Hi! Thank you all so much for reading the Prologue and Chapter 1. So here's chapter 2!

Note: When I say POV, it's not really from their perspective, as in first person, using "I." What I mean by it in this story is that we get to know what a certain character's thoughts and feelings are. In this chapter, I found it necessary to hear both their thoughts, so you'll get a piece from both of them today.

Veyna's POV

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. Veyna sidestepped, wiping a rivulet of blood off her cheek. Kyra grinned and stepped in with a thrust of her sword, giving Veyna barely enough time to batter the blow away. Even though their swords were blunted by Kyra's magic, her attacks still struck hard enough to scratch. Veyna feinted to the left, but Kyra saw the trick coming and deflected her real move. Just like she always does, Veyna thought, her frown of frustration increasing. She swung at her sister's head, only to have her blow blocked and swept aside, Kyra's blade coming up to her neck. Again.

Veyna forced a smile and stepped backwards as Kyra lowered her sword, a triumphant smirk on her face. "Again?" asked Veyna. Her sister nodded and they began to circle each other, looking for an opening. They had been at this since dawn, trying to pass some time before the procession they were both anxiously awaiting. After another few losses for Veyna, their mutual friend, Faeín, stepped in for her and blocked Kyra's blade with a quick swish of his sword.

"Hey," Veyna greeted him, relieved.

"Want to practice with me?" he offered. "Ky should go find someone else to pick on with that monster of a blade of hers," he said with a pointed look at Kyra.

"Nah," Kyra replied as she walked to the edge of the field, "I'll just watch you two, see if I can give Vey some pointers."

"As you wish," said Faeín graciously. He eyed Veyna for a minute, then struck at her left side, which she parried with a quick flash of her sword. The fight continued a few minutes longer before he twisted Veyna's sword around and sent it clattering to the ground.

"What do you think that thing she mentioned last night was?" inquired Kyra, waggling her eyebrows at Veyna. "A written threat?"

"Who said?" Faeín queried. They both ignored him. Veyna brushed her long auburn hair out of her face as she picked up her sword from the dirt where it had fallen.

"I don't know," Veyna answered with a frown.

"I think an alert would have been sent out if it was a threat to the elves," Kyra reasoned.

"Well, we're having the Dragon Egg Procession a few days before Agaetí Skulblaka this time for no apparent reason," pondered Veyna. Her absentmindedness earned her a whack to the hand. Kyra handed her back her sword. Agaetí Skulblaka was the elves' regular celebration of the Fall of King Galbatorix and the resurrection of the dragons, who had almost become extinct because of the evil king. It usually consisted of food, games, performances, reenactments, and, of course, the main event: the Dragon Egg Procession.

"You're right. The egg ceremony is always during Agaetí Skulblaka. We have one every season instead of just autumn and spring because there are so many new eggs to be bonded."

"Maybe there was a threat to the dragons this time around," Faeín suggested, butting in. "Speaking of which, did you two hear about the changes they made to the rules for dragon egg contenders?"

"You mean the age change, from twenty to fourteen?" Veyna asked, puzzled, as she feinted to his head and then stabbed at his stomach, "That's been instated for, what, ten years now?"

He parried the blow easily on the flat of his blade and slashed at her ankles, forcing her to jump back. "Nope. Word is that they're instituting some sort of preliminary test beforehand. Required."

Veyna's heart plummeted. Faeín took advantage of her distraction to knock her sword away. It fell to the ground with a clang. But for once Veyna didn't care. All her hopes were dashed. Of all the things elves were supposed to be, she was the least gifted. Her strength was paltry compared to others her age. Her endurance, mind-touching powers, and mind-defense all left something to be desired. And, worst of all, she could not use magic. I might as well be human, Veyna thought angrily. Kyra, of course, could do all of these things. She was strong. She could invade minds. Her defenses were made of steel. And she was the most advanced magic user their age. This test—there was no way she would ever pass it.

Kyra's POV

At Faeín's words, Kyra grinned. Perfect. She was confident of her own power. No fourteen-year-old matched her magical abilities. And few matched her prowess with the blade. This test was in the bag.

Then she saw Veyna's reaction. Her sister's face fell, and she looked miserable and close to tears. She put her arm around her sister, but couldn't help asking Faeín, "What kind of test is it? I mean, what do they test you on?"

"It's not an ability test, if that's what you're thinking," he answered. "Sorry. Something to do with memory inspection? I think they want to know what kind of person you are or your past history or something."

Kyra withdrew her hand from her twin's shoulder. She stared at Faeín in shock. How could it not be an ability test? Wouldn't strength of mind overcome all shortcomings in personality? If he's right, Kyra realized, then I'll never become a Dragon Rider. She knew she had to do something. Anything. Fast.

"Hey, why don't we stop sparring for a while?" Kyra suggested, fidgeting. "Maybe we should, like, quiet our minds or something before."

"…Sure…" Veyna agreed, looking at her strangely, but she seemed much happier. Kyra knew it was because Veyna had never known her to quit kicking her butt at sparring willingly before. But now there was something she needed to do. And she needed to do it before the ceremony.

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Kyra paced the room. She needed to think. To plan. But things kept trampling the ideas in her head. An image of Eragon shaking his head no to Kyra, a look of immense disappointment on his face. Worse, Arya Dröttning, the queen, seeing Kyra fail. Even worse, Veyna. No. She couldn't let that happen.

She had to get it. It was the only way.

Thank you Elemental Dragon Slayer and xX Angel of Mine Xx for your wonderful reviews!