Chapter 11


Hello again!

I am apologizing right now, I am so very sorry it's been so long! I got distracted by another sorry of mine and then moved then promoted at my job and then distracted again...
Hehehe *innocently-awkward smile*

Anyway! I am very sorry for the delay!

I hope you enjoy and let's get right into this!


The healers in Ellesmera allowed Makayla to leave their infirmary the next day.

Her left arm had been stitched closed and was wrapped thickly in a bandage to prevent any bleeding. But the wound was still very sensitive and the redhead winced with every jostle or bump to her arm. Her arm felt significantly weaker now but she wasn't screaming or crying from pain so she dealt with the pain.

Amira had suggested that the two girls return to her cave-home and try to plan their next course of action and despite knowing that Ganabranth could be watching them, Makayla agreed. So Amira mounted her dragon and Makayla climbed on Thorn with Murtagh and the five set off.

Flying on Thorn with the dark-haired wasn't nearly as bad as Makayla had originally thought. Murtagh had at first seemed like such a dark and brooding person but Amira and assured her he could be trusted and that was just his personality.

After landing on the lip of Amira's cave, Murtagh skilfully swung down from his dragon's back before reaching up politely to help Makayla down. From the corner of her eye, she saw Amira watching the Red Rider with a small frown and couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind. She opened her mouth to ask Murtagh if he knew why Amira seemed so upset but before she could, the purple-haired girl had walked over and grabbed Murtagh's collar before silently dragging the dark-haired Rider away and out of the redhead's hearing range. Makayla frowned in confusion at the action but just shook her head. Not having anything else to do, she sat on the hard ground and took the time to scan Amira and Murtagh while the two spoke.

She found it hard to believe that the purple-haired Rider was close to fifty years old; Amira looked about mid-twenties and was gorgeous: she had a beautifully-slim body and was about five-foot seven-inches tall despite having a surprising amount of muscle for her size. Her skin was smooth, beige in tone, and her naturally red lips were full and soft-looking. Her gentle cheekbones gave her face a soft look but her upturned eyes were strong. Reaching just about her waist, her hair was silky-smooth while the dark-purple color of amethyst stones and she had the pointed ears of an elf like most others the redhead had met in Alagaesia. Her eyes were purple like Makayla's but had no silver.

Murtagh, on the other hand, was much more serious though. But he still retained a strikingly handsome look as his serious face was framed by dark brown hair that fell in a shaggy style that fit him well. He was well tanned and muscular with a strong jawline and handsome face but his fierce gray eyes were blocked off and hard. As the two Riders now stood arguing, the demigod noticed that he was several inches taller than Amira and so she guessed herself as well.

Makayla frowned in curiosity when Amira seemed to groan and turned away from Murtagh, her hands moving to hold her temples as if she were getting irritated. The Red Rider ran a hand through his dark hair and gestured with his other hand as though he was trying to take back his words but the two were too far away for Makayla to hear what they were saying.

Amira shook her head before Murtagh suddenly grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face him. Surprised by the action, Amira's hands dropped and a look of surprise came to her face. Murtagh's voice was raised enough that Makayla could hear him but she still was unable to make out his words. He didn't look like he was shouting but rather like he was trying to convince Amira of something. Amira cut him off by pulling her arms from the older Rider's grasp. Shaking her head, she turned to walk away but Murtagh grabbed her wrist before she could and pulled her back but Makayla's brows rose in surprise when he cupped her cheeks in his hands and pressed his lips against hers.

Makayla knew she was pretty good at reading people and had been able to tell ever since she met him that Murtagh had different feelings for Amira than she did for him, even if he was very difficult to read. But he had seemed so hesitant that she would never have guessed that he would have made such a bold move. She stared with raised brows as Amira seemed frozen in surprise. It took several seconds before she seemed to unfreeze and broke Murtagh's kiss before seeming to scold him. He just shook his head.

Having a feeling that their conversation just got much more personal, Makayla turned away from the two and instead turned to gaze out of the cave at the unfamiliar sky, fiddling with the bandage around her left arm. She frowned in worry as her thoughts wandered to Jakob and her children; she missed them so much but couldn't see them or even talk to them. She then wondered if he and Leo and the others were still looking for her, or if they didn't bother as it was impossible to get to Alagaesia without the gods. She sighed angrily when wondering why these sorts of things seemed to be targeted towards her so often. Then she gave a short, dry chuckle.

She was probably one of the only ones who could handle going through these things.

A minute later Makayla saw Murtagh and Thorn fly out of the cave and turned to see Amira sitting against one of the walls of the cave, head on her knees beside her dragon. She shook her head, doubting she'd ever understand these weird dragon people.


Amira grabbed Murtagh's collar and dragged off to the side.

"What are you doing here, Murtagh? What is the real reason you came?" She quietly demanded after they were out of Makayla's hearing-range. Murtagh winced slightly.

"I just had to see you and see if you were alright." He reluctantly admitted. Amira sighed, understanding his worry.

"Murtagh, I have been a full-fledged Rider for a year." She reminded him as her hands moved to her temples. "I do not need someone to watch over me, I can take care of myself."

"I know and I apologize if I act like you are not." He awkwardly apologized, running a hand through his dark hair. "I just worry for you. The thought of you against such an unknown enemy-"

"I know why you worry, Murtagh." Amira interrupted, shaking her head and turning away. "I have seen your mind but you have mine as well so you know why you cannot be like this."

But Murtagh shook his head and grabbed her shoulders to turn her back to face him. Surprised by the action, Amira's hands dropped.

"That is not why, Amira!" He exclaimed despite keeping his voice quiet. "You are right and I do know why I must keep my feelings hidden. I love you Amira, you know that, but that is not why I'm here. This is a different situation, such a dangerous enemy that is different from any other that any of us have faced. You are strong, more so than any of us, but-"

"Then why are you being like this?!" The younger Alagaesian demanded, pulling herself from his grasp. "You still treat me as if I am a child, Murtagh and I have had nearly enough!" She took a breath then shook her head, voice dropping. "I do not want to argue."

She then turned to leave but Murtagh stopped her before she could, grabbing her arm and pulling her to himself before cupping her cheeks in his hands and crashing their lips together.

Amira's eyes widened and she stood frozen, surprised by the action. The same as the first time he'd kissed her, Amira felt her body immediately grow numb in a relaxing way; it was as though she had been tense her whole life and was only now gaining relief. His lips were soft and the feeling his kiss gave was somewhat intoxicating, she could feel herself wanting to move to him…

But then her eyes snapped open and she pulled away, breaking his kiss.

"What are you doing?!" She instantly exclaimed, keeping her voice quiet. "Murtagh, you cannot keep doing this! I told you that I have no feelings of the same-"

"Yet you don't stop me." Murtagh pointed out with an expectant look. "You know I will but you make no move to stop me, only pull away after."

"But why do you only hurt yourself?" Amira ignored his comment, brushing her purple hair from her face.

There was silence between the two before Murtagh slipped a hand into hers, placing his other under her chin to tilt her face up. But she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Amira…. I would rather feel all the pain of the world than be without you," He told her, voice soft. "Eka ástar ono frëma thön eka weohnata waíse ael eom thorta."
(I love you more than I will be able to tell you)

Amira's gaze finally rose to him and tears threatened to form as their gazes connected. Their gazes met, purple against gray. She could feel herself wanting to give in but she forced herself to pull back, turning and stepping away.

"No. No I... I cannot…" She denied, voice barely loud enough to hear. Murtagh shook his head.

"Why not?" He shook his head.

Two words and she almost lost it. But Amira folded her arms close to herself as she faced away from him. She didn't know how to form her words, knowing what she wanted to say but knowing she would be unable to do so. She felt the Rider's hands ghost down her arms but she refused to turn to him.

"Please, Amira…" Murtagh close to begged. His low voice was strained and a moment of silence passed as emotions flew wild for both Riders.

"Go. Now. Please…" Amira's beautiful voice was fragile and barely audible when she finally spoke.

Murtagh sighed and nodded silently, softly kissing atop head then turning to leave with Thorn. Once he was gone, Amira walked over to the wall beside Visarus and slid down to sit on the stone, knees pulled to her chest and forehead resting on her knees. She sighed deeply, hating that she already wished to take back her words.

A moment later, Makayla walked up to stand beside her friend.

"Hey. You okay?" She asked softly. Amira weakly nodded once.

"I am alright, I feel mostly irritated." She admitted.

"I didn't hear anything but that looked like quite a conversation." The redhead tried, sitting cross-legged beside her.

"As I said: I am irritated." Amira nodded with a sigh.

"But not surprised?"

"…No."

"So you knew he liked you?"

"Yes. I have known for a long while now," Amira confessed sheepishly. "He and I have discussed the matter many times over yet he refuses to accept that what he wishes for cannot happen."

"That's relatable." Makayla chuckled dryly.

"What do you mean?" Amira asked, curious to learn more about the demigod.

"It's a… long and complicated story." Said demigod answered vaguely, thinking of her friend who died for her.

"I am willing to listen if you feel the urge to share." Amira told her gently. Makayla hesitated, not sure she could tell the story without crying, but nodded anyway.

"I had a friend a while ago." She began. "His name was Adam and we met when we were little."

So time passed and Makayla told her friend her story. She told how she and Adam had met when young and how he had fallen for her just before she left, how she ran so his family could be safe from the monsters that continuously chased after her. She told how they had met again years later but she pushed him away, unable to be with a mortal because of the danger she constantly brought. Her eyes watered when she told of his death, how he had been shot in the chest by one of Ganabranth's servants, but she fought back the threatening tears. Afterwards, she told her new friend how she named her son after him.

By the time Makayla finished, night had begun to near and the torches and candles that Amira's cave used as a means of light had been lit, casting the two girls' growing shadows on the stone walls.

"Wow…" Amira finally said quietly after the redhead had finished. "You have my apologies that you have been forced to go through such struggles."

"It's alright," Makayla assured, her expression soft and gaze level as she started at the tone floor. "It was hard but the struggles made me who I am now: I'm me because of what I was put through. True, I would definitely have preferred to have not had a lot of it happen but it did and now it's in the past." She raised her gaze so her swirling silver and purple eyes locked on the unfamiliar stars. "'The past has already passed and that's why it's called what it is. We can't change what has already happened so we might as well learn from it.'"

Amira watched the demigod in awe.

She was amazed that someone who had gone through so much hell and so much pain could have a mindset so calm. Then her violet eyes dropped to Makayla's uninjured arm. Her thick scar was visible and clear to the eye but Amira couldn't help but wonder just how agonizing it must have been to have something so large and so painful forcibly carved onto the entirety of one's body. It made her want to wrap the redhead in a tight hug, tell her everything would be alright.

"It hurt."

Makayla's voice broke Amira's thoughts like a rock through glass and the Rider tore her gaze from the mark.

"What?" She asked, clearing her thoughts.

"You were looking at it, wondering how much it must have hurt." Makayla knew, shifting so she sat with her knees pulled to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. "It hurt a lot, more than words are able to describe."

Eyes still locked on the sky, Makayla offered her right arm to Amira, the scarred snake clear to see. For a moment she was confused but then the Alagaesian accepted and carefully took her arm in her hands. Movements slow, her fingers slowly traced over Makayla's arm and palm, mesmerized by the mark she felt beneath her fingers.

"He had injected me with some kind of liquid before; I don't know what it was but it made it so I couldn't pass out." The Daughter of Two continued, voice quiet. "His second-in-command, Johnathan, heated up two knives in a fire before cutting my mark. Every time one would cool down, he would replace it with a hot one. I'm a fire-user just like Leo so technically I shouldn't have been able to feel the heat but somehow he managed to burn me. It felt like years, the pain just wouldn't go away… and throughout the whole thing, he just stood watching me. That- That was probably the worst part to be honest."

Amira lifted her gaze and hand from the scar and the redhead took her arm back, wrapping it around her knees. The purple-haired Rider knew she had tears in her eyes but she made no move to clear them and continued to listen.

"I mean carving an image onto my body with a burning knife hurt like nothing else but he told me later that I reminded him like his daughter who died. The fact that he was able to watch me scream and cry in agony even though I looked just like his daughter…" Makayla's eyes darkened to a purple so dark it was nearly black. "It was insane. He was insane. Twisted and cruel and heartless and he deserved so much worse than what he got."

Amira felt herself gulp, growing almost scared by the dark hatred she saw in Makayla's eyes.

"Makayla…" She started, slowly and hesitantly placing a hand on the redhead's good shoulder.

Makayla's eyes snapped to face her at the action and Amira started slightly when she saw that her eyes were beginning to radiate with a faint but growing silver light. Amira quickly took her hand back and couldn't help but lean away from the demigod's glowing eyes, a spike of fear appearing in her chest as she remembered how she had used her power on her and Eragon. Makayla's face was a perfectly blank mask but her eyes wordlessly told the unparalleled, immeasurable hatred she held for the man who had scarred her.

Then she blinked several times, the glow faded from her eyes and she relaxed. Her cheeks pinkened and she winced, looking down.

"I'm sorry." She muttered.

"Are you alright?" Amira asked her slowly. Makayla nodded, barely enough to see.

"Yeah. Sorry I… Sometimes my emotions just do what they want. I didn't mean to scare you, I'm sorry." She apologized with a heavy sigh.

"There was no harm, all is well. Perhaps you are just tired? You should get some rest." The Alagaesian suggested with an attempt at a smile.

Makayla slowly nodded before taking a breath and rising to her feet. She looked up at the starry sky a moment before turning and leaving to her room. Amira watched her go.

"She is so… I do not even have words." The purple-haired Rider told her dragon after the redhead had disappeared from sight.

"I agree." Visarus nodded his giant head, curling up on the cave's floor beside her. "I can sense much power inside her yet she acts as though she is unaware."

"Perhaps she does not know how to use her abilities?" Amira suggested thoughtfully. "Or… maybe she is scared?"

"Scared?" The silver dragon repeated in confusion.

Amira shifted so she sat on the edge of the mountain's cave, her legs dangling off the opening's brink. She closed her eyes and felt as the wind nipped at her face and played with her amethyst hair.

"Perhaps Makayla Valdez is afraid of her abilities." She mused quietly. "She had spoken of erasing that man's soul so perhaps she fears what she can do, fearing she may harm one by accident? Or perhaps she has hurt someone by accident and now fears using her abilities as a result? Whatever the reason may be, I can see that she is in some way afraid of her power despite its strength. Anyone could see it."

"It is an interesting thought." Visarus agreed, his deep voice seeming to resonate through Amira's mind. The Rider pursed her red lips, her hand unconsciously stroking her dragon's neck.

"Or… perhaps at times she is not even aware that she is using her abilities?" She continued. "Like just now; she seemed unaware of what she was doing. Her emotions seem to be a source of her power's control and she said that her emotions at times are uncontrolled so perhaps she fears to see the extent of her abilities, knowing she can have little control of her emotions and fears of harming someone by accident?"

Amira shook her head, frowning.

"Whatever the reason, if this "Ganabranth" man is truly a big of a threat as she claims him to be then we shall need her and her power. So she will soon need to find a way to take control of that which resides inside her." Amira pressed her lips together, making up her mind. "And I will help her. I will help Makayla Valdez control her power and defeat this villain and return her to her homeland."

Amira nodded once more before slowly letting out a breath. She sat for another few minutes watching the clouds before rising to her feet.

"You are planning something." Visarus knew. His Rider nodded determinedly.

"I am." She agreed. "Come, we have much to do."

The large silver beast stood and Amira mounted his back. He then moved to the cave's entrance before leaping into the air with a flap of his giant wings. As they took into the air and flew, Amira set her face determinedly.

'I hope you are ready, Makayla Valdez...' She thought. 'Because your life is about to change.'


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