Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Nine: Luminescent

"We discovered his name in Eragon's mind, but we did not suspect that this boy was the son of one as powerful as Morzan. It never occurred...." One of the bald rat-men started before getting cut off by Ajihad.

"And you didn't tell me? We will discuss this later. First, I must untangle this muddle. Do you still refuse to be probed?"

"Yes, I won't let anyone inside my head."

"There will be unpleasant consequences if you don't."

"All I wish is to leave."

"What??" I said with a glare, finally earning the attention of Ajihad. Murtagh ignored me and continued to stare at Ajihad.

"If we let you go and you get captured and brought before Galbatorix he will extract every secret from your mind," Ajihad said, returning his vision to Murtagh.

"Will you hold me, prisoner, forever?"

"No, only until you let yourself be examined. If you are found trustworthy, the twins will remove all knowledge of Farthen Dur's location."

"You have asked for the one thing I cannot give, least of all to these two. Do with me what you will, but know death will take me before I expose myself to probing."

"I'm not surprised by your choice, though I had hoped otherwise, guards," Ajihad said, pointing at Murtagh. "Take him to a windowless room and bar the door securely. Post six men by the entrance and allow no one inside until I see him. Do not speak to him either."

I stared at Murtagh as several guards surrounded him wearily. I glared at the guards as they passed by me and exited the study. After the heavy oak doors were closed up once again, Ajihad started to study my somewhat concealed figure.

"I don't believe I caught your name." I narrowed my eyes at Ajihad over my shoulder before turning around to look him in the eyes.

"Mal," I replied shortly.

"Why would a young woman like you be traveling with a company like this?" I kept my face neutral.

"That is personal." Ajihad sighed before walking a yard away from where I was standing.

"We can trust you, now please trust us," Ajihad said as gently as possible. I kept my neutral face and cocked my head at the Varden leader.

"Alethea, what do you think. Can we trust the Varden?"

"The Varden seem trustworthy and possibly provide a haven for us to train."

"Okay, don't reveal yourself just yet, though."

"Can you trust us enough?" Ajihad's question brought me out of my talk with Alethea. I let out a deep breath before I started to undo my head wrap. The fabric began to unravel around my head until the last layer that covered my ears, with one last tug my headwrap completely unraveled and left my head and ears exposed.

Gasps went around the room, and Ajihad's eyes widened, I let my hand fall to my side and shook my hair out. When my hair settled, I felt the unusually cold air on my ears for the first time a while.

"I want everyone out of here except for Eragon, Saphira, and Mal. NOW." Ajihad barked out after a few seconds of silence.

"Sir, the king will want to know of Murtagh. And there is still the matter of my insubordination." Orik said, trailing off.

"I will tell Hrothgar myself. As for your action, wait outside and don't let the twin's getaway, I'm not done dealing with them."

"Very well," Orik replied before leaving the room. Ajihad sighed and took a seat at his desk.

"Is my kin, alright?" Ajihad let out another sigh before responding to my question.

"No, but the healers tell me she will recover. They worked on her through the night. The poison took a dreadful toll on her. She wouldn't have lived if not for you, now Eragon, can you tell me how Saphira's egg came into your possession and if you saw another sparkling white egg?"

Eragon told our story omitting the part about my egg, he went over what happened in Dras Leona before informing Ajihad of Brom's death. Ajihad's face darkened for a moment before he gestured Eragon to continue. I tuned out the conversation until Eragon started talking about my egg.

"As for the sparkling white egg, that's not my story to tell," Eragon said before gesturing to me, Ajihad's eyes turned to me with confusion.

"Alethea, you can come out now." Alethea climbed out of my rucksack after my message and crawled onto my shoulder to study Ajihad who was speechless. Alethea let out a squeak before jumping into my lap and curling up.

"There is no longer a white egg to look for," I said, looking up at Ajihad. "And I do hope you realize the great need of keeping her a secret, the fewer the people who know about us, the better. I can't let my inheritance get out."

"I thought you didn't know your inheritance?" Eragon said in confusion.

"Eragon, Saphira, could you give Ajihad and I a few minutes to talk in private?" Eragon gave me an unsure look. "Please?"

"Of course little one," Saphira said before pushing Eragon out of the room, the doors of the study closed behind them and Alethea got up off of my lap and grew to a size that better fits her to fly around the room and check things out.

"What do you know about your inheritance..... Khensamel."