The Truth About Lies (An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction)

An Enemy and An Ally

When Eragon finally awoke from his drugged stupor, he was certainly confused by the stranger, but he didn't seem to have a problem with him. He thanked him for saving our lives, and then suddenly, within five minutes, they were talking like they'd been friends all their lives. It was ridiculous! Did he not think that he might be an agent of the Empire? How stupid could he be...?

While they talked by the fire, Saphira and I stood on the outskirts of the camp, sulking and conversing with one another about the stranger. The two of them kept glancing over at me.

"I don't think your girlfriend likes me very much," Murtagh whispered. I saw Eragon's face blush a deep shade of red and his mouth pop open, as though he were searching for the words to respond. My own face grew hot with anger.

"We are not together!" I screamed angrily, picking up a stick off the ground and lobbing it at him. A triumphant smile spread across my face as it struck his upraised arm, right on the elbow.

"Ow!" he protested, rubbing the spot where I'd hit him. "Gods above, I didn't think she would hear me." I heard that too, and Eragon only smirked.

"She has incredible hearing. Don't expect to keep any secrets around here." I couldn't help balking at that statement, and I noticed Murtagh flinch a bit. What was that about? Eragon didn't know just how wrong he was.

"I'll keep that in mind," Murtagh muttered.

"And she's right, we aren't together," Eragon said quietly. "We've been best friends since we were children. She found out about Saphira when she was hiding at my uncle's farm, and I knew I could always use the extra help."

"And why exactly were you hiding?" he asked in my direction. I wanted to strangle Eragon right then and there, but I held back.

"We need to keep moving," I said, blatantly dodging the question and walking over to where my pack lay near the horses.

"I'm not sure it's such a good idea to move him in his present condition," Murtagh argued, standing up.

"We can't take the chance of the soldiers catching up to us," I growled, throwing my pack over my shoulder. "Brom would want it that way, were he conscious." The old man had fallen back into a fevered sleep after Murtagh had wrapped his wound. The stranger and I shot daggers with our eyes at one another until Eragon stepped in.

"Don't argue," he pleaded. "She's right. We have to keep moving." Murtagh heaved an irritated sigh and I harrumphed in his general direction. I was starting to dislike him greatly.

Eragon came over as I tightened the straps on Cadoc's saddle, preparing to leave. "I'm going to have to ride Saphira if we want to keep up a good pace. Please, don't kill each other while I'm gone," he said under his breath. I whipped my head around to stare at him.

"Do you even know the slightest thing about him, Eragon?" I asked in a hushed whisper, glancing over his shoulder to where Murtagh was gathering his things. "He is a stranger, yet you put such faith in him, as if you were the best of friends. For all we know, he could be an agent of the Empire, sent here to bring you to Galbatorix." He sighed heavily, looking back over his shoulder. Murtagh had stopped to stare at us, but when he noticed us looking, went back to looking busy.

"Tabby," he whispered, turning back to me. "You need to listen to me on this one: we can trust him." His tone was pleading, and I just sighed.

"You'd better hope that you're right. If you're not, it'll mean our heads," I growled. He laughed at me in that boyish way of his.

"And I will accept full responsibility," he replied, walking away towards Saphira. I'm sure she was telling him the same thing I just had. I rolled my eyes and climbed up into the saddle. Murtagh finished tying Brom into Snowfire's saddle so he wouldn't move around too much, and then mounted his own horse. The warhorse was a beautiful animal, dappled gray with strong muscles and a thick neck. A horse like that would have cost three times what Brom paid for Snowfire.