Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter One: Luminescent

It grew colder the next day and a half we traveled. I could finally see the white puffs my breath let out in the air. It was mid-morning when we heard the Igualda Falls, the quiet air broken by the bubbling sound of water on rocks.

We came upon the half a mile-high waterfall and looked at our decent. It was going to be rough. Eragon and I started to make our way down the sparse hillside, grappling the side of the hill when we slipped. We finally made it down and began to walk to Carvahall, which was in our sights.

We started to wind our way through the village, and I unconsciously pulled my hood further up, Eragon noticed my action and sent me a reassuring smile. We passed the local gathering spot where I could hear the men talking about the incoming winter. It was easy enough to say that just about everyone in Carvahall suffered during the cold months.

Eragon and I came up to a sturdy wooden building, there was smoke coming out of its chimney stack, and the windows were lit up by candles. The butcher's shop, one of the places I hated most when visiting Carvahall. Eragon pushed open the door, and we proceed into the building.

The building was warm and brightly lit thanks to a crackling fire in the corner of the room. Eragon stepped ahead of me and approached the long butcher's counter where a man was currently polishing the wood. Sloan.

He was a short, stout man with beady black eyes. He wore a cotton shirt with his butcher's smock currently covered in blood. I wrinkled my nose in disgust before walking up next to Eragon.

"Well, the mighty hunter and his tracker finally decide to join us mortals. How many did you bag this time?" Sloan said with a sneer. I could feel Eragon tense up at Sloan's words before he relaxed.

"None." He coolly replied, making Sloan's fast twist into confusion before returning to normal.

"I'm amazed," Sloan drawled out, turning around and cleaning the wall. "That's the reason why you two are here?"

"Yes." Sloan turned back to us and put his rag down with a raised eyebrow.

"If that's the case, let me see your money." Sloan tapped his fingers on the wood counter impatiently. Eragon shifted on his feet next to me. "Come on, either you have it, or you don't. Which is it?"

"We don't have any, but we do—" Sloan cut Eragon off sharply.

"What, no money?" Sloan puffed out in anger. "And you expect to buy meat! Are the other merchants giving away their wares? Should I hand you two the goods without charge? Besides," Sloan cut off and placed outside the window. "It's late. Come back tomorrow with money. I'm closed for the day."

"We can't wait until tomorrow, Sloan. It'll be worth your while, though; we found something to pay you with." Eragon and I pulled out the two stones and gently set them down on the counter. Sloan stared at the stones in greed.

"Stole it is more likely." Eragon and I ignored Sloan's comment.

"Will these two be enough?" Sloan picked the blue stone up and examined it, inspecting the weight and the white veins that ran along the stones smooth surface.

"It's pretty, but how much is it worth?" Eragon sighed before responding.

"We don't know, but no one would have gone to the trouble of shaping it unless it has some value."

"Obviously, but how much value? Since you don't know, I suggest that you find a trader who does, or take my offer of three crowns each." I let out a snarl, three crowns, that wouldn't get us enough meat to last a week!

"That's a miser's bargain! It must be worth at least the times that amount." Eragon said in protest. These two stones are worth a lot more than three crowns. I thought to myself while simmering in anger.

"If you don't like my offer," Sloan said with a shrug. "Wait until the traders arrive. Either way, I'm tired of this conversation."

"Fine, I'll accept." I didn't want Eragon to accept, but without meat, we would starve.

"Good, I'll get you the meat. Not that it matters, but where did you find this?"

"Two nights ago in the Spine." Sloan spun around and pushed the two stones back at us.

"Get out," Sloan screamed at us before stomping over to his knives and scrubbing old bloodstains off. I quickly took the white stone and slipped it into my pack with relief. Since finding the stone I had started to become more and more protective of it.

"Why," Eragon asked while drawing the blue stone closer. I guess I am not the only one feeling protective.

"I won't deal with anything you two bring back from those damned mountains! Take your sorcerers' stones elsewhere."

"You refuse to sell to us?" Eragon fired back. He was beginning to get angry.

"Yes, unless you pay me with coins! Now go, before I make you!" Sloane yelled, waving his hand. The door to the butcher's shop slammed open before a hulking man named Horst walked in with Katrina, Sloan's daughter slowly trailing from behind. "They won't—"

"Quiet." Horst thundered while cracking his knuckles, Sloan immediately fell silent. Horst was Carvahall's blacksmith, he was tall and built strong from years of hammering metal into tools and nobody, not even Sloan argued with him. "Sloan, what have you done now?"

"Nothing." Sloan spat out, glaring at Eragon. "This... boy and his tracker came in here and started badgering me. I ask the two to leave, but they won't budge. I even threatened them, and they still ignored me."

"Is this true," Horst demanded, looking at Eragon.

"No," Eragon replied. "We offered two stones as payment for some meat, and he accepted it. When I told him that we'd found them in the Spine, he refused even to touch it. What difference does it make where it came from?"

Horst looked to me, I nodded my chin in confirmation. Horst turned his hard eyes back to Sloan.

"Why won't you trade with them, Sloan? I've no love for the Spine myself, but it's a question of the stones worth, I'll even back it up with my own money."

"This is my store. I can do whatever I want." Katrina stepped out from behind Horst and confronted her father.

"Father, Eragon is willing to pay, give him the meat and then we can have supper." Sloan spun to look at his daughter.

"Go back to the house. This is none of your business. I said go." Katrina let out a hiss before walking out of the shop stiffly.

"Fine, you can deal with me. What were you going to get Eragon?" Horst said, taking another step forwards.

"As much as we could carry." Eragon told him.

"Give me your best roasts and steak. Make sure there is enough to fill two packs." Horst said while pulling coins out of his purse. Sloan hesitated at the blacksmith's command. "Not selling to me would be a terrible idea."

Sloan grumbled as he walked back into his workshop, I could soon hear the sound of meat being cut and packaged. We waited for a couple of minutes in uncomfortable silence until Sloan returned with the meat and accepted Horst's coins. Horst scooped up the meat, and we followed him out of Sloane's butcher shop.

"Thank you, Horst. Uncle Garrow will be pleased." Eragon said as he and I stuffed our packs.

"Don't thank me. I've wanted to do that for a long time. Slone's a vicious troublemaker; it does him good to be humble. Katrina heard what was happening and ran to fetch me. Good thing I came— the two of you were almost at blows. Unfortunately, I doubt he'll serve you or any of your family the next time you go in there, even if you have coins."

"I hope we didn't cause you any trouble, Horst," I said, lacing my pack shut.

"It's nothing Miss Mal, don't you worry. You get home now and take care of yourself, young lady." I smiled at Horst and slung my pack over my shoulder.

"Horst, why did Sloan explode like that? We've never been friendly, but he's always taken our money. And I've never seen him treat Katrina like that."

"Ask your uncle, he knows more about it than I do," Horst said with a shrug.

"Well, now I have one more reason to hurry home....to solve this mystery. Here, these are rightfully yours." Eragon said while offering the two stones.

"No, you keep those rocks. As for payment, Albriech plans to leave for Feinster next spring. He wants to become a master smith, and I'm going to need an assistant. You can come and work off the debt on your extra days." Eragon and I bowed in appreciation.

"Again, thank you! I look forward to working with you. Roran wanted me to give Katrina a message, but since I can't, can you get it to her?" I mentally hit myself in the face. Roran was not going to like this.

"Of course."

"He wants her to know that he'll come into town as soon as the merchants arrive and he will see her then."

"That all?"

"No, he also wants her to know that she is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen and that he thinks of nothing else." Eragon's face was now beet red, and Horst had a wide grin.

"Getting serious, isn't he?"

"Yes, sir. Could you also give her our thanks? It was nice for her to stand up to her father for us. I hope she doesn't get punished because of it. Roran would be furious if I got her into trouble."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Sloane doesn't know that she called me, so I doubt he'll be too hard on her. Before you go, will you two join us for sup?"

"I'm sorry, but we can't Garrow is expecting us." Eragon and I started down the road raising a hand goodbye to Horst. Soon enough, we left the village behind and entered the grassy plains with the Spine overshadowing it. We came to a smaller, less used path and headed down it. We climbed up a small hill and stared down at a small twinkling farm. Home.