Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Twelve: Luminescent

"If you're fighting, then you are not leaving my sight." I snorted and took his hand. I got pulled into the saddle in front of him, and he started heading in the direction of one of the higher barricades. We reached the barricade and dismounted Tornoc before picketing him and settling in line, waiting for the impending battle.

Occasionally, messengers ran through the encampment, causing the warriors to surge to their feet. But it always proved to be a false alarm. I could tell that the men were getting weary.

"It's late. We should sleep. If anything happens, the others will wake us." Orik said after it had gotten dark. Eragon didn't even bother to complain and went to sleep against Saphira. "That means you too my lady."

I gave Orik a pointed look while Murtagh dropped himself in front of a barricade.

"Don't argue Mal," Murtagh grumbled before patting the spot next to him. "Come here."

I crossed my arms before heading over and plopping down next to Murtagh. "I didn't think you were this serious," I grumbled while I pulled my quiver and sheath off my back and settled into the barricade. I leaned my head back to look at the cavern ceiling and tried to fall asleep.

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"My human wake." I opened my eyes at Alethea's voice. I looked at my pack to see Alethea stick her little pearl white head out of the bag before giving out a loud squeak. I groaned and dropped my head back onto whatever I was using as a pillow.

"Mal! Wake up, they are--" Eragon stopped talking.

"They are what Eragon?" I grumbled opening my eyes to look at Eragon who had a scarlet face. "What?"

"I, uh, the Urgals are coming, I'll just... leave you two." Eragon scurried away, clearly flustered. I stared in confusion as Eragon hurried back to Saphira who was looking at us with a dragon smirk.

"What did he mean by--" I asked, turning to look at Murtagh, my face went red, and I scrambled away from the laughing dark-haired boy. My pillow had been Murtagh's chest. I swatted at his shoulder. "That isn't funny at all you, you..."

"You what?" I growled and punched him in the chest before hauling my body to my feet and re-equipping my quiver and sword. Murtagh got to his feet and equipped his sword as well.

"It has begun," Arya said with a sorrowful expression, we looked at each other with uncertain looks. The troops in the encampment stood alert with their weapons drawn. Arya and I knocked an arrow and held it ready to shoot.

"A scout ran out of a tunnel a few minutes ago," Murtagh said to Eragon. "The Urgals are

coming."

"And how do you know that?" I growled quietly, Murtagh shot me a smirk.

"I've been awake for a while, my lady." I shot him a dirty look. Now he was using that term. I shook my head to clear my flustered thoughts. If he had been awake, why hadn't pushed me off of him? We stared at the tunnels in anticipation, Eragon had mounted Saphira and Murtagh was now on Tornoc.

"I hear them!" A man cried, no one moved as hands tightened on swords. Harsh Urgal shouts shattered the silent air as dark shapes boiled upward in the tunnel's opening. At a command, the cauldrons of pitch were tilted on their sides, pouring scalding liquid into the tunnel's hungry throat. The monsters howled in pain, arms flailing. A torch was thrown onto the bubbling pitch, and an orange pillar of greasy flames roared up in the opening, engulfing the Urgals in an inferno.