The Truth About Lies (An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction)

Certain Complications

Eragon's POV

Slowly, I exhaled the breath I'd been holding, letting the act calm me before I went into the study. This would be an interesting conversation.

'Don't worry; it will be fine. You're doing the right thing,' Saphira said, trying to reassure me. I nodded and thanked her before going through the doors. The guards stared blankly ahead, pretending not to see me. Ajihad looked up at me from behind his desk, his brow furrowed like it was yesterday.

He stood up slowly. "Please sit down." His voice was hard, like iron, and I felt my heart beating faster from my nervous energy.

"Thank you," I replied, sitting in the same arm chair I'd taken the night before.

"I understand that you wanted to speak to me," he continued, his voice deep and gravelly. I could tell immediately that he knew what this was about.

"Yes, I... I wanted to speak to you about what happened last night." His face darkened at my mention of the incident, and I began to think that maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

"I see," he said quietly. "Go on."

I took another deep breath, hesitating slightly. "As you may now," I began, "I was unaware of Tabatha's true identity until last night when you... revealed her. But you see we grew up together; we... were best friends. I don't believe for a moment that she was ever trying to spy for the Empire; after all, I did not become a Rider until a few short months ago, yet she has been my friend all my life." I had thought long and hard last night to come to this conclusion, but it was the only thing that made any sense. Galbatorix couldn't have known I would become a Rider, so he wouldn't have had the foresight to plant a spy in my life. This was just some cruel twist of fate meant to tear us apart. But I wasn't going to let that happen...

"So what would you like me to do?" he questioned.

"I would like to speak to her; let her explain herself. Even though I don't believe she was ever intent on betraying me, she did still lie to me. And I need to know why." He stared at his hands where they were folded on the desk for a long while, face scrunched in contemplation.

After another few minutes, he looked up at me with his dark eyes. "I understand what you have said," he replied slowly. "And I will allow you to speak with her. But she cannot be released. The risk she and Morzan's son present is still too great."

"I accept your judgment. Thank you," I said, standing up. Saphira exhaled forcefully behind me, a little bout of smoke coming out of her nose.

He nodded. "A guard will take you to where she is being held." I opened the door to the hall, thanked him once more, and then followed the guard in front of me, Saphira trailing close behind.

'Do you want me to come with you, little one?' Saphira asked, nudging me lightly with her shoulder.

'No, I need to do this on my own,' I remarked, not unkindly. She grunted softly to say she understood.

'Hold your temper, Eragon. She was frightened. Everyone does things out of fear that they wouldn't otherwise.'

'I can't make any promises.' My chest was beginning to tighten.

'Just remember: Are you willing to forego your friendship over this matter? I cannot tell you what to do, little one,' she said softly. 'But just keep that in mind.' She left me then, heading off to the dragon hold. I was on my own now, to decide the fate of my future with the only girl I'd ever loved... but that I feared I was losing to another...

~*~

Tabatha's POV

I'd woken a couple of hours ago, but it was impossible to tell what time of day or night it was in this prison cell. I imagined it wasn't very easy out there inside the mountain either. My morning-or whatever it was-had consisted of staring at the wall, replaying the horrible scene from last night over and over again in my mind's eye. Why had Eragon just stood there and done nothing? Even though I'd lied to him, he didn't really think I was here to betray him... did he? And if he did, then I didn't see how I was going to survive much longer. They were going to execute me, and probably Murtagh as well. It seemed we had come here to die together.