The Truth About Lies (An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction)

Wounds Run Deep

I felt like my heart was about to burst open from my chest. How much more can I have dumped on me in one day? First Murtagh, and now Gregorio... It was all becoming too much for me to handle.

"Hello, sister," he hissed, draping his arm lazily over the dragon throne and smirking at me slightly. It was frightening to me how much he mirrored our father.

"You!" I screamed, coming forward a bit to climb the steps up to the dais. Murtagh was suddenly in front of me, holding me by the arm with an iron grip.

"Don't do this, Tabatha," he whispered desperately in my ear.

"Don't touch me!" I jerked away from him and stepped back down onto the marble floor. His grey eyes were pleading with me, but all I felt for him at this moment was scorn. "You have all betrayed me! I want nothing to do with you!" Murtagh made to say something, but then clamped his mouth shut and climbed back up to the dais, settling in front of his dragon.

"I needed someone inside the Varden to watch over you," Galbatorix said. "To strike at the opportune moment."

"So it was you that attacked me under Farthen Dur?" I looked at Gregorio only to feel a mounting hatred boiling in my chest.

"Yes," he replied with a smirk. "I meant to hand you over to the Twins so both you and Morzan's son could be brought back here, but I was overrun by Urgals before I could take you to them. By the time I fought my way through, the battle was over and my opportunity was lost. I didn't realize it would be so long before I had another chance, but your glorious reveal of Murtagh provided the perfect opportunity. You never even saw me coming!" He threw back his head in laughter, and I once again wished that I had some sort of weapon to slice his neck open. How many more were going to betray me in my lifetime?

"I trusted you," I seethed. "I thought you were my friend. Is Gregorio even your real name?"

"Of course not, you stupid girl," my brother replied. The king smirked slightly, both hands folded beneath his chin. "I am Prince Léod, future king of the Broddring Empire. And you will serve me after our father is gone, just as this Rider and all others after him will." My head was pounding; I didn't know how much more of this I could take.

"I believe my daughter is tired from her long journey," Galbatorix intoned, standing from his seat. "Murtagh, escort her back to her room." I saw Murtagh stiffen slightly, but he stepped off the dais dutifully and walked past me. His dragon turned and disappeared through the archway, and my father and brother were locked in conversation. Whatever other answers I wanted to get out of them, they would have to wait.

We exited the throne room and Murtagh walked ahead of me down the hall, never once turning back to look. When we came back to the arcade around the courtyard, I sped up to get in front of him.

"I can find my own way," I growled. He stopped walking but did not attempt to stop me, so I left him there, standing helplessly staring after me.

~*~

I kept my head buried in the soft pillow, willing all of this to go away. Everything had turned upside down on me, and the only way I knew to handle it was to lock myself away. Every now and then, I would feel a slight pressure on my mind. I recognized it as Murtagh's consciousness, but I shut him out behind my iron hard barriers. There was no one in the world—besides Galbatorix and Léod—that I wanted to speak to less. What I really wanted right now was to see Eragon. But that was a folly; in all likelihood, I would never see him again.

A serving girl came to my room about midday, asking me if I wanted something to eat. I refused her, owing my lack of appetite to the knot in my stomach. I feared that if I ate anything I would just bring it back up later. She bowed meekly and then scurried out of the room, seemingly afraid. But I paid her no mind; I preferred to be alone right now.