The light of the sun, when it finally rose over the cliffs, found Mellary sitting on the roof of one of the rafts. She tilted her head back and let the light caress her face as the cliffs slid past.
Earlier that morning, before the sun had risen, their party had snuck through the city and onto a pair of rafts. With quiet good-byes, the rafts had slid down the river and out of the city.
Water splashed off of Embralds scales as he wove through the waves in fluid, serpentine motions. Mellary watched as he moved up ahead of the rafts and then dove. He streaked over the river bed, flying through the water like he did through the air.
Up ahead, tree branches arced up and over the river, creating a green canopy. It was a subtle reminder of what was coming, miles ahead through the plains. Mellary pushed the thought away, simply enjoying the moment of quiet.
The soft taps of someone climbing onto her perch jolted her out of serenity. Mellary glanced out of the corner of her eye and frowned as Arya settled down next to her. It seemed that her moment of peace was over.
She didn't move from her relaxed position, giving the elf a chance to settle down on the edge of the cabin roof.
"What do you want?" Mellary asked without ceremony.
"I wanted to ask you about your swords." Arya said. Mellary opened her eyes and stared at the green canopy overhead.
"What about them?"
"How did you acquire them?"
Mellary felt Embrald stop swimming. He sank to the bottom of the river, holding his breath and listening to her response.
"They were a gift." She said easily. "My father's brother found them in a marketplace in Terim. The seller said that they had been sitting in his basement for five years. His brother supposedly found them in the woods."
Arya nodded wordlessly.
"Do you know anything about them?" Mellary ventured after a minute of silence.
"They are of elven make." Arya said shortly.
Mellary whistled. "I knew that they were well made, but I had no idea your people made them."
"May I examine them?" Arya asked. Mellary considered the request for a minute, then nodded once. She drew one of the swords from its sheath where it lay next to her. She handed the naked sword to Arya.
The elf gently accepted the sword. She turned it over in her long fingers, tested the edge, ran a finger over the inscription, unwrapped the leather ties to examine the hilt, tilted the blade in the sunlight. Mellary watched the metal shimmer with a lustrous blue-silver sheen.
"The other is down in my bag. Would you like me to get it?"
"No." Arya handed the sword back to her like it was suddenly toxic. She started to slide off the roof.
"What is it?" Mellary asked suddenly. "What about these swords spooked you?"
"It is nothing."
"It is something." Mellary said, iron in her voice. "Tell me."
Arya paused.
"They belonged to a… friend of mine." She said quietly.
"Does your friend need them back?" Mellary asked, sounding concerned. "I can always find…"
"Keep them. She's dead." Arya slid off the roof and vanished.
Mellary leaned back against the roof and smiled.
What are you so pleased about? Embrald asked.
She thinks I'm dead. Mellary said happily.
Most people would be upset about that.
I'm not most people by a long shot. Embrald laughed at that.
You're a good liar. She believed you. He said.
Yeah. I get it from my father. She closed her eyes and dozed off.
Let's go flying. Embralds pleading voice woke her some hours later. I'm tired of swimming. I want some real air under my wings.
I'm sleeping. Mellary said.
Gorges, canyons, overhangs, arches, complete mazes of rocks. Twists and turns and tunnels and…
ALL RIGHT! Mellary said.
Embrald lunged out of the water and landed on the deck. He shook water off his scales, sending drops soaring in every direction.
Mellary swung lightly over the roof and dropped into the saddle. She strapped herself in as Embrald leapt up to the roof she had just occupied. The wood strained under his weight as the dragon spread his wings. He crouched down and leapt into the air, the tips of his wings just missing the deck on the downbeat.
The edges of the canyon pulled back and they were in the open air. Embrald gained height quickly. Mellary watched his head move back and forth, scouting the canyons.
There. That was all the warning she had before Embrald twisted violently to the side and shot away towards a narrow gorge.
To call their destination a gorge was being generous, Mellary decided. The crack in the wall was smaller than Embralds wingspan by at least her height. Presumably it ran through the length of the valley wall, and didn't end suddenly.
At the last second, Embrald twisted sideways, flying vertically through the crack. Mellary flattened herself against Embralds back to avoid having her head take off by the rocks.
She closed her eyes, not wanting to see the cliffs shooting by little more than a foot from her head. The canyon roared from the sound of their flight.
Suddenly the sound stopped, leaving only a soft whisper. Mellary opened her eyes. They were flying over a large oval valley, tucked away between two peaks. The bottom of the valley was a sea of spikes and stone towers, forming a maze that went on for leagues. In the middle of the maze was a pillar of stone, rising twice as high as the rest of the rocks.
Embrald rolled down and dove. Mellary yelled in delight as they leveled out and shot forward into the maze.
They swung side to side, dodging the pillars. The rocks started coming faster and faster as they sped up.
Left. Left. Oooh, take that tunnel up there. Mellary said. Embrald dove and shot into the tunnel. Mellary held out a hand, and light blazed out. The tunnel was, luckily, a straight passage. They burst out into the daylight.
Hard right! Embrald shot straight up. He looped around and dove back into the labyrinth. What's that? Mellary asked the next time they soared over the top of the maze to avoid a rock wall. Embrald flared his wings and they slowed almost to a stop. The dragon reached out and snagged the top of a rock tower. He perched on the rock like an oversized eagle on a twig.
There. Mellary said, using Embralds eyes to look at the holes riddling the peak in the center of the maze.
Something is moving in there. Embrald noted disinterestedly.
What are they?
Improper dragons.
Wyverns? I've heard stories… let's take a closer look.
Embrald shrugged and launched off the rock. He glided towards the caves, coasting on the currents of air coming off the warm rocks. As they got closer, the wyverns stopped what they were doing and stared at the dragon.
Mellary felt an uneasy stirring coming from that mountain.
Wait- She began.
A hundred mental spikes suddenly attacked her shield. Mellary bit back a shriek of pain. Embrald jerked in mid flap.
Mellary?
Get… us… out… of… here. Mellary ground out.
Embrald folded his wings and somersaulted through the air. Upside down her flared his wings and rolled over. Facing back the way they came, Embrald dug his wings into the air and shot forward, Mellary hunched over on his back with her head in her hands.
Shrieking, the wyverns gave chase. Embrald pulled ahead as he raced through the mountains.
Eragon and Saphira are in the air. Embrald told her. They'll take care of the wyverns. We just have to make it there.
Mellary didn't respond. She barely heard him over the roaring in her mind. All her attention was devoted to holding her shield.
Slowly the attack diminished as the wyverns either fell behind or sheared off, tired of the chase. By the time they reached the river, there were only three on their tail and Mellary could think in a semi-straight line again.
Up. She said. Embrald shot straight up towards the sky. They climbed higher and higher until the air was cold and thin. The wyverns tried to follow, but didn't quite have the power to reach them. The flying lizards dropped down lower.
Coming up on the wyverns, far below them, were Eragon and Saphira. The wyverns had stopped their mental attack when they fell back, but Mellarys barriers were all but destroyed from the strain of holding them off. She lay against Embralds back, feeling almost everything: Embralds creeping exhaustion, Saphiras curiosity, Eragons reserve.
Should we help? She asked as Saphira reached out to the wyverns. The beast's screeched and attacked.
I think they have everything under control. Embrald said as Saphira outmaneuvered one of the wyverns. The blue dragon took a deep breath, reared her head back, and breathed fire. The wyverns flew off with dismayed screeches. Mellary didn't blame them; a fire-breathing dragon was an awesome and fearful sight. The flames were white hot, lighting up the sky and making Saphira glow a beautiful deep sapphire color.
Mellary whistled. That was glorious. She said reverently. She felt a twinge from Embrald.
Are you actually jealous? She laughed.
No.
Aww, the poor baby can't breathe fire yet. Don't worry, poor baby, I'm sure you'll be able to eventually.
If the wise old woman says so.
'Old woman'? Listen here, you reckless young whippersnapper…
I'm reckless? Your memory might not be that good, grandmother, but you were the one that wanted to fly into a wyvern nest.
Hatchling.
Grandmother.
Winged lizard.
Half-breed.
Oooh, that's low. Mellary laughed. Fine, you win this one. Let's go make some friends.
Embrald rolled over and fell down towards the rafts. When they were right above the roof, he slowed and let Mellary jump lightly to the raft. Embrald dove into the river and vanished beneath the surface.
Mellary slid down from the roof, to where Eragon was talking with one of the dwarves.
"Were they another race unique to the Beors?" He asked.
"We call them Fanghur." Orik responded.
"Farther west, they're known as wyverns. But I've only heard tales of them." Mellary said. The dwarf looked at her. "My apologies for interrupting. You were saying?"
"They're not as intelligent as dragons and they can't breathe fire, but they are still formidable foes."
"So we discovered." Eragon said as he massaged his temples. Mellary imagined that he had a headache. Her head was pounding like a whole legion of massive drums.
"I'm glad you did not kill them." Arya said as she joined them. "Fanghur are rare enough that those three would have been sorely missed."
Mellary snorted. I highly doubt that. She said to Embrald. Arya looked at her. Mellary shrugged.
"They still manage to eat enough of our herds." Another dwarf growled as he marched over. "Do not fly anymore while in these Beor Mountains, Shadeslayer. It is difficult enough to keep you unharmed without you and thine dragon fighting wind-vipers."
"We'll stay on the ground until we reach the plains." Eragon promised.
"Good." The dwarf turned to Mellary. "Will you promise the same?"
Embrald stuck his head out of the water. Mellary looked over at him.
I am NOT staying on this raft for who knows how many days. She said.
We have already proved I'm faster than any wyvern.
We might not be able to get away next time.
As long as we don't run into any more nests… is there any way to say no tactfully?
When did you start caring about tact?
Mellary ignored the jibe. "We will do our best to minimize our time in the air, but I cannot promise to stay on the ground."
The dwarf looked angry, then reserved as he stomped back into the cabin.
"Why did you say that?" Eragon demanded.
"You must understand, over the past few months, Embrald and I have spent more time in the air than on the ground." He looked unconvinced. "I will go insane." Mellary promised in a flat voice, her patience almost gone. Eragon shrugged and went inside the cabin. Mellary sat on the edge of the raft and dangled her feet in the water.
This is going to be a long couple of days. She sighed. Embrald pulled his head back under the water, leaving her alone on the edge of the raft.