Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Twenty-Three: Iridescent

"Is it time to fight?" Alethea asked.

"It is time," Eragon said in a hard voice. Alethea and I quickly ran back to our room, and I started to pack the essentials I would need. I quickly changed into a scooped neckline shirt covered both of my shoulders and arms before tying one of my sleeveless leather tops over the shirt to hold everything in place. I grabbed my right glove, which was longer than the one on my left hand and pulled it on before wrapping leather wrist guards around both of my wrists.

My entire right shoulder, arm, and hand were now hidden from sight, only a few would know what was underneath the cloth. I slipped my regular glove on my left hand and pulled on a pair of comfy leather pants.

"You're forgetting the things that cover your feet," Alethea said from her perch atop my traveling bag. I shot her a look before pulling on and lacing leather tall boots. I am wearing so much leather. "For a reason."

I huffed at Alethea's response before I pulled my sword sheath onto my back before doing the same with my dagger, only with my right leg. I hadn't gone back to using my right hand as a sword hand. Alethea jumped onto my shoulder after I pulled on my traveling bag.

"I have a feeling we won't be back here for a while," I said before running down the stairs to meet up with Eragon. We met up and ran to Tialdarí Hall, where we found Orik sitting in his usual corner, playing a game of Runes.

"Eragon! Mal! What brings you here at this time of the morn? I thought you'd be off banging swords with Vanir and Astir."

"We're leaving," Eragon said. Orik stopped with his mouth open, then narrowed his eyes, going serious.

"You've had news?"

"I'll tell you about it later. Do you want to come?"

"To Surda?"

"Aye." A wide smile broke across Orik's hairy face.

"You'd have to clap me in irons before I'd stay behind. I've done nothing in Ellesméra but grow fat and lazy. A bit of excitement will do me good. When do we leave?"

"As soon as possible. Gather your things and meet us at the sparring grounds. Can you scrounge up a week's worth of provisions for the three of us?" I asked, Orik looked at me with a taken aback expression

"A week's? But that won't—"

"You're flying on Saphira." The skin above Orik's beard turned pale.

"We dwarves don't do well with heights, my lady. We don't do well at all. It'd be better if we could ride horses as we did coming here." Eragon shook his head.

"That would take too long. Besides, it's easy to ride Saphira. She'll catch you if you fall." Orik grunted, appearing both queasy and unconvinced. Leaving the hall, Eragon and I sped through the sylvan city until we rejoined Saphira. The four of us quickly flew to Oromis's hut.

Oromis was sitting upon Glaedr's right forearm when we landed in the clearing. Both Eragon and I descended our dragons and walked over to our two Masters.

"Master Glaedr. Master Oromis." Eragon started.

"You have taken it upon yourself to return to the Varden, have you not?" Glaedr rumbled.

"We have," Saphira replied before Eragon stepped forward with a tense body.

"Why did you hide the truth from us? Are you so determined to keep us here that you must resort to such underhand trickery? The Varden are about to be attacked, and you didn't even mention it!" I glared at Eragon's head for his outburst, he never learns.