A roar of anger rang throughout the palace like shock waves: Everyone could hear it and no one wanted to be near the producer of such a noise, especially not now it was angry. The king was not happy, that was obvious.

"Get him," he growled to the guards as they scampered off to the castle to find the man they knew he was talking about with a guttural snarl.

Minuets later the doors burst open to the great hall. The doors clanged against the wall and the sound echoed round the room from the force of the push against it. The doormen jumped hurriedly out of the way.

"Murtagh," he bellowed as the guards dragged him in.

Murtagh shook them off and stood before him. He looked at the ground before his lord, trying to keep himself in check so he wouldn't be punished this time.

Not that that'll help, thought the little voice of reason in is head. Shut up, he thought to himself, listen he's about to talk.

Little one, echoed Thorn's thoughts in his mind. Concentrate.

"Do you know what has happened?" he shouted at him, spitting on his face.

"No, sire," replied Murtagh.

"I'll tell you what has happened," he replied, ignoring the scared faces of his servants. "The last dragon eggs have been taken!"

The servants whispered to each other but the king silenced them with a glare that made them understood that if anyone else found out he would blame them regardless.

"Don't you mean the last sir?" asked Murtagh cautiously. "There was only one more."

"There were two you idiot. I found four not three. I just didn't tell you because I knew you'd blurt it out to your little friends in the Varden and now looks what's happened!"

Murtagh opened his mouth to defend himself, because he couldn't tell them because he didn't know himself, but then thought better of it. Unfortunately, Galbatorix noticed.

"WHAT?" he raged. He didn't wait for an answer. Murtagh felt a blinding pain coursing up his veins that kept him in agony for, what felt like, an age.

When it stopped Galbatorix regained some composure, although he still had a mad glint in his eye.

"Thorn will stay here while you try and find the eggs again," he commanded.

Murtagh bowed his head and left the hall. He had to do what the king said because of his oath, however much he hated him and what he had to do, and saddled up Tornac.

Goodbye little one, said Thorn with a sense of deep sorrow in his voice.

Goodbye Thorn, he said solemnly. Keep safe.

I'll keep safe, I'm a dragon, he thought with a rumble in his thoughts.

Murtagh packed his things away and changed into travelling clothes with regret in his heart. He preferred to stay in the palace on his own and not going outside where people would hate him because of his birth right.

At least I'll be alone again for a while, he thought as he left the gates of Urû'baen.