."
She didn't speak. She wondered if she could use her power as a Guide now. Her twin smiled, a dark twist of the lips, and took another step closer. He reached out one hand toward her and waited for her to take it. When she didn't, his eyes darkened and he shook his head.
"Do you think I liked hurting you? You don't understand, Onika, that I'm helping you. If I had not done what I had, he would have probably killed you!"
Onika felt her heart soften a little at the desperation in his voice. She crept closer and carefully leaned her shoulder against him. When she felt him go still, she tipped her head up and licked his chin in a show of submission. She saw a flicker of surprise in Cain's eyes at the gesture, and almost laughed. She had always been the more dominant of the pair, Cain always followed her lead, no matter where it lead.
"I always loved you Cain. More than the moon. More than the stars."
As Onika watched, she saw a brief glimpse of the brother that she had known in the past. He smiled in a lopsided fashion and tipped his head down and looked up at her through his hair, then snorted and stood at his full height again. When she saw the cold gleam in his eyes, she knew he was gone again.
She had to get him back. She wanted her Same back.
Cain told her that she had one hour before Galbatorix was going to speak to her before sweeping back out of the room.
Onika sat again on the floor of her cell, but this time she had an idea. If she could just find a spirit that would be willing to help her…
Her thoughts drifted all the way to the fires of the forges before she managed to make contact with anything. At first it was a tiny ember, then it grew a little, fanned by the call on one that, it seemed to the spirit, was one if it's own kind. When it asked if she had anything for it to rest on when it visited her, she answered that she did, but it would have to be careful in the small room.
The Wolfborn shoved a pile of straw into the middle of the room and sat against the farthest wall, in a puddle left from her smashed water bucket. She first saw a curl of smoke come off the straw as it curled and blackened, then flickered into a flame.
The thing that sat in the straw was pathetic, a thin and ragged creature shaped roughly like a dog wreathed in low flames. It turned it's red eyes on her and opened it's mouth, a wave of heat rolling toward her.
What is it, Guide? What need can I fulfill?
Onika felt guilty asking anything of this spirit, as weak and sick looking as it was. It's voice was exhausted, nothing like the wild roar it should have been. She answered it in her mind, praying that it would be able to hear her.
I need you to help somebody find me. Can you?
The spirit looked at her for a long moment, then sighed. It sat back on it's skinny haunches and scratched at an ear, continuing to look her over.
I believe I could. I can try anyway. It does my heart good to hear a request put forth politely, rather than an order shouted and threats made.
Really? You could help me?
I said I would try. I can't do it by myself though. I will need something from you to fuel the spells. I'm too weak as I am now.
Onika chewed her lip and glanced down at her newly regenerated arm.
I will not take that, the flesh that has been tainted by Galbatorix's evil.
Then what?
The fire spirit paused, tipping it's head to one side and twitching it's nose. She was afraid that it would not answer after a long time, but finally it took a deep breath and presented her with a choice.
Two things you could give me would allow enough power to aid you. One choice is your eyes. The other is your heart. You would survive both. But there is something that I must tell you first. If you give me your heart, I will have to leave this place with you. We could never be separated.
Onika looked down at her clawed hands, her eyes wide. Her heart? Her eyes? Which could she part with? Which would be more painful?
But you must choose now. The time for thinking has passed.
Onika looked at the spirit and nodded.
She had chosen.
A/N I know! Cliffie! I hate em, but they have their moments! Anyway, I really would like some reviews, please. More than 'this is good' if you please. Her choice will depend on what people ask for, so please, make her choice!
I love reviews! And cookies! (starving student. Groan.)