Dunei - A Murtagh Love Story - Eldest Fan Fiction

Chapter 22

"What?"

"If you haven't sworn any oaths preventing you from leaving, then you can escape," Murtagh explained, "It'll have to be as soon as possible, Thorn has begun speaking, and it won't be long until he's forced to swear his own oaths."

"We're getting out of here?" Lorena whispered in disbelief, feeling suddenly light headed. Murtagh smiled and she giggled, gripping his shirt and lifting onto her toes she kissed him hard. When she pulled away she found she had to keep hold of his shirt from stumbling over her own jelly like legs. Then she noticed the smile didn't reach his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I'll miss you."

She stared at him for a moment, racking her brain, certain she misheard him. "You're coming with us."

He shook his head and Lorena gaped at him in horror. "I've sworn oaths."

"I don't care, you're coming with me." When he shook his head again she responded by tightening her grip on his shirt and giving him a good shake. "You are coming with me!"

"I can't! I've sworn in the ancient language that I wouldn't leave, but nothing about stopping, nor even aiding you and Thorn. You can get him away from here, away from Galbatorix."

"I want you away from him. I don't want to leave you, I won't leave you!"

"You say that like we have a choice," Murtagh exclaimed, exasperated, "This may be our only chance."

"You mean my only chance. I may get Thorn and myself away, but what's going to happen to you? What's going to happen when Galbatorix finds out? If he was angry before I wouldn't want to know how ferocious he will be after this."

"You won't."

"But you will! I can't risk that."

"Though you expect me to risk letting this opportunity slip away, to ignore possibly our only chance to get you two out of here. Since you haven't sworn oaths this will be the easiest it will probably ever be." Lorena felt his hand tighten on the nape of her neck. "You must be willing to protect yourself and what you cherish, no matter what the cost."

"But you're not thinking of yourself." She gave him another good shake. "You're not protecting yourself at all and that's the problem, don't you realise what's going to happen to you when Galbatorix realises that you've helped!"

"You don't understand." Murtagh grasped her hands in one of his, as if that would stop her from shaking him again. "I'm not planning on staying here. The moment I get the chance I'll follow you, I just need to come up with a way first."

"Do you have any ideas?" Lorena asked, desperately hopeful.

"No," Murtagh admitted, "he knows my true name. I need to do some research, I'll have to find a way."

"What about that book?" she exclaimed, remembering the leather bound book Galbatorix had handed him the day before, "Didn't that have something to do with oath bound servants?"

"The benefits yes, but none of the negatives. I read through it last night, expecting our lessons to be on it today, but it seems that it was just a game, a ruse to make us uncomfortable."

"You're not going to find a way." She lowered her gaze. "He's already won."

"I'll find a way. I'll catch up with you eventually."

"You can't!"

"I will."

"You can't, you hard-headed fool!" She shook him again, causing Murtagh to turn and pin her between him and the table, the hard wood digging into her thighs. "You're going to get yourself killed."