Shadow of a Shade

Chapter Thirteen

Addiane really wasn't sure why she hadn't just told Murtagh what she found. Something in the back of her mind just screamed that this was something she needed to do by herself.

She was pretty sure that she was following the youngest of the three cloaked men. The height of the little things she could note was really the only thing that gave her any idea, but instinct said she was after Will.

After a few minutes of silent tracking, Addiane realized that the person she was following had made an arc around and was going back towards the town. If he kept moving the way he was, he was going to come out near Roran's house.

"I knew they'd stay somewhere else." She muttered under her breath.

As she neared the village leader's house, she began to spot a shadow that wasn't quite moving the right way. It seemed blurred and indistinct, but Addiane knew this was the man she was following.

Eragon and Murtagh were standing in the yard. As the cloaked figure that Addiane could now make out stopped moving, she turned half of her attention to their conversation.

"You can't be serious!"

"Look, I apologized already, and you know she's a tricky one-"

"You are a fully fledged, fully trained Rider! She is an eighteen-year-old girl with a quarter of your experience." Eragon crossed his arms.

Murtagh sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.

"Where did you lose track of her?"

"I don't know! On the path."

"The path? You mean from the whole way back until you got to the edge of the town, you had no clue where she was?"

"She was behind me!" Murtagh threw his hands up. "I wasn't aware I needed to watch her at all times!"

"Murtagh, as Riders we are charged with the duty to mind our apprentices. Addiane especially, considering her condition-"

"Oh I think those abilities of hers will suit her just fine out in the forest." Murtagh grunted.

Eragon shook his head, annoyed. "You can't guarantee that. We've seen what she can do, and it's pretty clear that her powers take over. Who knows if that's their full extent?

"If she is injured, or she got kidnapped, she could be out there in the Spine acting like a psychopath with no way of reversing the effects!"

"We have to talk to Nyriem."

Eragon snorted loudly. "Nyriem doesn't talk to anyone. Not even Saphira. Besides, he's with her brothers. I took an oath as a Rider when Addiane was chosen, to take care of her as best I can. If we don't find her and her family finds out, they could try to kill us."

Murtagh shrugged. "I doubt they'd get very far."

"That's not the point!" Eragon snapped, beginning to pace. "We have to go back up the path and see if we can find any clues as to where she went. Maybe she forgot something at the farm?"

"She'd be back by now. I think one of those cloaked devils might have gotten to her."

"There's only one way to find out." Eragon sighed. "Go get your bow, we should be armed if we're heading into the forest."

The figure in front of Addiane began to move and she dropped into a crouch, hiding most of herself in the bushes.

As the man began to move in her direction, she scanned him for any signs of which he might be. The cowl of his cloak was pulled low, casting most of his face in shadow. He wasn't the tall one, but the bow he had slung over his shoulder was nearly as tall as he was. She could see the hilts of two knives at his side as he moved.